Rogers Sports & Media president Colette Watson set to retire

Veteran Canadian media executive Colette Watson is set to retire from her role as president of Toronto-headquartered media firm Rogers Sports & Media (RSM).

Colette Watson

Watson has been a key figure within RSM, which is part of telecommunications giant Rogers, as well as the wider broadcasting sector for more than three decades.

Her retirement comes around four years after she returned to RSM as president following a 30-year stint at the company from 1990 to 2020.

Since returning, Watson played a key role in the industry-reshaping move that saw RSM acquire the Canadian trademark and licensing rights to almost all of Warner Bros Discovery’s unscripted brands, including Discovery, HGTV, Food Network, Magnolia, Cooking Channel and OWN, which had previously sat with Bell Media and Corus Entertainment.

In addition, she spearheaded the renewal of RSM’s rights deal with the National Hockey League, striking a multi-billion-dollar 12-year agreement running through until the 2037/38 season.

The RSM president role includes oversight of some 30 conventional, digital and specialty channels including Citytv, CityNews, Bravo, HGTV, Discovery and Sportsnet, as well as streamers Citytv+ and Sportsnet+, 50 radio stations and more than 60 community TV stations.

During her initial stint with the company, she climbed to senior VP of television and broadcast operations. In that role, she was involved in the launch of the Viceland channel in partnership with Vice Media.

Throughout her career, Watson has been an outspoken advocate for the role of independent journalism and the need for US-based streaming services to contribute to the Canadian funding ecosystem as a means of levelling the playing field with local broadcasters.

She will officially step down from the role in mid-May, though will remain in an advisory capacity until the autumn.

“Colette has been a part of the Rogers fabric for over 35 years,” said RSM’s VP of communications Sarah Schmidt.

“She has helped shape everything from content and channel line-up to the policies that govern them. She’s led Rogers Sports & Media making blockbuster deals and critical investments to build Rogers into a sports and entertainment powerhouse. We wish Colette all the best in her upcoming retirement.”