April 29, 2022
The Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC) today announced that Christa Dickenson, a screen-based industry leader whose career has spanned both the creative and business sides, has been named President and Chief Executive Officer. She will take on the role effective September 12, 2022.
Dickenson has thirty years of experience in the film, cable television, interactive digital media, technology, and telecommunications sectors. She brings to CPAC a proven track record of engaging and collaborating across private, not-for-profit and public sectors. With a prolific business acumen, her strong sense of mission has been instrumental to the success of Telefilm Canada, Interactive Ontario, Rogers, CTV News, and CPAC — where she worked early in her career.
"The channel's objective and unfiltered coverage enticed me at the beginning of my career and I am incredibly excited to return nearly three decades later to assume its leadership,” said Dickenson. “It is with great honour that I rejoin the hard-working and dedicated team at CPAC.”
Dickenson’s management excellence, as well as her invaluable contributions and dedication to serving Canadians, have been widely recognized over the years. She was nominated for the APEX 2022 Leadership Excellence Award in public service, and named as one of “The 20 Most Powerful Women in Global Entertainment” by The Hollywood Reporter last fall.
“The credibility and relationships Christa has established through years of experience working with the federal government will prove invaluable as she leads the organization forward and continues to showcase CPAC as the voice of democracy in Canada,” said Peter Johnson, Chair of the CPAC Board. “We are thrilled that CPAC will benefit from her energy, drive and collaborative spirit.”
As CPAC celebrates its 30th anniversary on the airwaves this year, Dickenson will work with CPAC’s staff and board on the vision for the next decade of bringing viewers a unique window on parliamentary, political and public affairs in Canada and abroad.
“I believe that the role CPAC plays today is even more critical in bringing the voice of democracy to Canadians. It has never been more relevant in this time of accelerated disinformation,” Dickenson said.
About CPAC
CPAC was created in 1992 by a consortium of cable companies to preserve an independent editorial voice for Canada’s democratic process, providing a unique window on Parliament, politics and public affairs in Canada and around the world. Today CPAC is proudly owned by Rogers, Shaw, Videotron, Cogeco, EastLink and Access Communications.
Over the past 30 years, the cable industry has invested more than $60 million in CPAC. Today, CPAC remains Canada’s only privately owned, commercial-free, not-for-profit, bilingual TV service, delivering programming by cable, satellite and wireless distribution to 10 million homes in Canada and worldwide through online web and social media channels.
-30-
