TORONTO — Polaris Music Prize founder Steve Jordan will be joining CBC on March 2 as the public broadcaster’s new senior director of CBC Music.
Jordan has served as executive director of the Polaris Music Prize since founding the prestigious award in 2006. Prior to his role with Polaris Music, Jordan was an A&R executive with Warner Music Canada and True North Records, a radio broadcaster and programmer, journalist, promoter and publicist.
“We are thrilled to welcome Steve and the three decades of expertise and experience in Canadian music that he brings to the public broadcaster,” said Susan Marjetti, executive director of radio and audio for CBC, in the news release. “Steve is an innovative, imaginative, creative and entrepreneurial force of nature and he has brought national recognition to generations of incredibly talented emerging and established Canadian artists.”
During his time as executive director of the not-for-profit Polaris Music Prize, Jordan has honoured and helped boost the careers of Canadian artists including Haviah Mighty, Jeremy Dutcher, Lido Pimienta, Kaytranada, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Tanya Tagaq, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Arcade Fire, Feist, Owen Pallett, Patrick Watson, Caribou, Karkwa and Fucked Up.
“Canadian music, in all its magnificent colours, origins and styles, is and always should be, ‘home’ at the CBC,” Jordan said in the CBC news release. “The expertise and passion for music at CBC is already second to none. With that in place, I look forward to further building our relationship with artists, and ensuring that CBC Music is Canada’s most trusted music authority.”
In a separate news release issued by the Polaris Music Prize, the organization’s board chair, Miro Oballa, said: “On behalf of the Polaris Music Prize’s board of directors, we’d like to thank Steve for the vision and passion he’s brought to the Prize since its inception and we wish him all the best in his new role at the CBC. Polaris events manager Claire Dagenais will take on an expanded role within Polaris while Steve will continue to provide guidance for the Prize in his new role as a Polaris board member. We look forward to an exciting new chapter at Polaris.”
