Iris Young

Whether addressing people from their TV screens in the evenings or a roomful of bleary-eyed future journalists early in the morning, Linda Olsen exudes calm, poise, and authority—and in some situations, even comfort. But it’s not all glitz and glamour in the Global Calgary newsroom.

“Every day is a challenge,” the multi-awarded anchor said. “Every day is a battle of filling a big hole with content that we think is interesting and important, entertaining, visual—all those things we try to bring to broadcast news.”

And the challenges don’t end there. As mainstream media loses its grip on today’s beleaguered society, Olsen is among the “old guard” in the trenches who’s had to hold fast to a mandate that’s now largely thankless and often dangerous.

“My job is to ask the questions and write the story,” she said. “There will always be somebody who thinks you’re wrong and stupid and should be fired. I get that every day.”

Indeed, if there’s one thing that Olsen is known for, it’s her dedication to doing the job and doing it well. It’s a consistency that stems from almost 35 years in the limelight.

One might say that she was born for the role. But for Olsen, destiny was far from linear.

A brief spell in business school had her questioning her early path and taking stock of her real strengths. A crucial piece of advice then led her to SAIT, where she studied broadcast journalism. Save for a brief stint in Saskatoon, she would spend the next three decades back in the city that raised her, telling Calgary’s stories as only one of its own knows best how.

“I’m just so proud of the city, and I’m fortunate and very grateful to be at the center, in a way, and to have a voice to share people’s stories,” said Olsen.

The project closest to Olsen’s heart is the Woman of Vision series, which she hosted and produced. For 15 years, she told the stories of women who were making an impact in their communities.

“I’m still the champion of it, and I would love to do something like that again one day, whether it’s women’s vision or people with vision, which is a whole other story,” she said.

Of course, it’s not only inspiring stories that need to be told. But the Global News at 5 anchor tells each one with equal gravitas.

“It might be a story I don’t love, but I was assigned today. I’m going to make it interesting and important,” Olsen said. “My role is to deliver the information. My role is not to have an opinion.”

But Olsen is certainly not hiding behind the journalistic mandate of impartiality. Rather, she is fighting for it, choosing to rise above issues like fake news.

“You just try to encourage people to get information from several sources,” said Olsen. “It doesn’t mean you’re going to change their mind, but they’re just going to have a broader view.”