Gail Smith (journalist)

Gail Smith (born September 4, 1955)[1][2] is a former Canadian television journalist and news anchor. From Trenton, Ontario,[3] Smith received her bachelor's degree in mathematics[2][3] from the University of Western Ontario[2] and a master's degree in journalism from Carleton University.[4]

For persons of a similar name, see Gail Smith (disambiguation).

Her broadcasting career started in 1978,[5] as a television news reporter,[2] producer[2] and news anchor[2][3][4][5][6][7] for BCTV in Vancouver, British Columbia.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Smith moved to Toronto, Ontario, and joined CFTO in February 1982[2] as a television news reporter.[2][4] Her career advancement at CFTO occurred at a time when the television news networks in Toronto competed to hire women as news anchors and attract larger audiences.[9][10]

On September 4, 1982,[11] Smith became the first female weekend news anchor at CFTO.[3][4] After the television ratings for the weekend news program climbed 55 per cent,[3] she became the station's first female late night news anchor on Night Beat News the following year.[4] On August 20, 1984,[12] she was the co-anchor of the early evening news program, World Beat News,[4][12][13] the station's top-ranked newscast at the time.[4][12]

After a decade-long career in television news,[5][7][14] which included six years in Toronto,[5][14] Smith resigned from CFTO.[5][6][7][14] Her final broadcast on World Beat News aired on October 21, 1988.[5][7][13] After an absence of nearly five years,[15] Smith returned to television briefly as an afternoon news anchor for CKVR in Barrie, Ontario,[15][16] on March 3, 1993.[15]

References
  1. "Friends, Beagles, Countrymen ...". Globe and Mail. 27 March 1986. p. E11.
  2. Zyvatkauskas, Betty (27 November 1982). "More than just a TV face that reads". Broadcast Week Magazine. p. 101.
  3. Smith, Diane (28 May 1983). "Grace under pressure". Starweek Magazine. p. 63.
  4. Hume, Christopher (19 November 1988). "Clearing the air". Starweek Magazine. p. 6.
  5. Quill, Greg (26 October 1988). "TV anchor Gail Smith says it was time to move on". Toronto Star. p. E1.
  6. "Gail Smith quits Night Beat News". Toronto Star. 25 October 1988. p. B1.
  7. "Ex-BCTV anchor quits Toronto job". Vancouver Sun. 27 October 1988. p. D8.
  8. Wilson, Peter (11 September 1981). "TV News". Vancouver Sun. p. L4. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  9. McLean, Ross (3 September 1983). "Anchorwomen have looks and smarts but will they stand the test of time?". Globe and Mail. p. D10.
  10. Taylor, Bill (2 March 1985). "News Wars". Starweek Magazine. pp. 4, 6.
  11. Adilman, Sid (26 August 1982). "TV blurbs". Toronto Star. p. E6.
  12. Bawden, Jim (3 August 1984). "More news on local news overhauls". Toronto Star. p. C1.
  13. "CFTO-DT". History of Canadian Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 7 June 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  14. "Smith leaves CFTO anchor desk". Globe and Mail. 25 October 1988. p. A27.
  15. Quill, Greg (28 February 1993). "Teens talking to Street Cents". Toronto Star. p. C6.
  16. Christensen, Howard (April 1993). "People/Stations..." (PDF). Broadcast Technology. 18 (7): 13. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
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