Corus alum Williams to join CBC

Canadian television veteran Barbara Williams is joining the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) as executive VP, overseeing English-language TV, radio and digital services.

Barbara Williams

Until recently Corus Entertainment’s exec VP and chief operating officer, Williams will be based in Toronto and joins the public broadcaster on May 1.

She will report to Catherine Tait, president and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada, and replaces Heather Conway, who announced her departure last November.

Williams has held a range of positions during her long career in Canadian TV, including working at Canwest Global Communications before it was rebranded as Shaw Media following its acquisition by Shaw Communications in 2010.

She took up her position at Corus in 2016 following the company’s acquisition of Shaw Media and left the company late last year.

“I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of strong, dynamic Canadian content, and in the critical role the public broadcaster plays in providing timely and trustworthy news,” said Williams. “It has the power to connect people and shift perspectives. I’m looking forward to working with the team at CBC to bring even more compelling Canadian stories to our audiences.”

Regarding the appointment, Tait said: “I have asked Barbara to take on this role because of her vast experience as a network executive and her keen understanding of Canada’s ever-changing media landscape.

“This is an important time for the public broadcaster as we look to spark an even deeper connection with audiences here and around the world. Given her track record in building content strategies that consistently result in audience growth, Barbara will help us do just that.”