Ann Lang ’95

Ann Lang ’95, CBC Radio’s Star Broadcaster

I sat down with Ann Lang ‘95 after personally having witnessed what was unmistakably one of the longest days at work. Usually, Ann is a member of CBC Radio One’s Homerun (3:00 to 6:00 PM on weekdays) writing and broadcasting team. But today, thanks to the untimely absence of not one, but two co-workers, Ann was forced to take up the helm of the traffic reporter, essentially doubling her amount of work.

“Most days are not like this,” Ann assured me, “but some are.”

A graduate of the Concordia Communications program, Ann began her flourishing journalistic and broadcasting career by performing public relations duties for a high tech company in the business-to-business world. For someone like Ann, a woman with plenty of creativity combined with a strong and passionate interest in current affairs, it took very little time (only seven months) to realize she needed something else to spark her interest. “If I was going to work 40 hours on something, I’d better like it.” She then decided to go back to school in order to obtain a master’s degree in journalism, a choice that ultimately set Ann on her current path.

After completing several internships at local media outlets, Ann knew that broadcast journalism was her niche. Even doing the overnight (12:30 AM to 5:30 AM) news broadcasts for a period of time on CJAD did not phase her, although she “developed a new appreciation for those who always work the overnight shift” as she found that it required a few days to recover from working those shifts.

Ann’s big journalistic break occurred while she was producing a documentary for one of her master’s degree classes. While she would eventually win a highly prestigious Canadian Association for Journalism Excellence Award for her documentary on Canadian military families, the true prize was the fact that she got noticed by the CBC, for she used their facilities in order to actually produce said documentary. Ann would eventually be hired as a “casual” CBC employee, and as the old saying goes, one thing led to another, and soon enough, Ann found herself being a regular team member on the Homerun show.

Turning to Bialik, Ann explained that high school was integral in teaching her vital work habits and how to “soak up information,” a truly invaluable skill in the journalistic field. On the topic of favourite Bialik memories and teachers, Ann’s time as fashion show MC stood out, as well as her “hair-dying” experience with her friends during the Stratford school trip. Regarding teachers, I would be remiss if I did not transcribe the words she had for Mrs. Smajovits, my mom, who, as many know, used to spend many periods working with students in need of organization: “When I saw how she volunteered her time to help kids organize themselves, it showed that she really cared about your transition to high school. She is just the warmest, nicest person, and it’s a joy every time I see her.”

On advice for current and future graduates, Ann says to “try as many things as possible,” much as she did. Finally, on the notion of whether or not she has made many mistakes while on air, she grinned and declared, “ Of course I have. But I’m always reminded that it’s just a few seconds of radio; it’s not heart surgery.” As if heart surgeons needed any more pressure…

David Smajovits ’00

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