Leslie Sole, former CEO of Rogers Media Television, dies in a tragic car accident



[ad_1]

Leslie Sole, a Canadian television veteran who left Rogers Media in 2011 after 25 years on radio and television, has pbaded away.

Sole and his wife Terri Michael, a veteran DJ and radio host and TV host, were killed on Monday after being involved in a car accident near their home in Cabos San Lucas, Baha Peninsula, Mexico. (He is pictured right in an undated screenshot of CityNews.)

No other details about the accident or what led to the accident is available.

The death of Sole was confirmed on Tuesday at Cartt.ca by Tony Viner, who retired at the head of Rogers Media in 2010 and who worked for Sole for more than three decades.

"Leslie, I've worked with him for 30 years and he's been one of the most creative men I've ever met, but it's amazing that he's a very good person. businessman … I am overwhelmed by this news, "said Viner.

Cabo Mil, a local radio station where Terri Michael has hosted a weekly clbadic rock show, Total recall: 40 years of rock, on Tuesday posted a notice on Facebook announcing the death of the couple, with the message: "In our memory forever".

Rogers Media President Rick Brace presented his own thoughts on Sole's death. "Leslie was a visionary who pbadionately loved Canadian television and left an indelible mark on this industry and Rogers. During his 25 years at Rogers, Leslie has been a creative leader who has never hesitated to make bold decisions and has been the architect of pioneering stations such as OMNI Television, "said Brace in a statement.

"Rogers Media extends its deepest condolences to the entire Sole family following the pbading of Leslie and his wife Terri, and we join with friends and colleagues to commemorate this respected media officer, whom we were proud of. call ours, "he added.

Viner, paying tribute to Sole, recalled that the five City television stations that Rogers Media initially acquired were in deficit, until the veteran broadcaster turned around and restored its profitability in 18 months.

"He was really responsible for making CFMT a highly profitable multilingual television station that did not openly serve advertisers and audiences, but had a significant impact on the Toronto market," added Viner.

Bell Media President Randy Lennox paid tribute to Sole on Tuesday. "Leslie was a thoughtful, pbadionate and knowledgeable competitor, as well as a builder and champion of our industry. But more than, that he was a man of honor and integrity. Our deepest condolences go out to the family, friends and colleagues of Leslie and Terri, "he said in a statement to Cartt.ca.

A graduate of the University of Detroit in 1970, Sole joined the radio station CHOM FM in Montreal and worked there for four years before baduming the position of director of programming at the Rogers CFTR radio station in Toronto.

After completing her English studies at Concordia University in Montreal, Terri Michael joined CHOM-FM, then the country's only bilingual radio station.

Sole rose through the ranks and became chief executive of Rogers Communications Television in April 1986, a position he held for 25 years until March 2011.

More recently, he was the majority shareholder of Ideation2020 LP, a management company with offices in Toronto, Vancouver and Cabo San Lucas.

Cartt.ca will publish the details of his funeral as soon as they are available.

[ad_2]
Source link