Bell Media shakes up leadership

TELECOM

BCE Inc., Canada’s largest communications company, made a series of senior leadership changes at its media division following the departure of a key executive.

Bell Media, the owner of TV networks CTV and TSN, on Thursday announced the promotion of three senior executives after its president of media sales, Steve Garvie, took a job as CEO of media investment firm GroupM’s Canadian operations.

Replacing him will be Stewart Johnston, whose role expands to head of media sales, marketing, Bell’s inhouse creative agency and TSN. Johnston has been president of TSN since 2010. Sports content is increasingly seen as a key driver for consumer interest in buying cable packages, although it too faces competition from online streaming. Bell also promoted Mike Cosentino to president of content and programming. This puts him in charge of English programming and CraveTV, Bell’s online video-streaming platform that competes with streaming giants Netflix Inc. and Amazon Prime Video.

With its host of HBO content, CraveTV has thus far survived while domestic rival Shomi, created by Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc., folded last November due to cost pressures. The cable companies each sank over $100 million into the venture before closing the curtain after less than two years.

The final promotion went to Nanci MacLean, who becomes vice- president and head of Bell Media Studios from her previous role as VP of in-house production.

In a news release, Bell Media president Randy Lennox said the three had a deep wealth of experience and industry respect.

The changes come six months after Lennox took the reins as president. Lennox, the CEO of Universal Music Canada until Bell hired him in 2016, was promoted when his predecessor Mary Ann Turcke decamped in February for a role with the National Football League. Financial Post ejackson@ nationalpost. com