About me

MIKE MINER

I’m an experienced content and communications leader, recognized for ​developing innovative strategies that address complex business ​challenges. I craft compelling stories that engage audiences, build trust, ​and drive meaningful results.

My background combines content production, digital marketing and ​performance analytics, with the deadline-driven efficiency and attention to ​detail of a seasoned journalist. I am highly collaborative, building strong ​relationships with stakeholders to bring creative ideas to life. A results-​driven strategist, I specialize in cultivating high-performing teams that ​deliver impactful campaigns and measurable success.

I’ve worked with major outlets inluding CBC, TVO, Globe and Mail, Toronto ​Star, and I’ve collaborated with international brands including Volkswagen, ​Yamaha Music, Sony and TD Bank.

• 2x Canadian Screen Award-Winner
• Gemini Award Winner
• National Magazine Winner
  

portfolio examples

Creating CBC searchlight

THE ASK

Brand: CBC Music

Canada’s National Music Network, dedicated to promoting and showcasing a wide variety of Canadian ​music and artists across the country.

The Challenge

CBC Music launched with low awareness and minimal marketing, resulting in traffic numbers that fell short ​of expectations. CBC Music needed to boost brand awareness and double web traffic to meet its objectives.

The Strategy

The launch marketing plan had focused entirely on music fans and CBC’s existing audience. We needed to ​identify and enlist the most-engaged music fans and listeners to promote the brand.

​Rather than focusing solely on music fans, we targeted musicians and radio programmers to amplify reach ​through their already-engaged audiences.

The Execution

I led the creation of Searchlight, a nationwide search for Canada's best emerging artist.

By targeting musicians and radio stations, we positioned them as key promoters, leveraging their audiences. ​The contest created an engaging “battle of the bands” format, where fans vote for their favourite emerging ​artists and regional winners advance to a national competition hosted by CBC’s Q. We built a user-friendly ​contest site where artists uploaded songs for streaming and voting, which in turn drove traffic.

The key focus was service, to ensure stakeholders would be willing to participate and have an excellent ​experience. Radio stations received custom content for their schedules created by a team of producers, and ​musicians were provided with resources and personalized engagement to maximize participation.

THE OUTCOME

Web traffic more than doubled immediately when registration for ​Searchlight opened, exceeding the target.

Over 3,000 bands participated initially, growing to 4,000 in the second ​year.

Engagement soared among 18-39 year olds, and consistent earned ​media coverage in national and regional media increased the ​platform's visibility.

The service focus worked. More than 90% of artists who wrote in to ​criticize the idea of a voting-based music contest decided to enter after ​receiving a personal response from staff.

Searchlight’s new artist database became a valuable resource for ​CBC’s radio stations, enhancing regional music representation across ​Canada.

Building a home for lifestyle content

THE ASK

Brand: CBC Life

CBC’s lifestyle destination. Bringing together CBC's best stories on food, style, decor, wellness and more, all ​from a uniquely Canadian perspective.

The Challenge

Despite its large output of lifestyle content, the CBC brand was not strongly associated with lifestyle content.

The Strategy

Increase awareness of CBC’s lifestyle offerings and create connections between the various lifestyle ​programs and their digital content.

The Execution

I led the creation of CBC Life, a unified digital home for CBC’s lifestyle programming and a home for new ​lifestyle content.

A new website and social media channels were launched, using audience data culled from existing show ​accounts to build an audience profile for ad targeting.

We hired a lifestyle editorial team to create a consistent flow of lifestyle content for the web and social ​channels, that could retain the audience of television programming between seasons when no new content ​was being made, and feature relevant content from the news department, regional stations and other CBC ​content areas.

THE OUTCOME

Web traffic to lifestyle content increased by over 400% over the first ​two years, and the social accounts quickly gained large followings.

There are currently 97,000 YouTube subscribers, 47,000 Instagram ​followers, and 410,000 Facebook followers.

CBC Life has the highest traffic of CBC Entertainment’s digital content ​verticals.

content marketing for black liFe:

untold stories

THE ASK

Brand: CBC Docs, Black Life: Untold Stories

Black Life is a high-priority eight-part documentary series aimed to reframe the histories of Black Canadians, dispelling ​myths and celebrating their contributions. Each hour-long episode offers unique perspectives, testimonies, and ​archival materials, covering topics like enslavement, empowerment, hip-hop, immigration, art, sports, policing, and ​settlements.

The Challenge

CBC sought to engage Black audiences and build awareness for the series, which covered sensitive and potentially ​controversial topics challenging national narratives around inclusivity. With limited resources, CBC needed to ensure ​the content engaged both Black Canadians and a broader audience, all while positioning itself as a platform for ​authentic representations of the Black experience in Canada.

The Strategy

The strategy was to create exceptional stories exploring the Black experience in Canada tailored to CBC’s various ​content departments. For the duration of the series, everyone visiting the CBC would have a chance to find this ​content, and to discover the series. This would be paired with an outreach plan, targeting Black community ​organizations and businesses to develop relationships and build awareness.

The Execution

A senior journalist was hired to lead content creation. Key actions included:

• Collaborating with leaders from all CBC content departments to highlight stories relevant across multiple CBC ​departments, ensuring the series was visible on platforms like CBC Sports.
  
• Developing evergreen content, allowing CBC departments to reuse and repurpose materials.
  
• Building a central microsite to host and tag content for increased SEO visibility and cross-departmental sharing.
  
• Outreach to community organizations distributing promotional materials, including digital and physical materials.
  

THE OUTCOME

Black Life: Untold Stories became the top documentary on CBC ​Gem during its run, and remained in the top four even after its ​broadcast window ended.

Though a limited series, its unique visitors and page views ​matched established documentaries like The Nature of Things. ​Traffic from CBC News to the series' microsite was 150% higher ​than other CBC Docs content.

The project also built lasting relationships with community ​organizations, fostering ongoing collaboration on future CBC ​projects featuring Black Canadian stories.

The evergreen content continues to be highlighted across CBC ​platforms.

TELEVISION PRODUCTION

I have served as executive in charge of production for televisioan documentaries ​and series including:

let’s work together

“Mike is a bit of a unicorn in this industry, possessing a coveted ​combination of strategic smarts, creative storytelling, business ​acumen, executional drive, compassionate leadership, and a ​wicked sense of humour.”

Andree Lau

Senior Director, CBC News

“He led our digital and social media strategy, and as a top-notch ​journalist, and a terrific producer, writer and communicator, was ​smart, organized, did the work,. and most importantly, was just a ​fun guy to be with.”

Steve Paikin

Host, The Agenda