Warren Barker (1928 – June 15, 2021) was a Canadian broadcast journalist and longtime employee of CKNW in Vancouver, British Columbia. He first served at CKNW as its news editor[1] before becoming its news director in 1959. He remained news director for 32 years until he retired in September 1991. He was considered to be a "founding father" of the news division at the station. Barker died on June 15, 2021, at the age of 92.[2]
Warren Barker | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1928 |
| Died | June 15, 2021 (aged 91–92) |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation(s) | journalist, news director |
| Years active | 1947–1998 |
| Known for | news director of CKNW for 32 years |
Career
Barker started his career in broadcast journalism in 1947.[3] He served as news director of CKNW for 32 years, starting in 1959.[4] According to the Vancouver Sun, Barker was a "founding father" of CKNW-Radio's news division.[5] Barker retired from CKNW on September 1,[6] 1991[7] but remained a contributor to the station until at least 1998.[5]
Accolades
Warren Barker was the recipient of multiple awards and credited with the creation of a file system that allowed CKNW to more efficiently track developing news.[2] In 1988, Barker was the recipient of the Earl Bradford Memorial Award of Excellence in Broadcasting.[8] He was the recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation's Bruce Hutchison Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1993 Jack Webster awards.[9][10] In 1998, he was among seven broadcasters[5] inducted into the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame.[4][5][11]
The Canadian Press noted in 1998 that Barker was "considered a legend in British Columbia radio news".[12] In an article for The Province, retired broadcaster Ed Murphy stated that Barker was a "workaholic with an obsession that news must be accurate, well-written and properly presented", crediting this, along with the "eight o'clock news service" and his hiring of "first-class newsmen", as a factor in the station's commercial success.[13]