Remember Lynne Russell from CNN? I found her on TV in Canada! (PHOTO)

[Radio_Lady]

Lynne is that saucy, pistol-packing redhead who delivered the news with great style. Her website promoted a book she had written about being -- of all things -- a sheriff!

She was bounced from American cable TV at CNN for unknown reasons -- I happened to meet her many years ago in Miami at a public broadcasting station.

While visiting in Victoria, BC, Canada, last week, we happened to turn on the news and there she was! Here's a web article -- CNN's loss is CBC's gain. Let's hear it for the gals who reach middle age and can still be regarded as authoritative newscasters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynne_Russell

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Hey, isn't it that woman from CNN?

Five years after veteran anchor Lynne Russell signed off from her last broadcast on CNN Headline News, the flamboyant newscaster, famous for her red hair and sultry voice, is back -- this time on Canadian television. Russell is now behind the desk at CBC Newsworld in Toronto, reading headlines at the top of the hour on Friday evenings and hosting the occasional newscast. During her time at CNN, Russell garnered a massive fan following (one that is still alive and well today on the Internet), maintaining a much higher -- and sexier -- profile than most anchors.

Today, Russell and partner Thomas Beck call Toronto home. This week, they purchased and moved into their first house in the west end of the city. They plan to settle in Canada permanently. The couple moved from Atlanta last July after Beck, a German citizen, accepted an offer to become the president and CEO of the Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Over the years, Russell and Beck travelled extensively for their jobs and found Canada to be a comforting place. Heaton Dyer, program director for CBC Newsworld, said Russell "will be getting quite a bit of work in coming weeks and months, but I really can't speculate any further than that. She is somebody who has a tremendous amount of experience and a good track record. . . . So it's wonderful to have somebody like her we can call upon to fill in for regular anchors who are on vacation."

Posted from The Globe and Mail (Thursday, July 6, 2006)

Find it somewhere way down on this thread:

http://www.artsnews.ca/MediaForm.html

[bahrbearian]

1. Oh yeah,,, I'm still in love.

[Radio_Lady]

3. Honestly, I can't think of any reason why she could not have taken

the anchor chair at CBS to replace Dan Rather. She might have had less of that "perky" crap that has been placed on Katie Couric's shoulders.

While we're at it, why don't women support other women in these high-level jobs? I received a book on this subject (why women insist on tearing down other women) and am just getting around to reading it.

[liberaldemocrat7]

14. Yes but the BFEE has an ally in the harper administration.

Let's just see if this Canadian Yuppie will get voted out of office in a no confidence vote.

Amazing that the equivalent of Naders Greens allied with this twit in the past election to help REGRESSIVES.

[wakeme2008]

2. Ah back in the days when HLN was HLN :(

One of the articles I read about her was how her work schedule was timed. With news that repeats on the half hour, there were points in the schedule for say a 3 minute bathroom break, etc...

[Radio_Lady]

6. Another woman CNN dumped was a black woman named Lyn Vaughn.

Lyn used to be an intern on my Boston radio show. She was outspoken and radical at the time (1970s). She did a beautiful job for CNN, but then -- suddenly she was gone.

(From 1992)

Let's Google and see what she's up to!..... One message board says that she is on MSNBC, but that was in 2005 and I can't confirm it.

http://whatshappeningatcnn.blogspot.com/2005/03/former-hln-anchor-to-msnbc.html

[AspenRose]

18. I had a friend in college who had a crush on Bobbie Batista.

Wonder what happened to her, too....

[Radio_Lady]

20. Tell him she's still here... read this from last year:

Bobbie Battista

5/23/05

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/050523/23eewhere.htm

Whenever reporters bail out of journalism into public relations, they're sure to get razzed by ex-colleagues for "crossing over to the dark side." But former television anchor Bobbie Battista makes no apologies for her midlife job change. Back in November 2001, Battista ended her 20-year career at CNN--she was one of its original newscasters as well as one of its most recognizable faces--to cofound Atlanta-based Atamira Communications along with three other former CNNers.

"Nine eleven had a little to do with it, and when you're hitting 50, you want do something different," says Battista, who will be 53 in July. But perhaps an ever bigger motivation was the change in management and ownership at CNN. In January 2001, Time Warner, CNN's parent company, merged with America Online. And in July 2001, a new CEO was named to run the network. "I didn't think the merger was good for the company, and I didn't think the revolving door of management was good for the company." Battista sensed CNN was drifting away from its heritage of serious news. "They were closing bureaus and doing more talking-head voice-overs. There was more bottom-line pressure. So I opted to take my leave."

Battista, with producer-husband John Brimelow and two other CNN executives, decided to form a PR firm. "Reporters have become too savvy for spinning and bridging. But there are ways you can respond to questions that don't give away the company's credit card number yet also give reporters an answer that they can live with."

Battista & Co. seek out firms with "cross hairs on their backs," like client ChoicePoint, the consumer data broker whose computer files were hacked last October. Battista's first client was Republican Bob Irvin, a Georgia U.S.Senate candidate who failed to get his party's nomination in 2002. But she eschews politicos now. "We're political junkies, but you really need to be in Washington for that."

Battista is also dipping her toes back into the news game by starting a pilot satellite radio show dealing with small-and medium-business issues. Does she miss the adrenaline rush of covering breaking news or big events like a presidential election or war? "I do miss being in the front lines of history in the making." That, she sheepishly admits, as well as a TV anchor's rich clothing allowance.

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Here's a link to her PR firm:

http://www.atamira.com/team/battista/

[AspenRose]

4. Good for her

She was on in San Antonio when I was a child (on KENS I believe)

[Bucky]

5. 60 ain't like 60 used to be

Born in 1946. Amazing.

[Radio_Lady]

7. On behalf of us early broadcasters born in the late 30s and early 40s,

thank you for your comments.

I've spent 35 years in TV and radio, and I hope we get to the point where we need to be. In TV, that means women would be accepted until they are the age group of our male anchors. For women like me, Barbara Walters is a role model. We remember the days when male program managers said things such as, "No one will listen to news read by women. Their voices aren't authoritative enough!" (ACTUAL COMMENT I HEARD MANY TIME FROM MANY MALES.)

[PCIntern]

8. Remember Aline Saarinen?

no one ever mentions her. She was very bright, had a great style and delivery, and was quite 'authoritative'.

PS Howard Stern once had a guy on who told the funniest story about his Dad and Lynne Russell. Might be a bit much for this thread...

[Radio_Lady]

13. Yes, I do recall the name, along with several others, but not much about

her on the web. I also remember Shana Alexander, Betty Furness, Jessica Savitch (all deceased), Betty Rollin, and, of course, Leslie Stahl. All have pages on Wikipedia.

Please PM me the story about the fellow on Howard Stern's show -- especially if it's juicy! Lynne Russell has some "glamour" shots on the Internet. She's equipped very nicely!

[Lisa]

25. if Barbara Frum (one of the most renowned CBC broadcasters) ...

.... hadn't passed away at the relatively-young age of 54, my guess is that she'd still be helming a public-affairs show on CBC Radio today. Her co-host Mary Lou Finlay only just retired last year, just past the age of 60 -- and a lot of people wanted her to stay on.

[Warren DeMontague]

9. I suspect she left with Ted Turner, no?

She always seemed pretty intelligent. Can't have that, now.

[Radio_Lady]

15. I'm not sure what the time frame was.

[wain]

10. I could watch the news with Lynne Russell

She not pretentious as many news readers are. She came across as friendly and always with a smile. She was not just another pretty face with minimal talent. Lynne Russell had a special talent missing in today's serious, unsmiling and ratings-seeking news readers.

I was not happy to see her leave Headline News. I have not watched since.

:-(

[Radio_Lady]

16. Agree with you. News delivered by a smart woman of any age is

OK with me. Of course, it doesn't hurt if she has a reasonable looking face -- also, she doesn't have to be a beauty queen.

Thanks for your comments.

[daleo]

11. I saw her on CBC Newsworld

I was struck immediately how intelligent she seemed. She has a nice way of engaging the viewer as she reads the news - what they call "acting with your face" in live theater, I think (I mean that in a good way). I didn't know about the CNN thing.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

12. Here's Ashleigh Banfield's site with a snippet from it.

http://www.ashleighbanfield.com/pages/1/index.htm



<snip>
On another topic ... a good friend of mine just appeared this week on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (the most clever program on television today!) .. and I encourage anyone who is the least bit politically minded to check out his book "Independent Nation." Its a look at american centrists through the ages.. and how they've truly held the balance of power when it comes to government and policy making. In this day of polarized talking heads .. he is a refreshing voice for moderation!
<snip>

From http://www.ashleighbanfieldlive.com/
2006-: Co-host of "Banfield and Ford: Courtside" for Court TV

[Radio_Lady]

17. Ashleigh Banfield had a baby last year... I didn't know!

Wednesday, October 26, 2005 (New York)

News anchor Ashleigh Banfield welcomes a son
Page Six reports this morning that Court TV's Ashleigh Banfield and her husband, Howard Gould, have welcomed a son named Jay Fischer. He was born on Saturday and weighed in at 6 lbs, 4 oz, his low weight attributed to the fact that he was four weeks early.

Source: Page Six

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Her work during the horrific day of September 11, 2001 and subsequent days -- was something close to miraculous.

[opihimoimoi]

19. I just recalled how my crew of Fire Fighters and how they were in love wit

Susan Rooks of CNN back in 91

[Radio_Lady]

21. The name Susan Rooks is not familiar to me. Anyone else know about her?

Thanks for the post.

[Liberal In Texas]

26. Ash is a heck of a singer too.

[Poiuyt]

22. I remember Lynne. She always reminded me of a smart Peg Bundy

[Radio_Lady]

23. I love redheads! Especially bright ones!

[Lisa]

24. Canadians tend to prefer experienced newscasters

We like to keep them for decades ... Peter Mansbridge, for example. Nobody cared when he lost his hair! And some of our radio people have been there for 30 or 40 years. I've noticed that the CBC doesn't just restrict their jobs to reading scripts ... many of them are out slogging around in the field, producing their own pieces. Anne Medina also came up from the States in the 1970s, worked her way up to senior foreign correspondent at the CBC, became a freelancer,and still does things for Newsworld. She's at least in her 50s by now.

Mansbridge regularly heads off to host the National News from places like Iqaluit, just so people outside of Toronto or Calgary can see what it's like when the CBC comes to town.

I think Lynne Russell will fit in just fine!