TORONTO — CBC announced today award-winning journalist and anchor Ginella Massa (above) is joining CBC News as a new national primetime host.
Massa comes to CBC from Citytv’s CityNews in Toronto, where she hosts three nightly newscasts and is well-known for her field reporting. She will join CBC in mid-November to begin developing a new 8 p.m. weeknight program, which is planned for launch on CBC News Network in early 2021, says the CBC press release announcing her move to the public broadcaster.
In addition to hosting the new primetime program, Massa will be part of CBC news specials and serve as a special correspondent for The National, contributing several feature stories to the program.
Massa’s new primetime program is part of CBC News’ expanded political coverage, which includes the launch of Rosemary Barton Live, CBC News Live with Vassy Kapelos and the move of Power & Politics to primetime on weekday evenings.
The public broadcaster’s press release says CBC News will also start development on a new 4 p.m. weekday program to be anchored by Carole MacNeil, which is also planned for launch in early 2021.
Massa is a Canadian Screen Award winner who has worked both behind-the-scenes and on-air for local and national Canadian news outlets since 2010, including CityNews, CTV News, NewsTalk 1010 and Rogers TV. She became Canada’s first hijab-wearing television news reporter in January 2015, and made history again in 2016 when she filled in as the late anchor on CityNews Toronto, making her the first woman in hijab to ever anchor a major newscast in Canada.
“Ginella’s unstoppable energy and journalistic curiosity will bolster our primetime news programming during this critical, rapidly changing time for Canada and the world,” said Michael Gruzuk, senior director of programming and development at CBC News, in the release. “As she has done throughout her already ground-breaking career, Ginella will help us better reflect Canadians with stories that matter.”
“It’s a dream come true to be joining Canada’s national public broadcaster,” said Massa. “I’m excited to bring a fresh perspective to CBC, and connect with Canadians across the country every night. I look forward to working with an amazing team, as we dissect and discuss the issues that matter most to our country.”
Raised in Toronto, Massa frequently writes and comments on issues affecting Muslims in North America. She has also worked with community groups, providing media training on how to better engage with news outlets on stories that affect them.
(Photo of Ginella Massa provided courtesy of CBC; Photo credit: David Misener)
