May 7, 2012

CTV Ottawa’s Kathie Donovan Steps Down as Host/Producer of REGIONAL CONTACT

– REGIONAL CONTACT expands beyond Sunday broadcast to become featured part of CTV NEWS AT SIX –

To tweet this release: http://bit.ly/JrO0NK

Ottawa, ON (May 7, 2012) – After 24 years with CTV, and 14 years with REGIONAL CONTACT, CTV’s Kathie Donovan is stepping down from her role as co-host and co-producer of the popular Ottawa program. With Donovan’s departure, Joel Haslam remains host of REGIONAL CONTACT which expands beyond its current weekly broadcast to become a featured part of CTV NEWS AT SIX nightly in the fall. On Sunday, May 13 at 6:30 p.m. ET, CTV Ottawa will air a special episode of Regional Contact, looking back at some of the great adventures Kathie and Joel have shared together.

Additionally, it was also confirmed today that CTV NEWS AT SIX will double to one hour on Sundays, starting this fall. The weekly version of REGIONAL CONTACT remains on the air throughout the summer.

** Media Note ** Download photos of Kathie Donavan at ctvmedia.ca

“Being part of the Regional Contact storybook has been a great honour and an amazing adventure. It has been my privilege to share the stories of our region's extraordinary everyday people, who taught me much about how to live my life. I am deeply grateful to have had one of the best jobs in television and thankful to our dedicated viewers who have welcomed Joel and me into their lives and homes for so many years.”

“Kathie’s ability to showcase such a diverse range of local arts and artists, characters and cuisine and so many other things that make our region unique is a rare talent,” said Richard Gray, Regional Vice-President, Radio and TV Operations, Eastern Canada, Bell Media, and General Manager, CTV Ottawa. “She and Joel were the perfect complement to one another; Kathie will definitely be missed.”

Born in Vancouver and raised in Montreal, Donovan has made the Ottawa area her home for the last three decades. Donovan joined CTV Ottawa in 1988 as entertainment and weather reporter at Ottawa's CJOH News. In 1998, she joined Joel Haslam as co-producer and co-host of REGIONAL CONTACT. In 1976, Donovan helped launch Ottawa's first alternative FM radio station, CHEZ 106, where she was a disc jockey, then host of a radio magazine program called "In The City," which covered the local entertainment scene. She helped to start Canada's first campus FM radio station CKCU-FM at Carleton University in 1975.

Social Media Links
http://twitter.com/KathieCTV
http://www.twitter.com/JoelCTV
http://twitter.com/ctvottawa
http://twitter.com/GrahamCTV
http://twitter.com/CarolAnneCTV
https://twitter.com/PeterAngioneCTV
http://www.facebook.com/CTVNewsOttawa


Celebrating its 50th anniversary of broadcasting in 2011, CTV Ottawa is the news and entertainment programming leader in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec, with a weekly reach of more than one million viewers. CTV NEWS AT SIX with Carol Anne Meehan and Graham Richardson is the most-watched television program in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec among adults 18+. Locally, CTV News has won regional and national awards for broadcasting excellence as well as for its tireless work in the community.

CTV, Canada’s Olympic Network, is also Canada’s largest private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV is Canada’s most-watched television network and lead broadcaster of the London 2012 Olympic Games. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada’s premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network’s website at ctv.ca
.
- CTV-
For more information:

Richard Gray, Regional Vice-President, Radio and TV Operations, Eastern Canada & General Manager, CTV Ottawa, richard.gray@bellmedia.ca, 613.789.6559 ext. 4205

Renee Dupuis, Sr. Communications Manager, CTV News, 416.384-3154 renee.dupuis@bellmedia.ca

> Print friendly version