BarrieToday has added a veteran journalist to its news team to cover local courts and the justice system.
Local resident Peter Robinson starts in his new position today and will become a familiar sight at the Mulcaster Street courthouse.
A graduate of Eastview Secondary School and Wilfrid Laurier University, the Barrie native landed his first reporting job at the now-defunct Barrie Examiner, covering the Ontario Hockey League's Barrie Colts and as a general assignment reporter.
That lasted for about two years when he left to take a magazine editing job in Toronto. Gigs there included editing positions with SCOREGolf, NHL Yearbook and Prospects Hockey. He's also the author of Hope and Heartbreak in Toronto and has been working on documentaries.
His byline has appeared regularly on BarrieToday in recent months as both a sports reporter and columnist. He will still dabble in local sports from time to time.
Robinson moved back to Barrie about a decade ago and says he always had an inkling to finish his career where it started.
He says he's "excited and grateful" to join BarrieToday as a full-time reporter.
"My interest in courts goes all the way back to a co-op placement in a Grade 12 law class," says Robinson. "The formality, decorum and general nature of courtrooms are all things that most people don't realize or are familiar with. And yet, while that may give the impression that courts are staid and boring, they're not. Some of the characters you see there — court officials, judges, lawyers, yes, even defendants — are quite interesting.
"Another thing about criminal trials is how they have a way of reflecting the wider community," he adds. "Mostly, unfortunately, it is where current problems a community is facing, such as the effect of addiction and substance abuse, end up. Seeing the consequences of those societal issues play out in court also gives you an appreciation for what people on the front lines deal with and the challenges the community faces."
Robinson says he's eager to jump into his new beat.
"As a journalist, courts remain a bastion of fact- and evidence-based reporting. The news/journalism business has changed immeasurably in a very short space of time because of how people consume information now, but the courts are largely unchanged," he says.
"Proceedings still play out in court under the same rules and procedures they have for decades, centuries even. It's going to be nice to work in a forum where Instagram, TikTok and/or Twitter has little effect on the proceedings."
BarrieToday editor Raymond Bowe says Robinson will be a great addition to the news team.
"We have a great stable of reporters who all bring unique skills to the job, but the courts have also been an area where we wanted to increase our coverage significantly," he says.
"I think Peter brings great observation and reporting skills to the team. His court coverage will help shed more light on the criminal justice system and provide readers with more information about what is happening locally. At the end of the day, that's always been our goal."
If you have a news tip or story idea, Peter can be reached at [email protected].
