TORONTO, ON – (October 30, 2014) – Canadian Music Week is pleased to announce John Cassaday as the 2015 inductee to the Canadian Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame. Cassaday will be honoured at the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards gala on Thursday, May 7, 2015 at the Sheraton Centre Hotel in Toronto.
John Cassaday has enjoyed a decorated career in the broadcast industry for 25 years. As the founding President and Chief Executive Officer of Corus Entertainment Inc., he has piloted the company to a leadership position in radio, specialty television and content creation in Canada. Corus’ diverse portfolio of assets encompass more than 20 television properties including YTV, TELETOON, W Network, CMT and HBO Canada; Nelvana, one of the world’s leading producers of animated programming and related products; Kids Can Press, Canada’s largest children’s publisher; ToonBoom, an Emmy® award-winning animation software company; and 39 radio stations in eight out of the top 10 Canadian markets.
“John Cassaday is a true trailblazer in the broadcast industry,” said Neill Dixon, President of Canadian Music Week. “From television to radio, he has influenced several generations of industry professionals and advanced Canada’s media landscape. He is fully deserving of his place in the Canadian Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame.”
Cassaday’s foresight and strategic agility have driven exceptional growth and success. Under his leadership, Corus has vitalized Canada’s media and entertainment industry, through the acquisition, development and delivery of great Canadian content, as well as the investment of millions of dollars in original Canadian productions. Through Corus’ talent initiatives, it has encouraged and recognized some of Canada’s best emerging artists. Embracing the digital sphere, Corus was the first Canadian broadcaster to feature an iPhone streaming application and the first to offer Apple iTunes integration through its radio station websites. The company’s headquarters, Corus Quay, has gained recognition as one of the most technologically advanced media and broadcast centres in the world.
Before the launch of Corus, Cassaday was President of CTV Television Network. Under his leadership, CTV invested heavily in news with new talent, the opening of additional news bureaus and an innovative new set design. This resulted in strong ratings increases driven by audience growth in news and special event programming, which included the successful carriage of two Olympic Games. Cassaday also held senior management positions at Campbell Soup Company in Canada and the U.K. where he became well known for his marketing acumen.
John Cassaday is a Member of the Order of Canada and a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. His commitment to Canadian broadcasting has been recognized with the Gold Ribbon Award for Broadcast Excellence, a top honour by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. He was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Legends in 2006 and received the Gold Medal from the Association of Canadian Advertisers in 2004. During his tenure, Corus has been honoured for its excellence in investor relations, its corporate culture and its commitment to diversity. Notable recognition includes Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures, Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, Greater Toronto’s Top Employers, Canada’s Top Employers for Young People, as well as one of Canada’s Top 100 Canadian Brands.
Under Cassaday’s leadership, Corus has also supported educational institutions across Canada including establishing the Chair in Women in Management at Ivey School of Business, Western University, and the Chair in Communications Strategy at Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
A strong believer in giving back to the community, Cassaday has been instrumental in raising awareness and funds for numerous charitable causes, through corporate fundraising initiatives as well as his own personal commitments. In addition to championing Corus’ corporate giving strategy, Corus Feeds Kids, he served as Chair of the United Way campaign for Metro Toronto in 1995, and has also co-chaired successful fundraising campaigns for St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation and Rotman School of Management.
Cassaday sits on the Board of Directors of Manulife Financial, Sysco Corporation and Irving Oil Limited. He is a member and Director of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives. He has also served on the Board of Directors of Masonite International Corporation, J. M. Schneider Corporation, Canadian Airlines and Loblaw Companies Limited and on the Advisory Boards of Nestle Canada and IBM Canada. John was the Chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Rotman School of Management and Chair of the Board of St. Michaels Hospital from 2004 to 2006.
John holds an M.B.A. (Dean’s List) from the Rotman School of Management, and was honoured in 1998 as their most Distinguished Alumni. He has a Bachelors Degree from the University of Western Ontario.
To attend the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards or for additional details, visit the Canadian Music Week website: www.cmw.net.
About Canadian Music Week
Canadian Music Week is Canada’s leading annual entertainment event dedicated to the expression and growth of the country’s music, media and entertainment industries. Combining three information-intensive conferences; a trade exposition; a film festival; a comedy festival; four awards shows and the nation’s largest new music festival, CMW spans a ten-day period from May 1 to May 10, 2015 at the Sheraton Centre Hotel and over 60 downtown Toronto venues, attracting participants from across the globe. For more information, visit www.cmw.net.
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