Your Career After You Die

It often seems that whenever a young criminal gets gunned down by police his family tells the newpapers that he wanted to be a doctor.

Of course, he'd dropped out of high school already but, in grief, that's beside the point.

I thought of this when I saw that
Bill Cameron had died.

He was a long-time news announcer on the government-sponsored Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). And he always seemed to be a very nice guy.

Anthony and I used to call him The Helmet. Because that was the nickname Frank Magazine gave him for the way he wore his hair.

The Strange Course of The Helmet's Career

The Helmet quit CBC suddenly, when his career seemed to be going well -- and then he promptly disappeared from public view.

Apparently, government cut-backs would have forced him to take a cut in pay.

Here's what he said when he quit the CBC.

Inevitably, you find that what you're doing for a major part of your day is extremely silly," he said. "I've got enough silliness in the rest of my life. I don't need it at work."

So, what did he do next?

Cameron...announced that he was taking a job as vice-president of communications at the Toronto-based American Gem Corp., a sapphire marketer, which then changed its name to Digital Gem Corp.

That sounds strange doesn't it?

A successful journalist says his work life is sillier than his personal life and goes to an online gem marketer.

Bill's Obituary

The Toronto Star published two obituaries.
But you won't find these issues explored there.

As you would expect, they are filled with praise, most of it, apparently, well-deserved (though a lot of it sounds hackneyed all the same).

He was one of the last of the classic journalists," said CBC senior executive documentary producer Mark Starowicz.

His death, "leaves a giant hole in Canadian journalism," he [Peter Mansbridge] said.

The Story Behind The Story

However, a very good article by Mary Murtha describes the Helmet's career without pulling any punches.

And it seems to have had its fair share drama.
Here are some excerpts.

Bill's Personality

Cameron's style and personality sometimes rankled those he worked for... many producers refused to take on Cameron because he was perceived to be too arrogant.

"Bill is smart, but some people felt he had a tendency to show people how smart he was...."

The Pay Cut

When the network approached him with a 25-per-cent salary reduction...Cameron said he wasn't thrilled....

It was the prospect of working harder for less money that Cameron found unpalatable.

The Stab In The Back

[Peter] Kent, a onetime CBC anchor himself, believes it was "quite obvious that someone wanted to get rid of him and someone was able to get rid of him.... All it takes is one enemy in management."

Crocodile Tears

When Cameron rejected the CBC's offer, [head of CBC Newsworld, Tony] Burman says he was surprised and mystified. "There was disappointment that he chose to leave journalism, but that was his decision and we wish him well."

As for the network, Burman says Cameron's departure does make room for new blood...

The Rationalization

Cameron bristles when it is suggested that by taking this job [at Digital Gem] he has left journalism behind.

He defends his most recent career choice by pointing out that he is still performing many of the tasks of a journalist.

He spends his days answering questions from investors, making speeches and doing internal writing for the company.

"I'm still trying to understand something arcane, break it down and make it understandable. It's just a different context."

Yet I, like many of his friends and former colleagues, wonder how much fun Cameron is having... it does seem like a waste of talent.

The Anger

...Cameron says that since he left, he rarely watches the [CBC] network's newscasts...

I ask if perhaps this is just bitterness about the way his story ended. "Bitterness?" he ponders for a moment.

"No. I'm sad. I'm sad at the way I left the CBC. It hurt my feelings. But I'm more sad at the way the CBC has left itself."

David Akin has a posting which suggests that Bill's subsequent career in education at Ryerson's School of Journalism brought his departure from CBC to a successful end.

But it doesn't mention the issues Murtha investigated.

Sources
The original Star article seems to have been deleted.
The two now online are here and here
Mary Murtha's article is here.