Tony Parsons

Tony Parsons was born in Gosport, England in 1939 the son of an RAF officer and an Italian mother. He was educated in various British schools until he was nine and, in 1948, his family decided to move to Canada. His schooling continued in Feversham, Kitchener, Sarnia and Toronto, Ontario where he studied Radio and Television Arts at the Ryerson Institute of Technology. 

His schooling was interrupted when, at age seventeen, he was hired to be a radio disc jockey at CJCS in Stratford, Ontario. From Stratford he moved, in quick succession to CHOK in Sarnia, CJOY in Guelph and on to CHML in Hamilton where he made the transition from DJ to news reporter. His career then took him to Toronto for a short stay at CHUM and eventually to his first television job as reporter/anchor with CFTO. 

After eight years at the Baton owned station, he took a posting in Vancouver as the West Coast correspondent for CTV National News. When he was offered the six o’clock anchor assignment at the former BCTV station (now known as Global BC) he jumped at the opportunity and has occupied the anchor desk during the supper hour for 32 years and has helped make the News Hour the most-watched, English-language newscast in Canada, and the second most-watched in North America.

During his years in Vancouver, Parsons has been the recipient of various awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Jack Webster Foundation, the Queen’s 50th annual award, Italian Man of the Year by the Brotherhood Interfaith Society, Broadcaster of the Year by the BCAB and has been given the prestigious RTNDA Presidents Award and others.

In June of 2008, Tony was honoured to receive a Doctorate of Technology from BCIT, for his long and incredibly successful career in broadcasting. Many Global BC personalities were trained in the Broadcast Journalism program at BCIT.

Tony is a passionate golfer, plays classical guitar on occasion, collects lead soldiers, enjoys fishing, traveling, reading and donating his time to a number of charitable organizations including the Salvation Army, Vision 20-21, the Mel Zajac Foundation and Swim B.C.