Janice Neil is an Associate Professor at the School of Journalism. After more than two decades working as a news reporter and producer, Janice Neil decided there is one thing better than working as a full-time journalist: teaching. She joined the Ryerson faculty in 2007, teaching television news and radio journalism for students in the Bachelor of Journalism and Master of Journalism programs. (A decade earlier, she was on the journalism faculty at Carleton University – from 1998 to 2003 – teaching broadcast journalism and professional practices.)
Her career as a reporter was mostly with CBC Radio and CBC TV in the London bureau, Toronto and Regina through the 1980s and early 1990s.
Then she went behind the scenes, as a producer: From 1993-1998, Janice was the Ottawa bureau chief and senior editor of TVOntario’s Studio 2, producing documentaries, studio discussion panels and interviews. In 1992, she created and produced a weekly program about Ontario politics (4th Reading). She moved into radio again in 2004, at CBC Radio in Toronto, as senior producer of Metro Morning and in the newsroom as an editor, writer and reader, before coming to Ryerson.
Janice has also been the Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Journalism Project (J-Source.ca), a national website providing information, commentary and resources related to the achievement of, and challenges to, excellence.
She appears as a commentator and gives presentations to professional and non-journalistic groups about aspects of the journalistic process such as interviewing, broadcast practices, and contemporary issues in the profession.
Janice’s academic research includes foreign news on Canadian television and, media coverage of election night. She has also immersed herself in film and prime-time TV, admiring how fictional newshounds such as Hildy Johnson, Henry Hackett and Murphy Brown risk their lives to expose the truth and save the world.
Published
2017
Neil, Janice. (2017, November 8). The new National: Are four TV anchors four times as good as one? Toronto Star. (Op-ed article). Read here.
2012
Neil, Janice. 2012. His Girl Friday: Adapting journalistic issues of the 1930s for 2012. 2012. J-Source: The Canadian Journalism Project. August 2. Available here.
In the News
2018
The Eyeopener: March 8, 2018. “Ryerson equipment on lockdown after RCC computer thefts” quotes Janice Neil. Click to read.
2017
Adweek: Nov. 28, 2017. “The Facebook Journalism Project road-trips to Canada” quotes Janice Neil. Click to read.
The Eyeopener: Nov. 28, 2017. “Ryerson offers $100K in funding for digital news startups” quotes Janice Neil. Click to read.
Ryersonian: March 10, 2017
“Navigating the new media world – Ryerson’s journalism school to host teach-in” includes an interview with Janice Neil on why the school chose to cancel classes and host a teach-in on the importance of journalism in a new era. Click to read.
Policy Options: Jan. 27, 2017
“Innovative journalism schools will play a key role in the health of the profession in the future” cites a survey conducted by Janice Neil and Mary McGuire. Click to read.
The Hamilton Spectator: Jan. 12, 2o17
“TVO’s $2M donation a rare gift for Canada’s struggling news industry” quotes Janice Neil. Click to read.
2016
Global News: Dec. 15, 2016
“Tennessee Santa defends himself while questions grow about veracity of dead child story” quotes Janice Neil. Click to read.
TVO’s The Agenda: Nov. 29, 2016
“The Post Truth Era” Steve Paikin interviews Janice Neil on fake news. Click to read.
Toronto Star: Sept. 6, 2016
“Peter Mansbridge’s departure gives ‘The National’ chance to revamp, observers say” quotes Janice Neil. Click to read.
National Post, Vancouver Sun, Windsor Star: Jan. 10, 2016
“The actor and the drug lord: Sean Penn’s strange sit down with El Chapo” quotes
Janice Neil. Click to read.
2015
Canadian Stage Theatre: Nov. 28, 2015
Intermission discussion on media’s right to know and privacy (reflecting on the play ‘Domesticated’) includes Janice Neil on panel.
2014
Globe and Mail, September 26, 2014
Quotes Janice Neil about Katie Couric’s legacy. Click here to read.
Bloomberg News, April 8, 2014
Janice Neil quoted about the loss of revenue when Canadian hockey teams miss the playoffs. Click here to read.
2013
Canadian Press, November 26, 2013
Janice Neil quoted regarding CBC’s loss of Hockey Night in Canada.
University Affairs, June 29, 2013
While the journalism industry contracts, journalism programs continue to quote Prof. Janice Neil. Click here to read.
National Post, May 31, 2013
All-news channel demise no trend quote Prof. Janice Neil. Click here to read.
Yahoo Finance, March 1, 2013
APTN’s Jorge Barrera wins J-Source Canadian Newsperson of the Year Award quotes prof. Janice Neil. Click here to read.