This is meant as a compliment — the camera loves Jayne Pritchard. And so does Barrie.
The long-time co-anchor of CTV News Barrie has been a fixture in Simcoe County homes for more than 30 years, anchoring or co-anchoring the news at 6 or 11 for many of those years, as the station went into its numerous transformations (CKVR, the New VR, A Channel, CTV).
Pritchard moved here from Toronto in 1982. “Resume in hand,” she tells BarrieToday, having bought a hobby farm in Innisfil.
“I didn’t want to commute to Toronto and thought my experience in promotions and marketing would be useful, but a few months later, I was asked to come in to talk about hosting a daytime talk show called Good Company.
Admitting to no nerves over her on-camera audition (“I didn’t think I would get the job”), Jayne was further put at ease by her interview subject, Bob McIntyre, the veteran news and weather legend, whom she credits with getting her the job.
Good Company ran until 1992, complemented by a summer program called Summer Scene, when changes to the newsroom caused them both to be cancelled. Pritchard returned to the promotions end of things, handling the occasional freelance reporting job for the news department, returning to the anchor desk in 1998.
In her career, Jayne has covered local, provincial and national elections. Jayne was recognized as one of Simcoe County’s top 20 “women making a difference” in the community in 2012. What’s more, Pritchard was also featured in a national magazine in a continuing series on strong Canadian women.
Jayne says the most memorable of her interviews was Canada’s first woman in space, Roberta Bondar, during the run of Good Company.
“I loved listening to her stories of growing up looking at the stars and deciding that she wanted to explore space. She was very personable and laid back. Roberta also spoke of how she was taller when she got back, and didn’t need her glasses.
“I remember thinking of all the young women and girls who might be watching our interview, knowing that anything was possible, and hoping that Roberta would inspire them to also ‘reach for the stars’".
If the year ended now, and Jayne had to pick the top stories of that year, she would list the terror attacks in France and Belgium among the most important world events, the recent police shootings in the United States, and the devastation wrought by the Fort McMurray wildfires in this country.
Normally, folks in TV markets this size put in their time, fire off audition tapes to stations in bigger markets, in search of greater exposure, more momentous stories to cover, and, of course, greater paycheques. Pritchard has opted to stay, given what she calls the 'family atmosphere' of the station.
“Many of us have been here for so long, we’ve become like family, and know each other’s strong, weak and quirky points. When the new people come in, we feel it our duty to take them under our wing, nurture and encourage them. We also have a great deal of respect for what each other does.
“The people I’ve met through my different roles have had quite an impact on me, and some have become dear friends.
“I never had the desire to work anywhere else, as I’ve been given so many opportunities right here. It would also be like leaving family. Commuting would also be out of the question, as quality of life is so important to me.”
Barrie viewers have agreed — and continued to tune in — for more than 30 years.
