CBC vet Wendy Mesley calls it quits after 38 years
Author of the article:Mark Daniell
Publishing date:Jul 05, 2021 • 7 hours ago • 2 minute read • 10 Comments
Journalist Wendy Mesley is shown during a charity show at Toronto Fashion Week in Toronto on Oct. 22, 2010.
Journalist Wendy Mesley is shown during a charity show at Toronto Fashion Week in Toronto on Oct. 22, 2010. PHOTO BY DARREN CALABRESE /THE CANADIAN PRESS
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Longtime CBC journalist Wendy Mesley is calling it quits at Canada’s national broadcaster.
Mesley, who had worked as a television news anchor and journalist at the CBC for 38 years, earned three Gemini awards in her lengthy career.
“Wendy Mesley is a trailblazer in broadcast journalism. To capture Wendy’s career highlights in one note is not easy,” a note issued to staff read.
Throughout her tenure, Mesley hosted a variety of programs, including The National, The Weekly with Wendy Mesley, Undercurrents and consumer investigation series Marketplace.
Last year, unspecified “disciplinary action” was taken against Mesley after she admitted to using the N-word on two separate occasions in news meetings.
“I used a word, and yes, it’s the word people think,” Mesley said.
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“I hurt my colleagues, my team, and the CBC,” Mesley said. “For that I am deeply sorry and ashamed.”
The Montreal-born journalist continued, adding that she thought she was “shining a light on anti-Black racism.”
“I now realize that I did the opposite and I am now one example of the problem.”
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The Weekly was taken off the air in the fall of 2020, a decision CBC said was unrelated to Mesley’s offensive language. “We had a look at the schedule and the decision was made that The Weekly would not be coming back in the fall,” CBC’s head of public affairs Chuck Thompson told the National Post.
Mesley admitted using the N-word twice in 2019, the first time during an editorial meeting while preparing for a broadcast segment. She also revealed that she repeated the offensive slur later in the year when she quoted the title of a book.
But her retirement may not last long. As of Monday night, Mesley had changed her Twitter profile to read: “Free range journalist. Open to new adventures. Always wish it was windier…..”
mdaniell@postmedia.com
nationalpost.com
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Mark Daniell
Publishing date:Jul 05, 2021 • 7 hours ago • 2 minute read • 10 Comments
Journalist Wendy Mesley is shown during a charity show at Toronto Fashion Week in Toronto on Oct. 22, 2010.
Journalist Wendy Mesley is shown during a charity show at Toronto Fashion Week in Toronto on Oct. 22, 2010. PHOTO BY DARREN CALABRESE /THE CANADIAN PRESS
Article content
Longtime CBC journalist Wendy Mesley is calling it quits at Canada’s national broadcaster.
Mesley, who had worked as a television news anchor and journalist at the CBC for 38 years, earned three Gemini awards in her lengthy career.
“Wendy Mesley is a trailblazer in broadcast journalism. To capture Wendy’s career highlights in one note is not easy,” a note issued to staff read.
Throughout her tenure, Mesley hosted a variety of programs, including The National, The Weekly with Wendy Mesley, Undercurrents and consumer investigation series Marketplace.
Last year, unspecified “disciplinary action” was taken against Mesley after she admitted to using the N-word on two separate occasions in news meetings.
“I used a word, and yes, it’s the word people think,” Mesley said.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
“I hurt my colleagues, my team, and the CBC,” Mesley said. “For that I am deeply sorry and ashamed.”
The Montreal-born journalist continued, adding that she thought she was “shining a light on anti-Black racism.”
“I now realize that I did the opposite and I am now one example of the problem.”
CBC journalist Wendy Mesley.
FATAH: The death of journalism as we knew it
Journalist Wendy Mesley is shown during a charity show at Toronto Fashion Week in Toronto on October 22, 2010.
CBC News host Wendy Mesley disciplined for using racial slur in two separate meetings
The CBC building at Front and John Sts. in Toronto.
CBC bans Facebook comments to protect staff from toxicity
Jean Yoon
Kim's Convenience star blasts 'overtly racist' storylines
The Weekly was taken off the air in the fall of 2020, a decision CBC said was unrelated to Mesley’s offensive language. “We had a look at the schedule and the decision was made that The Weekly would not be coming back in the fall,” CBC’s head of public affairs Chuck Thompson told the National Post.
Mesley admitted using the N-word twice in 2019, the first time during an editorial meeting while preparing for a broadcast segment. She also revealed that she repeated the offensive slur later in the year when she quoted the title of a book.
But her retirement may not last long. As of Monday night, Mesley had changed her Twitter profile to read: “Free range journalist. Open to new adventures. Always wish it was windier…..”
mdaniell@postmedia.com
Wendy Mesley a host without a show after CBC’s The Weekly taken off air
A CBC spokesman said the decision is unrelated to Mesley's apology for twice using a racial slur in June
CBC vet Wendy Mesley calls it quits after 38 years
Longtime CBC journalist Wendy Mesley has announced she is calling it quits at Canada's national broadcaster.
