A classy event by a classy guy: Bews is in the news at CTV

Wayne Bews has only been the retail sales manager at CTV Montreal for three months, yet the former TSN 690 boss is already impressing everyone around him. 

 

The ageless Mutsumi Takahashi and Wayne Bews.

I enjoyed an extraordinary relationship with Wayne during his TSN 690 tenure. He was the sales manager at the old CKGM when they made the switch to all-sports radio and became THE TEAM 990. When his mentor, original program director and station manager Lee Hambleton passed away, Wayne stepped into his role while retaining his regular duties. It is very clear that had it not been for Wayne's leadership, THE TEAM 990 would not have survived long enough to win the rights to broadcast Montreal Canadiens games and stay alive after owners Bell Media announced their intenyt to close the operation down and replace the rechristened TSN 690 into RDS French-language radio.

The all-sports format has been a dream come true for arm-chair jocks such as I. Now that TSN 690 is secure and partnered with former Astral stations CJAD, Virgin Radio and CHOM, the future looks very bright. Bews was rewarded for his good work with the CTV Montreal appointment. Last week he showed what a classy and creative guy he is by organizing an unprecedented afternoon cocktail for the station’s main advertisers.  Not only were there drinks and hors d’oeuvres, but the event took place in the actual CTV Montreal studio.

 

Bews and Randy Tieman.

I thank Wayne for the invitation, wearing my Suburban Newspaper hat and my other one from the English Montreal School Board (EMSB). At the EMSB, we have enjoyed a solid partnership with CTV for years via joint promotions and advertisements.

Wayne has clearly earned the respect of his new bosses, for advertisers were ever so delighted to get a chance to mingle with senior CTV executives and a number of on air personalities. There was an endless lineup at the anchor desk to get a photo taken with Paul Karwatsky and Mutsumi Takahashi, two of the nicest people you'd want to meet.  Next was a trip to the makeup room in order to record your very own holiday greeting. I was enjoying the banter too much with individuals whom I normally do not get a chance to spend such extended time with.

News Director Jed Kahane,  Executive Producer  Barry Wilson,  Manager of  Creative Services/Marketing/Community Relations and Com Gerry Dixon and Promotions Boss Jason Devine were joined by Rob Lurie, Cindy Sherwin, Caroline van Vlaardingen, Randy Tieman, André Corbeil, Christine Long and Maya Johnson.

I get my chance at the anchor desk.

 

I was happy to meet Spiro Krallis, the founder, owner and  president of sandwich chain Dagwoods. What a business he has built! Julien Hecht, the former GM of The Suburban and the voice of countless radio commercials, was doing the rounds. I recommended to Spiro that he consider a new round of advertisements with Julien raving about their special hot sauce. I also had compliments for Scott Reid, the marketing director for Scores Restaurants - another one of my favorites.

Bravo to Bews!

 

Paul Karwatsky to be interim co-anchor on CTV Montreal

CTV Montreal News and Public Affairs Director Jed Kahane has confirmed that Paul Karwatsky will be the interim co-anchor at noon and 6 pm weekdays with Mutsumi Takahashi, as the search for a permanent replacement for the departing Todd  van der Heyden proceeds.

Paul Karwatsky

Karwatsky has been with the station for eight years. He is handsome, personable and well liked - a homegrown journalist  who attended Nesbitt Elementary School and Vincent Massey Collegiate in Rosemount. I first met him through his mom Mary Ann, at the time a guidance counsellor at the English Montreal School Board. "My son just graduated from university with a double major in journalism and political science and he would like to get a job in the media," she said. "Can you get him something at The Suburban?"

Soon after Paul did call me and sent along his CV, which I  shared with The Suburban. He quickly scored some freelance work with CTV Montreal, despite the fact he had no prior  TV experience. Paul caught on quickly and made his way to the anchor desk in a pretty short period of time as a fill-in and more recently on weekends with Tarah Schwartz.

Kahane has made the appropriate move, not doing anything permanent at the moment. Karwatsky was and probably remains the number one candidate for the job. If they open it up to applications, one never knows who  might apply from the outside.

Here is one of Paul's reports from a few years ago on a Sci Fi convention:

Who will replace van der Heyden on CTV Montreal?

The news today that Todd van der Heyden, currently the co-host of CTV Montreal's noon and 6 p.m. newscasts, is moving to the media capital of Canada - Toronto- to join  CTV News Channel was  not a big surprise. I had been hearing rumours of his potential departure for weeks.

Todd van der Hayden

Paul Karwatsky

Van der Heyden will be joining the network full time as co-anchor with Amanda Blitz, hosting Express, weekdays from 1 to 4 p.m. His last newscast in Montreal will take place on Dec. 30 and he will begin his new role at News Channel on Jan. 16. He's been with CTV Montreal since January 2000,  initially as a reporter and backup anchor. In October 2003, he was promoted to reporter/producer of the new feature investigative  segment "On Your Side." Two years later he became the co-anchor of the 6 p.m. weekend newscast, joining  Tarah Schwartz. His big break came nearly five years ago when he moved from anchoring weekends to weekdays at noon, co-anchoring with veteran newscaster Mutsumi Takahashi. Then  in August 2008, he assumed the co-anchor chair of the flagship weekday 6 p.m. show, again teaming up with Takahashi.

Andrew Peplowski, shown here visiting LaurenHill Academy in St. Laurent.

I have always liked Todd, as a reporter, anchor and of course a person. He  will be greatly missed. So now what does news director Jed Kahane do to replace him? It appears very likely that he will continue the male/female duo which places Paul Karwatsky at the head of the class. He succeeded van der Hayden as Schwartz's weekend co-anchor. He's young, handsome, talented and homegrown. If Kahane goes outside of the station, it would not be shocking to see the likes of Andrew Chang  from CBC be given a look? A real wise choice, in fact, would be Andrew Peplowski. He has vast radio and TV experience, anchored Global TV's former This Morning Live Show for years, has a great TV presence, a fabulous on air personality and great following these days at CJAD.

There is already a draft Mose Persico movement underway. The stylish and popular entertainment reporter  could add an interesting dimension to the program.

Will Kahane pull the trigger on a replacement quickly, insert Karwatsky in on an interim basis or have Mutsumi fly solo for a bit? It will be interesting to watch this story unfold.