Go behind the scenes with CBC Ottawa on Instagram
Follow @CBCOttawa and #CBCBehindTheScenes to meet the people behind the news
Did you know that one of our producers once performed for the Queen? Or that our floor director for the News at 6 is in a metal band? We were surprised to learn this too and it got us thinking, what other fun facts can we learn about the crew at CBC Ottawa?
This summer come with us behind the scenes of CBC Ottawa as we explore who makes this place run. We want to take you behind our radio shows, give you a glimpse of who helps produce our CBC Ottawa News at 6 and even delve into the CBC archives office.
Join us on our CBC Ottawa Instagram feed as eight team members show us what their world is like inside CBC Ottawa.
How it works
Every Tuesday in July and August, our Instagram feed will feature CBCers from different corners of the newsroom. Follow @CBCOttawa and check our Instagram Stories throughout the day on Tuesdays to find out more about what goes on behind the scenes at CBC Ottawa.
Got a burning question?
If you have a behind-the-scenes question for one of the CBCers featured in the series, share it on social media with #CBCBehindTheScenes and the answer may be featured in our Instagram Stories.
Schedule
We'll post more information each week about who's up next on the schedule. Don't forget to check @CBCOttawa's Instagram Stories every Tuesday this summer.
August 28: Off the air with Laurence Wall
Job title: News Presenter
What is one fun fact about you that others may not know?
I have a bucket list that includes the following:
1) Play cello just once in the NAC Orchestra
2) Fly in a Spitfire (WW2 fighter) and
3) Interview Paul McCartney
August 21: Watching the weather with Ian Black
Job title: Climatologist
What's one thing you learned when you came to work at CBC Ottawa that made you think, "Huh, that's neat"?
When I started in the late 80s, everyone used a typewriter. There wasn't a computer in the place.
August 14: Following Joanne Chianello
Job title: City Affairs Analyst
What is one fun fact about you that others may not know?
I am technically a certified sommelier. I completed the Algonquin College program just around the time I started covering City Hall full-time.
August 7: Meet Managing Editor Ruth Zowdu
Job title: Managing Editor, Ottawa
What is one fun fact about you that others may not know?
I was born in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, and left for Canada when I was 4 years old. I returned for the first time a few years ago and spent a month rediscovering this amazing country. I had the time to pause and drink in the place - the air, the sounds, the people, the pace. That deep connection continues for me. It's become part of who I am.
July 31: Behind the scenes of the studio with Eric Landry
Job title: Floor Director, Associate Director
What's one thing you learned when you came to work at CBC Ottawa that made you think, "Huh, that's neat"?
I've always thought it was interesting how close in proximity I work with on-air talent, and how much we can connect. When I first started I was nervous to talk to people who were on TV, but now I'd consider many of the on-air personalities my friends.
July 24: From the story meeting to the studio with Caitlin Crockard
Job title: Producer, All In A Day
What is one fun fact about you that others may not know?
I spend most of my non-CBC time directing and performing with an Irish-Scottish dance performance group called Celtic Cross, ruining my knees in the process. We've even travelled to Balmoral Castle in Scotland to perform for the Queen!
July 17: A day in the newsroom with Omar Dabaghi-Pacheco
Job title: Host, CBC Ottawa News at 11
What is one fun fact about you that others may not know?
I was once a competitive bike messenger who placed 6th in the Cycle Messenger World Championships. I am also an avid paraglider pilot, a skydiver and motorcyclist.
In the summer, I try to squeeze in a flight before getting to work.
July 10: A look in the archives with Saalem Humayun
Job title: Archivist
What's one thing you learned when you came to work at CBC Ottawa that made you think, "Huh, that's neat"?
We're obsessed with time. I've never worked anywhere where there are so many clocks.