Former colleagues and viewers are remembering longtime East Coast news anchor Bruce Graham, who passed away last week at the age of 84.
Raised in Parrsboro, NS, Graham studied Radio and Television Arts at the Cambridge School in Boston, before starting his career in broadcast journalism in radio at CKMR Newcastle, NB and CHNS Halifax.
He moved into television in the 1970s as a reporter, news director and anchor for ATV (now CTV Atlantic), much of that time as the face of the ATV Evening News. In addition to covering landmark events like Queen Elizabeth II’s 1979 visit to Canada, Graham also brought international stories to Atlantic audiences, filing from Hong Kong, Singapore and Myanmar, among other locations.
Graham went on to become the first anchor and director for MITV (Maritimes Independent Television) when the station launched in Halifax/Dartmouth in 1988, continuing to anchor there through its rebrand as Global Maritimes in 1997.
Graham was recognized with an Atlantic Journalism Award for his nightly television commentary, The Final Word, and received an RTDNA Lifetime Achievement Award, in addition to the Ohio State Award for reporting excellence.
After 40 years in broadcasting, he returned to his hometown of Parrsboro and transitioned to writing, penning 14 books – spanning historical fiction, comedy and poetry – including Anchorman: My Life in Broadcasting, a reflection on his decades in front of and behind the camera.
Largely inspired by his hometown, three of his books – including Ivor Johnson’s Neighbours and The Parrsboro Boxing Club – were adapted into stage plays.
“Bruce Graham was the essence of a news anchor. A fine journalist, he brought accuracy, authority and elegance to his broadcasts on ATV, MITV and Global,” said former CTV Atlantic Senior anchor Steve Murphy, in a post to X. “He was also a gifted novelist and playwright.”
Watch Global’s tribute to Graham here and CTV Atlantic’s tribute here.
