New development at Cogeco Media: Martin Spalding will not be joining the organization as President and CEO, as was announced on Wednesday.
In a note sent to employees of the media group on Friday, the president of Cogeco Inc. and Cogeco Communications, Frédéric Perron, spoke of an “unfortunate situation”, but of a decision “taken with care”.
“We place great value on Cogeco Media and our colleagues,” writes Frédéric Perron.
Reached by telephone, the senior director of communications at Cogeco Media, Christine Dicaire, was unable to provide any further explanations to explain this about-face.
According to our information, the announcement of Spalding’s arrival has raised the anger of some employees in the company, which owns the radio stations Rythme FM, 98.5 Montréal and CKOI.
A Bell Media veteran who held several senior management positions with entertainment and media companies such as the Canadian Grand Prix and Astral, Martin Spalding was set to take over Monday. He was to succeed the organization’s former CEO, Caroline Paquet, who was fired earlier this week.
This news comes in the middle of a very eventful radio season for Cogeco Media. After the departure of Paul Arcand, 98.5 Montréal has completely revamped its daytime schedule. Earlier this week, on Rythme FM, we learned that Maripier Morin would replace Patricia Paquin on the noon show, The Lunch Girlsalongside Marie-Ève Janvier.