Mike Finnerty - Multimedia journalist

UPDATE - Since this post was written, Mike Finnerty has decided to to return to work at CBC Radio. He'll be the guest host of The Current, a national current affairs show on CBC Radio One, from August 9 - 20, 2010. Early in Fall 2010, he'll resume his position as host of Daybreak, the weekday morning show on CBC Radio One in Montreal.

ORIGINAL POST - Mike Finnerty has just finished a successful run as host of Daybreak, CBC Radio's weekday morning show in Montreal. Mike took over the position in December 2006, and for two-and-a-half years he brought in new listeners and positive reviews with his easy-going manner and incisive interviews.

A native of Esterhazy, Saskatchewan, Mike's voice first went over the air in Quebec City. As a researcher for the local CBC Radio morning show, he gave two-minute spots during the afternoon program to preview the next morning's broadcast. Mike went on to work as a host and reporter with CBC Radio in Quebec City and Montreal. In 1997 he moved to London, England, where he worked for nine years as an announcer and editor at the BBC Radio World Service.

Mike considers that the role of public broadcasters like the CBC and the BBC is to enlighten their audiences, because knowing what's going on in the world is important in people's lives. Journalists need to be able to distinguish what's truly new and have the necessary background to tell stories accurately. Mike feels journalists play a crucial role in fostering a healthy society and making the world a better place.

Mike enjoys the challenge of radio journalism - there's nothing he likes more than getting a story right. He also gets a kick out of the show-biz aspect of radio and making a broadcast vibrant. His first love is interviewing, which he believes is an art when it's done right. Mike's favorite journalists in the UK are Owen Bennett Jones, who has the ability to cut to the quick of a story; Jim Muir, who's always accurate with the details of a report; Sarah Rainsford, who's good on live breaking news; and John Humphrys, who's crazy and aggressive but always entertaining. Mike's favorite journalists in Canada are Carol Off and the late Peter Gzowski.

On July 20, Mike will begin a new job in London, England. He'll be the first director of video and audio journalism for the Guardian newspaper. Mike foresees that his biggest challenge will be to figure out what online users want and to design an approach that responds to their needs.