After 31 years as the face of flagship CBC investigative program, The Fifth Estate, the public broadcaster has announced that veteran journalist Bob McKeown will retire at the end of the month.
McKeown’s final turn as host will culminate in a 50th anniversary special looking back at the award-winning program’s investigations over the decades. The Fifth Estate: 50 Years of Truth is set to air Friday, Nov. 29 on CBC and CBC Gem.
“Since I first joined The Fifth Estate, I have been a very fortunate guy. Not only for finding my dream job, but working alongside the best and brightest colleagues – Adrienne Clarkson, Eric Malling, Hana Gartner, Linden MacIntyre, Mark Kelley, Gillian Findlay, and so many others. And all at a time when investigative journalism has taken on the most crucial issues,” said McKeown, in a CBC announcement. “Through the changing journalism landscape, The Fifth Estate has remained steadfast in its commitment to uncovering truth, which we now unquestionably need more than ever. And one last thing about my time at the Fifth. The first person that I met on my first day at The Fifth Estate office would become the most important in my life, Sheilagh D’Arcy McGee. This past summer we celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary.”
McKeown started his broadcast career in 1971 as a freelance sports commentator in his hometown of Ottawa after graduating from Yale University, while also playing as a league all-star for the Grey Cup champion Ottawa Rough Riders. After retiring from football, he delved into journalism full-time, hosting on both CBC radio and TV in Ottawa and Montreal. He joined The Fifth Estate in 1981.
In 1990, McKeown headed stateside, working for CBS News in New York for news magazine shows, Street Stories, America Tonight and 48 Hours, as well as The CBS Evening News. He notably was the first journalist on the ground in a liberated Kuwait City during the Persian Gulf War, and went on to spend eight years as an NBC correspondent for Dateline.
McKeown returned to The Fifth Estate in 2002 as a two-time Emmy winner. More recently, he was nominated for a Michener Award for his work on the sex assault allegations against former fashion mogul Peter Nygard and won a Canadian Hillman Prize, recognizing public service journalism, for a 2018 investigation exposing industry lobbying behind lax safety standards on school buses. Other accolades include three Edward R. Murrow Awards, two Gracies from the American Women in Radio and Television, the Consumer Journalism Award from the National Press Club in Washington; and multiple Gemini and Canadian Screen Awards. He was named a member of the Order of Canada in 2021.
“Throughout his impressive career, Bob’s passion for investigative journalism and dedication to uncovering the truth has earned him the trust and admiration of audiences across Canada and around the world,” said Brodie Fenlon, General Manager and Editor in Chief, CBC News. “His work points to the importance of investigative journalism in Canada, and his enduring legacy at The Fifth Estate will no doubt continue to inspire journalists to dig deeper in pursuit of the truth.”
The Fifth Estate and the Toronto Public Library will host free public event “The Next 50 Years of Investigative Journalism” on Nov. 28, featuring an advance screening of the anniversary episode and panel discussion at the Toronto Reference Library’s Bram & Bluma Appel Salon. More details and ticket info can be found here.
