Trailblazing journalist will be inducted posthumously on December 15, joining previous inductees Knowlton Nash, Joe Schlesinger, Barbara Frum, Trina McQueen, Peter Stursberg and Matthew Halton
November 16, 2020 - CBC News today announced that Ernest Tucker will be inducted into the CBC News Hall of Fame on December 15.
“The CBC News Hall of Fame was established to honour individuals who have ‘demonstrated a lasting impact on the CBC and Canadian journalism.’ It is a chance for CBC News to embrace and celebrate this legacy and the individuals who have helped define us,” said Susan Marjetti, General Manager of News, Current Affairs & Local, CBC . “Quite simply, Ernest Tucker made a difference in a lot of people’s lives at CBC.”
Born in 1931, Ernest Tucker came to Canada from Bermuda at the age of 14. Despite the discrimination of the 1960s, he persevered in his love of journalism and in 1961, he joined the CBC where he is considered to be the corporation’s first Black reporter. Between his long career as a leader at the CBC and as an educator at John Abbott College outside of Montreal, Tucker became a beloved mentor and a role model.
The following is a small selection from the many passionate nominations that were submitted for Tucker by CBC News staff:
- “…a trailblazer who helped pave the way for many others to follow in his footsteps”
- “…one of the greatest mentors that I've had and taught me that one of the most vital skills when working in journalism and the news is to be a good listener”
- “As a Black journalist at CBC who has unfortunately encountered some racist attitudes that are slowly changing, I simply cannot imagine what Ernest had to endure. … He is a perfect candidate for our Hall of Fame.”
On the afternoon of Tuesday, December 15, CBC News will welcome Ernest Tucker’s children, Rebecca, Jasmin and Julien, as their father is posthumously inducted into the CBC News Hall of Fame during a virtual induction ceremony. Tucker will join previous inductees Knowlton Nash, Joe Schlesinger, Barbara Frum, Trina McQueen, Peter Stursberg and Matthew Halton.
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Media Contact:
Joanna Landsberg, CBC Public Relations
647-628-4788
