TORONTO – Broadcasting exec John Cassaday has been named 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 May 7, 2015 at the Sheraton Centre Hotel in Toronto.
Cassaday has enjoyed a decorated career in the broadcast industry for 25 years. As the founding president and CEO 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.
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.
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.
“John Cassaday is a true trailblazer in the broadcast industry," said Canadian Music Week president Neill Dixon, in the announcement. "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."
Canadian Music Week 2015 will take place May 1 – 10, 2015 in Toronto.
