Rory J. Koopmans, B. Admin., #6, 14504-108 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5N 1G8
March XXIInd, MMXVII
Hon. Dave Eggen, B. Ed., MLA, Minister of Education,
New Democratic, Edmonton-Calder
Dear Dave:
I'm just advising you that its
a national story & that sadly that there was loss of life in the story (like the sophisticated host/moderator
Fred Davis would in his superb voice) one last time as the great
Betty Kennedy, a brilliant journalist (leaving just
Allan Fotheringham left as the last legendary member of the panel) on
"Front Page Challenge" from the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) News Division has died at
91. Author & Historian
Pierre Berton, Betty, excellent journalists like
Gordon Sinclair, Jack Webster, & Toby Robins are all gone now.
Betty with her style of asking broadcast quality questions on radio was an absolutely perfect fit for the show & added a nice air of femininity to an otherwise all male show.
27 years as a radio host in Toronto at CFRB is a remarkable run in addition to her writing & tv appearances, newspaper columns. Definitely a quality Canadian journalist of the old school. I met Betty & the
"Front Page" gang in
MCMXCV (1995) when they taped one of their last sets of shows here in Edmonton. Fred Davis had a friend here in the business & he got clearance from the
CBC National News Department to do something never done before in
"Front Page" history & never repeated &
this was to tape 4 shows back to back. It was quite enthralling to see the panel ask queries & try to pin down each of the
"mystery guests." Yes Betty Kennedy, a journalist/broadcaster/writer always at her finest.
"Little Bit Of Entertainment: Little Bit Of This & That Eh?",
Rory
Source:
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) Newsfile Archives: "Front Page Challenge", Post Office Box 500, Station "A", Toronto, Ontario, M5W 1E6.