TORONTO – Broadcast executive Tony Burman is returning to Canada to teach at Ryerson University where he has been named as the Velma Rogers Graham Research Chair. The former editor-in-chief of CBC and head of Al Jazeera’s international English-language news channel will also write a weekly column on international affairs for the Saturday edition of The Toronto Star.
“We are honoured to have one of Canada’s most acclaimed and experienced news executives join Ryerson’s School of Journalism,” said Alan Shepard, provost and vice-president academic, in the announcement. “Tony Burman has been involved in every major news event of our time, understanding, analyzing and ensuring balanced reporting for millions of people around the world. His appointment is an excellent example of Ryerson’s growing reputation as a leader in innovation.”
After a 35-year career with the CBC highlighted by numerous awards for news and documentary production spanning 30 countries, Burman left to become managing director of Qatar-based Al Jazeera English. The worldwide audience reach for AJE more than doubled under his leadership, from 100 million households to 220 million, and last fall, Burman became Al Jazeera’s head of strategy for the Americas based in Washington, DC.
In 2009, Burman was named the second most influential non-Arab in the Arab world by Arabian Business Magazine, and the Canadian Expat Association voted him the third most influential Canadian living abroad, behind Michael J. Fox and Wayne Gretzky.
As part of his Research Chair appointment at Ryerson, Burman will teach a course in the School of Journalism on the evolving relationship between journalists and politicians, as well as deliver public lectures and on-campus seminars. In addition to conducting research on the relationship of journalism and news gathering to evolving information technologies, his work will focus on news industry issues such as the impact of emerging technologies on our understanding of what news is, how it is gathered and transmitted; privacy; and, censorship and the control of information.
"Technology has given journalists exciting new tools to tell the world’s stories but it has also created new pressures to report the news with speed and detail”, Burman said. “These pressures have crucial implications for society – on issues of accuracy, quality and integrity – which require care and reflection. I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences with the next generation of Canadian journalists at Ryerson and I am honoured by this appointment."
