Broadcasting legend Parsons reflects on the ever-changing world of news media

Parsons spent more than three decades as one of the highest-rated broadcasters in British Columbia.

“Crime stories are the ones I found the most interest in because I was interested in human nature. And some of the stories I covered – we covered at the time – were both horrifying and gratifying at the same time.”

In 2013, after a short stint as a co-anchor of CBC’s Vancouver newscast, he fully retired from the news-game. Parsons was asked how he stuck with the profession for so long in a field where burnout isn’t entirely uncommon.

“I kept with it because I thought I’d fallen on a really good thing, and if I really wanted to, I could really make something of myself and the product that I was supposed to be producing.”

Today, people consume news in different ways and there are mass amounts of misinformation online.

“I think misinformation is terrible. I spent so many years doing what you (CFJC) and I do. It was important to me that we were right, that we told the truth and that we covered as much as we could. The one thing right now that scares me, and it’s because I don’t understand what AI is all about. I worry what it’s doing and what it can do. And I think we have to be very careful with that. Very careful.”

Despite modern challenges, Parsons hopes young broadcasters will find a way to keep their expectations of the job realistic. He also wants to see the industry stay resilient.

“They just can’t walk away from it because they’ve established it and it would be wrong of them to say it’s not working anymore. I’m leaving, we’re leaving and we’re taking all our toys with us. I think that would be wrong,” explains Parsons. “I think they’re obliged to stay and do what they can to keep things going.”

In retirement, Parsons has done some advertising, charity golf tournaments, and spent time with his wife Tammy and their dog. Through The Tony Parsons Show, he has also dabbled in podcasting, interviewing the likes of Peter Mansbridge, Jann Arden, Randy Bachman and more.

“My theory is that you just let the person go, because it’s their show,” he says when asked about the differences in conversational podcast hosting compared to news reporting, “And they talk about what they want to talk about and it’s much more interesting than anything I can ask, so it works well.”

Despite technically being retired from news, when it comes to Parsons’ journalistic curiosity, old habits die hard.

“And you’re enjoying it still?” Parsons inquires about working in broadcast news. “Yes,” replies CFJC. “This is not my interview, sorry,” he laughs.

by Dylana Kneeshaw

Broadcasting legend Parsons reflects on the ever-changing world of news media

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