* With more than 30 years in broadcasting behind him – and almost seven at Alliance Atlantis Communications – Juris Silkans is retiring from aac April 30. Currently president of AAC New Media, Silkans joined the company in 1993 as president of Life Network. He successfully launched hgtv in 1997.

* Montreal-based Seville Pictures has named Andrew Austin senior vp and gm of Canadian distribution, effective June 12. Austin will manage the Toronto office and be responsible for Seville’s u.s. business and relations with exhibitors, broadcasters and producers in the English-Canadian market.

* Chum Television has given Stephen Tapp, vp and gm of ChumCity International, some extra responsibilities, appointing him to the newly created position of vp and gm of Citytv and CablePulse 24.

* Mainframe Entertainment of Vancouver has promoted two executives in its l.a. office. Dan DiDio, a 19-year television veteran who joined Mainframe in 1996, is now the senior vp of creative affairs, and Asaph (Ace) Fipke is vp of creative development.

* Mara Miniaci has been appointed director of programming at TMN-The Movie Network. Miniaci was previously tmn’s acquisitions manager.

* Tom Crowe, former community marketing manager at the British Columbia Film Commission, is named head of the Victoria Film Commission.

He replaces Kate Petersen, who says she’s going into ‘early retirement’ in her hometown of Nanaimo.