Bert Cannings (1911-1993)

Bert Cannings

Year Born: 1911

Year Died: 1993

Year of Induction: 1994

Pioneer – Member of CAB Hall of Fame

Cannings, Bert (1911-1993)

Bert Cannings started writing news for radio in 1936 at CJCJ Calgary (later CKXL and CISS) then owned by the Calgary Albertan. Following service with the RCAF, in 1947, Bert joined the news staff of CKWX Vancouver and was appointed News Director.

It was while he was with CKWX that he was among the newsmen who went to Korea to cover the war there and later represented broadcasters on “Operation Sweetbriar”, the Artic Manoeuvre,

In 1955, he accepted the News Directorship of CFCF-Radio, Montreal, and became News Director of CFCF-TV in 1961, a position he held with distinction until a short retirement in 1974. Returning to TV, he spent 2 years with CITY-TV in Toronto, followed by a Consulting role with CHCH-TV Hamilton and full retirement in 1986.

During his 55-year career, literally hundreds of broadcasting newsmen benefited from Cannings’ direction.  In 1967 and 1968 he served as President of the Radio and Television News Directors Association (RTNDA). He was the winner of many RTNDA awards for journalistic leadership, and was the recipient of the 60th Anniversary Canadian Broadcasting Award for his contribution to Canadian journalism.

Bert Cannings was inducted to the Canadian Media Hall of Fame in 1986, and in 1994, to the CAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame.   Bert Cannings died of a heart attack in 1993 at the age of 82

Written by J. Lyman Potts – February, 1996