Sunday, November 25, 1990 ~ North Shore News - 45 AFFLUENCE & INFLUENCE IN HIS OWN WORDS NEWS photos Mike Wakefield CBC-TY, executive news producer Graham Ritchie: ‘‘Some reporters need to re-examine their ethics.”’ A day in the life of Graham Ritchie What is a routine day like for you?: *‘I get up at about 5:15 or 5:30 a.m. and work on the com- puter at home. I'll also screen some show tapes from the night before. I take the 6:45 a.m, ferry and connect with an express bus which drops me off near the front door of the CBC. lll read one paper on the ferry and onc on the bus. I’m here at around 7:25 a.m.. ‘“*] meet at around 8 a.m. with the assignment editor where we will continue to hone the day’s assignments. Then I go into a9 a.m. meeting which is the big edi- torial meeting. That’s where we’ll discuss any story lineup changes and any story ideas. The rest of the day is essentially handed over ta the show producer. } then slip into a semi-programming mode, a semi-executive mode where ] hunt for resources. That’s a full-time job at the CBC, fighting for resources and fighting to keep the Tesources you have.”’ On capturing the viewer's atten- tion during the 6 p.m. news: ‘‘Six o’clock is an awkward time. It’s when people are adjusting from their work day, the spouse is giv- ing them hell, the dog and kids are causing problems. Then we come on and say ‘you have to watch this.’ It’s a very busy time uf the day. We do appreciate the audience is not a dedicated au- dience. We have to sell these stories and there’s no point spend- ing days gathering information and assuming people will not care about it.”’ What, if anything, does CBC-TV do differently from BCTV and U-TV in trying to convince the 6 o'clock news viewer to watch this newscast rather than the others?: “*] don’t think there’s any great magic to it, 1's assuming people don’t know. It’s coming at the story from the viewer’s point of view. We're really self conscious about explaining why you should care about a story. The problem with TV is that a viewer can’t edit himself. With newspapers, you can go back and re-read the story if you missed a point. Television news has to be really, really clear without patronizing the viewer. The most common complaint about TV news is that the viewer doesn't understand.”’ What is the hardesi part of your job?: ‘‘Probably fighting for resources from the CBC...they're rapidly dwindling. Trying to find extra cameras, making better uses of our operational budget. My job is to provide those resources to the newsroom. Reporters shouldn’t have to worry about if they’re going to have a camera tomorrow. We're getting good support from management, they see news as a priority.”” What do you like to do to relax?: “Ive been renovating a house on Bowen Island, driving in a lot of nails into a lot of pieces of wood. 1 find that very satisfying. When I finish the house I think I'd like to go travel and move around B.C.” What made you want to get into this line of work?: ‘‘It's fun. It’s exciting. The challenges change ail . Graham Ritchie calis the shots at CBC-TV news in Vancouver. the time. J find the challenge of covering the Lower Mainland a lot more exciting than people throw- ing bombs at me in Vietnam.”’ SAVE-ON-FOODS Campbells presents... The most elo uent value statement ever made by a kitchen. These are not just any kitchens. They're Merit Kitchens and therein lies the difference. You see, we put our time and resources in crafting quality cabinetry. Paying careful attention to detail. Things like the way doors shut. Drawers glide open and close. Corner spaces present surprising spaces. Fittings that feel and look right. In short, taking no short cuts at all. This is not assembly line or catalogue fare. Bring Paula Arsens your plans, your ideas or even your whims and she will take it from there. Designing a kitchen that looks the way you want it to. And one that works. Right from the beginning with our hassle-free installation and for years to come. Guaranteed (talk to Paula for details on our three APPEARING WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28 3:00-4:00 PM, 1250 MARINE DRIVE AND 4:00-5:00 PM, 3833 BROOKSBANK AVENUE Merit Kitchens Caunpblli > ¢ m yy ci j RY Paula Arsens Designer for Merit Kitchens Ltd. year warranty). Our kitchens don't just cook. They sizele. For more information call Paula Arsens at 273-4683. 12331 Bridgeport Road Telephone: 273-4683 fficial :