CTV president named Woman of the Year

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Women in Communications and Technology (WCT) announced the names of 13 recipients of its prestigious Annual Awards on February 20, which recognize individual and corporate leadership in advancing women's achievement in Canada's rapidly growing digital economy.

Formerly Canadian Women in Communications (CWC), the revamped and much expanded WCT organization now represents 2,500 women in professions and industries from traditional media and corporate communications to information management and technology.

Western Philosophy alumna, Wendy Freeman, BA'86, President, CTV News (Bell Media) was recognized with the Woman of the Year award. 

Since being named President of CTV News in December 2010, Wendy Freeman has been responsible for news, information, and current events programming, including CTV National News, CTV News Channel, BNN, and CP24. Also under her leadership are Canada AM, Question Period, Power Play, and W5. Freeman presides over all Bell Media news editorial content and newsgathering efforts for television and digital, and oversees the newsrooms’ day-to-day operations.

She has led CTV News’ award-winning and most-watched coverage of the world’s biggest news stories, including recent devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy, Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympic Games, recovery of the Chilean miners, 9/11, four Canadian federal elections, and Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. In 2013 under Freeman’s leadership, the CTV News division was recognized with the prestigious RTNDA Bert Canning Award for Best Newscast for CTV National News for the second straight year, along with 32 other RTDNA awards for local and national news programs. In 2012, Freeman was named among Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award by the Women’s Executive Network (WXN).

Previously, Freeman held a variety of senior management positions with CTV News, where her leadership in the competitive marketplace strengthened CTV’s position as Canada’s most-watched news organization and made CTV National News the top-rated newscast in the country.

Prior to joining the company, Freeman worked at WPIX-TV in New York and WXYZ-TV in Detroit, as well as Citytv in Toronto, where she began her television career.

Additional personal accolades for Freeman include the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) award for Best Newscast in 2010, 2007, and 2006. Freeman also won a 2005 Gemini Award for Best Newscast.

Freeman, a Montreal native, graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy.