The School of Media Studies, is part of the Faculty of Arts, Media and Design, and offers programs in a wide array of media and media-related disciplines.

Program offerings span from traditional areas such as print journalism, radio broadcasting, and television broadcasting to programs focusing on new technologies such as game development and interactive multimedia. Many programs focus on skills training for those who want to work in or with the media, in areas such as advertising, scriptwriting, photography, public relations, and professional writing.

None of these programs could thrive without industry role models— those individuals who continue to raise the bar as they set the highest standards for those who hope to follow in their footsteps.

We are honouring 10 trailblazers and role models by inducting them into our Media Hall of Fame.  
Each has earned a reputation for excellence and innovation, while making significant contributions to his or her industry and community.

We honour them for their passion, expertise and many accomplishments that both pave the way for our students and motivate them with  local examples of what is possible within their chosen fields.

Advertising
Don Masters, MediaPlus Advertising

Don Masters is the founder of one of the city’s first full-service advertising agencies. Although his first love is copywriting, he also excels in developing strategic, creative, and innovative campaigns many of which have won awards. His campaigns have built the brand for his clients, who represent a range of sectors, including tourism, technology, services and broadcasting. His ability to consistently deliver results is evident through an impressive number of long-term clients.

A recognized leader in advertising, he’s often been called upon to speak to the media about issues related to advertising both on a local and a national scale.

 “He is innovative … energetic … creative,” says one of the faculty members.  “A person who happily donates his time and his agency’s services to a number of local not-for-profit organizations.” These include, among others, the Snowsuit Fund, Bluesfest, and the Canadian Cancer Society. He is also known for fostering and supporting young talent in our community.

Game Development
Michael Cowpland, Zim Corporation

Michael Cowpland is a household name in our city -  an icon in the worlds of hi-tech and entrepreneurship. 

While we admire him for a myriad of achievements, he is inducted into the Hall of Fame for being a leader and innovator in the field of game development.

He pioneered CD-ROM as the storage medium for games during its infancy and was the co-creator of the Corel CD-Home product line which included more than 50 game and entertainment titles.

While he is well known in the media and among his colleagues as a news-making entrepreneur with his own unique style, he also boasts world-class engineering abilities.

As a winner of the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Innovation award, and a CATA Alliance Award for Private Sector Leadership, Michael Cowpland has also been credited for helping put Canada on the hi-tech map,

Interactive Multimedia
Tony MacDonell, Teknision

Tony MacDonell is known throughout the national capital region as a developer of multi-national websites, games, electronic communication, packaging, and educational materials.

His reputation extends beyond city borders.  Tony has received international recognition for his pioneering achievements in Flash development, and his work has been showcased in international graphics and web development magazines such as Design Graphics and Cre@te On-Line. He is seen as a visionary — often interviewed on his ideas for the future of web communications.

He has been a keynote speaker of many of North America’s most technologically advanced seminars and conferences.

His client base hails from across North America and includes such giants as FOX MyNetworkTV.com, Kelloggs, IBM, the Government of Canada and VISA. He has been described by a faculty member as “one of the most innovative, educated, and experienced programmers around — his skill with Flash ActionScript is legendary.”

Photography
Michelle Valberg, Valberg Imaging

Michelle Valberg has photographed many high-profile individuals throughout her career, including Princess Di, the Dalai Lama, Jann Arden, and Prince Edward. Along with being one of Canada’s most popular professional photographers, she’s a thriving fine artist. Those who have seen her exhibitions in Canada, New Zealand, England, France, and elsewhere describe her landscapes as captivating, enchanting, and mesmerizing. Her work has appeared in numerous magazines, from Chatelaine to U.S. Magazine. Michelle has also self-published two photography books.

Beyond these accomplishments, Michelle contributes her talents to countless fundraising initiatives for a number of charities including the Ottawa Heart Institute and Habitat for Humanity. She’s a board member for the CHEO Foundation and the SCO Health Services Foundation and she chairs Capital Talk, an Ottawa-based committee that organizes local charity fundraisers.

Print Journalism
Roy MacGregor, Globe & Mail

Although he was born in the small village of Whitney, Ontario, Roy MacGregor has worked for some of Canada’s biggest publications – The National Post, the Ottawa Citizen, Maclean’s magazine, the Toronto Star, and the Canadian Magazine.

He has won numerous awards throughout his career, including the National Newspaper Award and several National Magazine Awards. Roy is also a two-time winner of the ACTRA award for best television drama writer in the country.

Along with his journalistic credentials, he is the much-published and much-loved author  of some 30 books – seventeen of them in the internationally acclaimed Screech Owls mystery series for young readers. His books for adults include: A Life in the Bush, which won him the Rustrum Award as the best book on the wilderness published in North America between 1995 and 2000,Home Team:  Fathers, Sons and Hockey, which was nominated for the Governor General’s Award, Canoe Lake  and The Last Season.

His most recent titles are Escape:  In Search of the Natural Soul of Canada and A Loonie for Luck.

Professional Writing
Roch Carrier

Roch Carrier, a celebrated Canadian novelist, is among the best-known Quebec writers in English Canada. His film script, collection of short stories, children’s story, and two plays all bear eloquent witness to his rich imagination. He’s also the master of the conte — a very brief form of short story. Roch is best-known for his most beloved conte — The Hockey Sweater, a story about a young boy who orders a Montreal Canadiens sweater from the Eaton’s catalogue, only to receive a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey instead. Considered one of the most important works of Canadian literature, it is also an animated short film, thanks to the National Film Board of Canada. An excerpt from The Hockey Sweater is printed on the five-dollar bill.

Roch has served as the head of the Canada Council, was named National Librarian of Canada, has won the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal of Humour, and is an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Public Relations
Tim Kane, Delta Media

After graduating from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, Tim Kane spent nearly two decades working with leading advertisers, public relations and advertising agencies, and governments in Canada and abroad. With his wife and business partner, he founded his own public relations firm in 1991 here in Ottawa. 

Tim is, as a faculty member reports, the epitome of the successful public relations practitioner.

In addition to his responsibilities at his firm, he has served as chairman of the Americas region board of directors of the Worldcom Public Relations Group.  Currently he is vice-chair of its global board of directors.

In 2000, he was nominated for the Ontario Premier’s Award for outstanding contributions to his community and profession.

In 2001, following the September 11th terrorist attacks, he was co-chair of the Canada Loves New York campaign in Ottawa. The following year, he was awarded the Golden Jubilee Medal of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to Canada.

This year, he led the renewal of the National Press Club of Canada and is currently president of the National Press Club of Canada Foundation.

Radio Broadcasting
Gary Michaels, CHIN Radio

Gary Michaels has been a familiar voice in Ottawa for decades. He has been on air in the Ottawa radio market for more than 40 years. He continues to work as a local voice in our city as talk show host and moderator of CHIN Radio’s noon-hour Cross Cultural Talk program. Gary grew up here in Ottawa and credits, a fellow Lebanese kid growing up in the same neighbourhood, Paul Anka , for his inspiration.

Later, Gary’s career would take him to CJET, CKOY, CFGO, and W1310.Whether it was Classic Hits, Country, Easy Listening, or Late-night Talk, his many fans followed him from format to format.

A faculty member says he takes an enthusiastic and youthful approach to an industry he loves, and to an industry, and a city, that loves him.

Television Broadcasting
Ray Skaff, Rogers Television Ottawa

Ray Skaff, station manager of Rogers Television Ottawa, plays a key role in a vibrant Canadian company that is proud to be a leader in the broadcast and telecommunications industries.

Described by a faculty member as someone who has a “glass-is-half-full attitude”, he is respected and admired in the Ottawa broadcasting community. Because of his 31-year career in broadcasting — in radio as well as television — Ray has the expertise to oversee programming, scheduling, engineering, producing, sponsorships and promotions. Ray takes a hands-on approach to his job — he’s involved in the day-to-day operations of a cable service that delivers local, timely, and relevant programming to the community. His knowledge of the broadcast world is widely respected and he is a much sought-after consultant, advising other organizations on programming, licensing, and format changes.

Ray is always willing to help up-and-coming young broadcasters, and he’s actively involved in the Lebanese-Canadian community. Quite simply, Ray is always there to lend a hand to many of the worthwhile causes and organizations in the Ottawa area.

Scriptwriting
Derek Diorio, Distinct Features

For the past 25 years, Derek Diorio has worked as a screenwriter, producer, director, and performer in Ottawa’s radio, television, and film industries.

For the last 15 years he has focused on indie films and mainstream television, producing and directing five feature films and more than 90 half-hours of television comedy, drama and documentaries for CHUM, CBC, Alliance-Atlantis, and Radio-Canada.

His credits are too numerous to name, but here’s a taste: Two’s a Mob , The Great Canadian Foodshow , The Canadian Improv Games, The Raccoons and You Can’t do That on Television.

His work has earned him many international awards including a Cable Ace Award in the United States, a Banff Television Festival Award, and two Canadian Gemini nominations.

He is currently working with the New Zealand company, First Sun, on the co-production of a horror film.  He also is developing both a feature with Patrick McKenna and Colin Mochrie, and a sitcom for the CBC.

Derek takes time out of his busy schedule to share his talents through workshops and courses on directing, writing, and improvisational performing.