Karen Mitchell

Karen Mitchell started her career in 1993, part of the team to create and launch CJOJ (OJ 95) in Belleville, Ontario. She then moved to Fort McMurray working in the news department for CJOK Radio. Here, along with regular news duties, she co-hosted an afternoon talk show, once accidentally breaking a guest’s Grammy. This is the beauty of journalism-you never know what’s going to happen!

Her career then moved to television having worked for Craig Broadcasting, Global News, CBC, and CTV.

Karen landed a job in June 2000 at CTV Winnipeg (then CKY5 News) working as a reporter/weekend producer. Over the years, as a reporter (which was her first love as interviewing is a passion of Karen’s) Karen also backfilled as an anchor, producer, and assignment editor. She moved into the Managing Editor role at CTV Winnipeg in 2004 and was then promoted to News Director in 2008.  

While many stories have touched her personally and others have resonated in bringing change, among her favourites were: following the Golden Boy for a year during his restoration; while in Bosnia, meeting Bogdana, a woman in her 90’s who was the only person living in a bombed-out town waiting for people to return home; and covering the race on election night. Any race. Any election.

Karen has served as the CTV representative on the Canadian Press National Editorial Committee, worked with a media consortium in Winnipeg for more than 10 years to gain access for media cameras in court, and has volunteered time with the Radio Television Digital News Association.

Karen has worked as a Prairie Regional Chair, Awards Co-Chair, Awards Chair, and now Sponsorship Co-Chair with RTDNA Canada.