UPDATED: Ottawa bureau chief Rob Russo leaving Canadian Press
Russo has been at the helm of the bureau since 2003 and he was awarded the Charles Lynch Award for lifetime achievement as a Parliamentary journalist in 2010.
Canadian Press’ Rob Russo is leaving his position as the Ottawa bureau chief. Russo has been at the helm of the bureau since 2003 and he was awarded the Charles Lynch Award for lifetime achievement as a Parliamentary journalist in 2010.
In an e-mail to J-Source, Russo explained his decision to leave the news wire.
"Perhaps I'm a journalistic freak. I'm too young to retire. No one has given me the undignified nudge. I've no new job, but I hope I will have one once I get a rest," he said. "The truth is that CP is now in a position to command the high-ground of news service journalism after some rough years. It's well led and has solid and committed ownership. And the Ottawa bureau will be staffed by some first-rate reporters for years. If I was ever going to try something else, now is the time."
Related content on J-Source:
- Memo on Rob Russo's departure from Canadian Press
- Live chat: Canadian Press reporters discuss Ralph Klein and media coverage of the man
- Canadian Press reporter Mike Blanchfield wins James Travers Fellowship
He began his career with Canadian Press in Toronto, served as its Montreal English Bureau Chief and spent seven years as the Washington correspondent for CP during the Clinton and Bush administrations. Under Russo's editorial direction, Canadian Press journalists Jennifer Ditchburn and Heather Scoffield received a National Newspaper Award for their investigative reporting in 2011.
"He has transformed the bureau into the nonpareil news machine on Parliament Hill," said Canadian Press editor-in-chief Scott White. "While I'm sure you’re just as sad as I am that Rob is leaving CP, we are lucky he has helped build a legacy of excellence and a team that is ready and extremely able to carry on the type of journalism that has made our Ottawa report the best in the industry."
Here is some of the reaction from journalists upon learning of his departure:
[node:ad]CP Ottawa bureau depressed and gobsmacked to learn best bureau chief in the biz, Rob Russo, is leaving.
— Joan Bryden (@jmbryden) May 6, 2013
@kady Label him an essential service! Get an injunction!
— Emmett Macfarlane (@EmmMacfarlane) May 6, 2013
Canadian Press email on Rob Russo is out. It begins: "As a reporter, editor, foreign correspondent and our OttawaBureau Chief, Rob 1/2
— Alexander Panetta (@Alex_Panetta) May 6, 2013
2/2 "…Rob Russo has always been one of the most exceptional journaliststo ever work for The Canadian Press."
— Alexander Panetta (@Alex_Panetta) May 6, 2013
Rob Russo challenged us to question the BS, shine light in the dark corners in an era of secrecy and doublespeak. An extraordinary mentor.
— Jennifer Ditchburn (@jenditchburn) May 6, 2013
So sad to see the inimitable Rob Russo leaving CP. As a journalist and as a leader they don't come much better than that.
— Allison Jones (@allisonjones_cp) May 6, 2013
Tamara Baluja is an award-winning journalist with CBC Vancouver and the 2018 Michener-Deacon fellow for journalism education. She was the associate editor for J-Source from 2013-2014.