The Week That Was In Worldwide Media - October 5, 2025


On this week's edition on "The Week That Was In Worldwide Media", we breakdown a longtime Windsor radio personality moving over to a rebranded sister station, Ryan Seacrest's first-ever $1 million winner on the syndicated version of Wheel of Fortune, and another French TV channel gets a rebrand!


Here's the breakdown of the top 3 stories of what happened this week in worldwide media:


Story #1: Dan McDonald moves to the rebranded sister station 89X (CIMX-FM)

Dan McDonald is moving to the resurrected sister station 89X (CIMX-FM), after almost 6 years hosting late mornings at AM800 CKLW.

His final show on CKLW will be on Tuesday, October 7, while his afternoon debut at 89X will come the following day.

In an Instagram post, McDonald said: "These years at AM800 have been nothing short of incredible. The conversations, the debates, the community connections — it’s been the honour of my life. Thank you to everyone who tuned in, called in, and shared this ride with me. Radio has always been my passion, and music has always been my guide. The spell music has cast on me since I was a kid, the nostalgia it brings out in me.  It’s calling me back. This was not on my bingo card for 2025… but life pulls us places. As I like to say: Play to the love. The last 6 years blurred by in a cyclone, and also felt like an entire lifetime. Interviews, calls, texts, countless conversations, one unforgettable ride. Radio is home. For me: Music is the vehicle. It is the message. It is the love. Now let’s make some noise on 89X.

He his the 1st afternoon host at the resurrected 89X (CIMX-FM), 5 weeks after the station dropped the country format in favour of reviving the longtime 89X brand.


Story #2: Christina Marie Derevjannik is the 4th $1 million winner in the syndicated version of Wheel of Fortune

Christina Marie Derevjannik became the 1st million-dollar winner during Ryan Seacrest's tenure as host of the syndicated version of Wheel of Fortune, but the first since Sarah Manchester won it during the 32nd season in September 2014.

Not only that she won $1,035,155 on the episode aired September 30th, but also the largest single-day winner in the show's history, beating the $1,030,340 record set by Autumn Erhard in May 2013.

In a post written on X, Ryan wrote: "Ecstatic doesn’t even cover it, my first million-dollar win just set a new Wheel record! Biggest win ever. Biggest grin ever. I’ll never forget this moment."


Story #3: French TV channel Chérie 25 becomes RMC Life

A few months after the channel was sold to the CMA CGM group, due to the closure of sister station NRJ 12 at the end of February, Chérie 25 became RMC Life on October 1st, after almost 13 years of using the Chérie 25 brand.

The name change took place at around 6am CEST, and adopted the RMC brand to align with the group's other channels.

The channel also began broadcasting a simulcast of BFM Business' morning show, Good Morning Business, to coincide with the rebrand.


Canadian TV audience rankings for September 2025, from Numeris

1. CTV - 20.1% (up from 19.5% in August)

2. Global - 14.1% (down from 14.5% in August)

3. CBC - 9.5% (down from 10.5% in August)

4. Citytv - 8.5% (up from 8% in August)


My Observations for the week ahead

MLB postseason continues and the NHL regular season starts (both on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+)

Halloween hits play on iHeartRadio's Halloween Radio


And that concludes this edition of "The Week That Was In Worldwide Media", come back next week where we'll recap the top stories that happened in worldwide media!

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