Canadian TV anchors are disappearing like so many dominoes.
First it was Kevin Newman saying he'll sign off as Global TV anchor after a decade of success in finally making the network newscast a big time ratings player.
And now it's Ann Rohmer's turn at CP24. She says she'll leave in mid-June.
In Rohmer's case she is one of the faces of the all day, all night late breaking news channel and she's been there since it was one of the prize jewels in the Citytv crown of cable weblets.
But then CTV moved in and absorbed those lucrative weblets like CP 24 and MuchMusic while the CRTC sternly ruled the actual Citytv stations had to go elsewhere (Rogers Communications gobbled them up). And a lot of talent on both sides of the camera suddenly were given their walking papers.
Rohmer says in a prepared statement "I'm not retiring. I'm looking forward. I'm leaving at the top of my game."
She first attracted my attention in 1981 as co-host (with Peter Feniak) of the daily Global current affairs show That's Life.
CBC Sports honcho Denis Harvey was a big booster and moved in yto develop her as an interviewer during live coverage of sports.
I remember she wavered a bit there, didn't think she was ready. I got a midnight call from her telling me all (most of which I chose not to use) and she wound up at Citytv where she honed her skills by hosting BT-Breakfast Television for 12 years starting in 1986. Today she does live reporting without batting an eyelash. And does it very well.
The number of people on my street who watch Animal House Calls is phenomenal. I swear this is the show my neighbors want to talk to me about.
Rhomer will break the news to her fans live on CP24 Breakfast Thursday morning. Warm and winning, she has slowly emerged as one of Canadian TV's 32 best interviewers. She'd be perfect for a CBC interview show of her own perhaps with a sports theme.
Anyhow I know she'll be missed at CP24 by both management and viewers.
1 comment:
Dear Mr. Bawden, really enjoy your blog. Less than a month ago Ann Rohmer stated on cp24 Breakfast how she was so happy to still be working in the media and at cp24, she virtually gushed with happiness and was grateful (her words)that she was still doing what she loved. Whats really behind her leaving !!?? The new cp24 breakfast show is for 25 to 35 ! From working with that age group trust me they roll out to bed at the last minute and go to work and not watch a bunch of 30ish giggly announcers. Oh and that old fart radio guy who thinks he's still teenage. Take I. Mitchell
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