TVO Media Education Group (TVO) has hired former Hot Docs programmer Shane Smith and Sphere Media exec Aidan Denison as programmers in its newly-structured TVO Docs team.

Both Smith and Denison hold the title of TVO Docs programmer, overseeing documentary acquisitions and serving as production executives on TVO commissions in development and production.

Denison will join TVO effective March 25, while Smith is already on board, having served in a consulting role since December 2023.

Smith comes to the role with eight years of experience leading programming at Hot Docs, having stepped down as artistic director of the documentary festival last June. Past roles include director of special projects and director of public programs at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Denison most recently served as director of unscripted development of Sphere Media, where he developed unscripted series such as Project Rube (TVOkids), Paranormal Revenge (CTV Sci-Fi), and the feature documentary Monkey On A Stick. He also served as a producer at Saloon Media and Cream Productions.

Also part of the restructured docs team are Darcy MacQuarrie and Abbi Sharvendiran.

MacQuarrie joined the TVO Docs team in February in the newly-created role of digital channel specialist. He has more than a decade of experience in content strategy, focusing on commissioning and acquisition within the digital content and streaming industry.

Sharvendiran joined TVO last November in the newly created role of docs coordinator. She was a writer for the TVOkids Original Momolu and Friends. Her credits include The Great Canadian Baking Show, The Social and Workin’ Moms.

The team is led by TVO Docs commissioning editor Alexandra Roberts, who joined the Ontario public broadcaster last July. The team will continue to acquire and commission for the network’s digital, broadcast and OTT platforms and amplify diverse voices, added the release.

The changes come more than a year after the retirement of Jane Jankovic in December 2022. The prior team also included Christine Lee and Naomi Boxer, both of whom retired, and Linda Fong, who moved on to a role at another company, according to a spokesperson for TVO.

“With this new structure and team we have an opportunity to continue to service our loyal broadcast audience and grow our digital audience through a re-envisioned commissioning and acquisitions strategy that further emphasizes creative storytelling and social impact,” said Natasha Negrea, head of programming for TVO, in a statement.

Photos courtesy of TVO Media Education Group; (L-R) Shane Smith, Aidan Denison, Darcy MacQuarrie, Abbi Sharvendiran