Bill Hutton, former news director at CFRB in Toronto and CKWX in Vancouver, has died in hospital at 83, the Canadian Press reports.

Hutton is a past president of the National Press Club, former member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery and founder and first president of the Radio and Television News Directors Association of Canada (RTNDA). In 2008, RTNDA introduced the Bill Hutton Award of Excellence.

During his long career he was also bureau chief of Selkirk News in Ottawa and general manager of CFNY in Brampton, Ont.

Hutton retired from broadcasting in 1989.

A funeral service has been scheduled for May 16 in Burnt Church, N.B.