CCR People

Communications lawyer Charles Dalfen has been appointed as chair of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. The appointment is effective January 1. He served as vice chair of the commission from 1976 until 1980. Acting chair David Colville will return to his position as vice chair of telecommunications (CCR Update, Oct. 31/01). Colville temporarily replaced former CRTC chair Françoise Bertrand, who left for a private-sector job in February, about six months before her term was to expire. Currently, Dalfen is a senior partner in the Torys law firm, where he chairs the Communications Law Group and advises clients on Canadian and international telecommunications and broadcasting law. Trina McQueen announced Nov. 27 that she would be retiring as president and COO of CTV Inc., effective January 7, 2002. She has agreed to stay on for at least six months in the new role of deputy chair of CTV. Next year will mark McQueen’s 35th year in television. McQueen’s existing job will be split into two: NetStar and CTV. NetStar, which includes four specialty channels, numerous digital channels, and other assets, is run by president Rick Brace, who will now report directly to Ivan Fecan. CTV Television will also have its own president. Fecan, who is CEO of CTV and president/CEO of parent Bell Globemedia, will assume the duties of CTV president on an interim basis. Company co-founder and co-CEO Patrick Loubert has left Nelvana Ltd. Scott Dyer will replace him as head of production. Dyer was previously senior VP. Serge Bellerose has been named VP of specialty services, corporate affairs and regional stations at Groupe TVA. He worked for TVA in the 1980s, and then left to produce television programming for different television stations. He returned to the TVA fold in 1998 to head up the specialty channel LCN. Edgar Bronfman Jr. has resigned from his position as executive vice chair of Vivendi Universal. He will remain vice chair of the board. In a letter to employees of the company, Bronfman wrote, "As I explained to (Vivendi Universal chairman and CEO) Jean-Marie Messier, I feel comfortable that with the company on such a strong footing and making excellent progress, now is the right time for me to pursue new challenges…at this stage of my life and career, this is the right decision and the right time. Though I don’t know precisely what lies ahead, I’m excited at the prospect of building another business. I am also eager to spend some time with my family and friends, a precious thing which I have too often overlooked." Bill Allen is leaving his position as director of communications at the Canadian Cable Television Association to do corporate communications for the not-for-profit Media Awareness Network. At the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, Stephanie Szick has been named manager of communications. Previously, she was manager of editorial services. As well, Marianne Keriakos joins the association as a second manager of communications, and Melanie Hewson has been named information services officer, a position previously occupied by Michael Buzzell. Jane Macnaughton has been appointed vice president of finance and administration at Vision TV. She will provide leadership in the areas of finance, information technology and administration and will be an advisor to the executive management team and the board of directors. Prior to joining Vision, she was VP of finance and CFO at the post production company Command Post and Transfer Corp.

CCR People

Broadcast | December 6, 2001

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