[Professional Blog] Walsh Leaving Telegram

One of The Telegrams senior reporters is leaving to take a position with Out of the Fog.

Peter Walsh submitted his notice today, and will finish with The Telegram on July 8. He will take some vacation downtime before starting with Rogers early in August in a Talent / Producer role, which means he will work both behind the scenes and in front of the camera.

Walsh is a former reporter with CBC Here Now who went on to work with CBC nationally on programs like Disclosure and CBC Sunday. In an interview, Walsh said the move is a career advancement over his current position with St. Johns daily newspaper.

I will have a bigger role on a smaller team, to help shape the show, Walsh said. Its funny, I wasnt really looking to get back on television but I guess what Ive discovered is that 13 years of TV experience counts for more than you realize Its not that I was looking to be on TV again its just that you have these skills, this natural talent, it provides you opportunities and youve got to take them. Its definitely a positive move, Im really excited about it and Im grateful to Rogers for the opportunity.

This is the second high-profile appointment in just a few weeks for Rogers Television. Erin Sulley was hired just a few weeks ago, after her position at CBC was eliminated in the cancellation of Living NL.

Im really excited about working with Erin Sulley, Walsh said. Im a big fan of hers. Shes a talent.

Walsh is also hyped about going to work with Out of the Fog. He said he has worked in investigative reporting for 15 years, kicking the shins of all sorts of story subjects, and the time is right for a change of pace.

Out of the Fog has been on the air for nine years, and has a strong connection with its viewers, he said. It is very well received and it has a big audience. If theyre growing, they deserve it. Its a popular show. Its local, and its well done Ive always been a fan of the show. What I admire so much about it is, it has its own voice in a somewhat cluttered media market which is chasing the daily story all the time and trying to be journals of record and covering everything that moves, and often you find yourself chasing a tail and everyones writing the same 10 press releases a day. Out of the Fog has a different pace, a different feel but is no way a second banana. It gets the big guests and will cover the top issues.

Walsh is also excited about returning to television. You learn a lot over the course of a decade and during a career you should use those skills TV is fun. You can do the serious stuff, but you do have that latitude to be more creative, let your personality come through a bit more. And if youre having fun, behind and in front of the camera, the rest takes care of itself the audience is going to enjoy what youre doing as well.

Walsh said he is leaving The Telegram on good terms, and expressed his gratitude to that paper. The Telegram allowed me and my family to move back from Toronto and build a life here in St. Johns. Its such a good group here. Theyve been great. Theres been nothing but well wishes from them to me, and me to them.

In recent years, Walsh has taken his career in a new direction, teaching videography on a part-time basis as part of the Diploma in Performance and Communications Media, presented by the Department of English at Memorial University. He said he will continue his teaching in his new position with Rogers.

Its awesome, Walsh said, of the program. Teaching was a big challenge. I had never taught before, though I had done mentoring in newsroom environments, but never in front of 20 English students. Its fabulous I really discovered through teaching this program that, even though I was happy to leave television back then, its hard to leave behind 13 years of experience. It kind of finds you!