By Josie Fomé

2021 CJF-CTV News Black Journalism Fellow

Starting a journalism fellowship in the middle of the pandemic is not for the faint of heart. When I received the call confirming that I had been accepted, I was understandably overjoyed. The last six months have been an enriching experience that has allowed me to work alongside some of the most talented anchors, reporters, producers, editors, chasers and writers.

My fellowship kicked off at CTV Newschannel where I got first-hand experience in what it takes to write broadcast news at a fast pace. Prior to this, my broadcasting experience extended as far as what I learned while in j-school. You can imagine how vast the difference is between learning something theoretically and finally putting it into practice. Stories such as William Shatner being the oldest to go into space on Blue Origin to Frida Kahlo’s art still selling at astronomical prices decades after the artist’s death…and everything in between.

I then found myself at CP24 where I had the opportunity to put my hands in a little bit of everything. Working with the Breakfast team was one of the most memorable parts of this fellowship. Each day was balanced with story assignments as well as stories that I had pitched. I even witnessed what all went into a “breaking news” news day when, in early January, Toronto saw its largest snowfall in over two decades. This placement sparked my desire to explore producing more shows as I learned from some of the best producers in the game.

Speaking of some of the best in the game, my last placement was with CTV’s National News team with Lisa LaFlamme and Sandie Rinaldo. At this point, it had been a week since Russia had invaded Ukraine. Talk about reporting on world-changing events! This placement allowed me to be more scrupulous with my wording due to two main reasons: the show is only 30 minutes and, as CTV’s flagship program, so much work goes into ensuring everything that is said is everything that needs to be/can be said in that time frame. All in all, I can say I’m leaving with more skills and tools in my toolbelt.

Featured work: 

“How Black Youth are Reclaiming their Mental Health in Canada,” Josie Fomé, CTV News (March 11, 2022)

Details on the 2022 CJF Black Journalism Fellowship Program.