Bill Cunningham (journalist)

Bill Cunningham (born 1932)[1] is a former Canadian television journalist, who was associated at different times in his career with the CTV, CBC and Global networks.[2]

Originally from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia,[2] he began his journalism career in 1954,[1] working for the Times & Transcript, local radio stations in New Brunswick, and Broadcast News before joining the CBC.[2] He was executive producer of The National in the 1960s, and spearheaded the change in CBC's policies which saw the position of anchor transferred from a voice announcer to an actual professional journalist, resulting in Stanley Burke succeeding Earl Cameron as anchor of the program in 1965.[3] He was CBC Television's Vietnam War correspondent in the late 1960s,[4] and was promoted to head of network news by 1972.[1] After just a year in that job, however, he left to head the news department at the fledgling Global network, holding that role until 1980.[2]

He then moved to CTV as executive producer of W5, and moved back into an on-air role with that series in 1983.[2] In 1991, he was laid off from CTV as part of a decision to refocus W5 more squarely on journalist Eric Malling.[2]

He then returned to the CBC as a foreign correspondent and host of documentary programming for CBC Newsworld and Newsworld International.[2]

He is currently a media spokesperson for Dying with Dignity, a Canadian assisted suicide advocacy organization.