Nobody has a finger on the pulse of Thunder Bay better than Janis Gummeson
Janis was born and raised in Thunder Bay and has always had a deep-rooted concern for the community she lives in. She loves looking over Lake Superior every day. When Janis finished high school, she thought about what to do for a career. She knew a 9-5 desk job wasn’t for her. Community TV had always interested Janis, so she enrolled in the Television Broadcasting Program at Confederation College (1987 – 89), and had a job placement at Shaw TV (then MacLean Hunter TV) during her studies. When she graduated, Janis found work at Shaw TV, and began a career producing programming to showcase the community she is so close to.
I asked Janis what she likes most about her work.
Janis says, “I love being connected to my community. It’s good to be able to do something that promotes our organizations and events. I meet so many nice people.”
Janis travels around Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario to visit and promote organizations and events interviewing the people involved. She works with community access producers in Thunder Bay in a combined effort to produce programming for Shaw TV. During the summer, Janis and members from Shaw TV in Thunder Bay, Kenora, Dryden and Winnipeg cover three fishing tournaments across NWO. Janis’ work is a family affair. The school events her children are involved in get to the TV screen, too.
Janis is married to husband Gary and has a son, Greg (14), and a daughter, Kate (12). Her family always comes first. Next to her family, working out at the gym is a must. She adds that she also enjoys a good glass of wine with friends once in awhile.
Today, Janis is the Senior Producer at Shaw TV. Tune in to Shaw Channel 10 to see Janis in person on “go!” Thunder Bay” as she interviews the people involved in the activities she is covering. Her zest for life and passion to be connected to her community shows in her lively effervescence and warm smile. Learn about what’s happening in our community from the other programs on Shaw Channel 10, as well. Find out about the films being produced locally. Janis has a hand in all of it.
The world of broadcasting is constantly changing and Janis thrives on the challenge.
“You are always learning new things,” says Janis. During her career, she witnessed the change from analog equipment to digital.
“When I started, everything was analog. I’d have to push the button to start the recorder. Now, with digital equipment, I program the computer to do it.”
Her job title has stayed the same for years, but the job keeps changing. New technologies emerge and there are always new people, organizations to visit, and events to see. All this keeps Janis very busy and she couldn’t be happier.
25 years in broadcasting
In April, Janis reached the milestone in her career of 25 years in broadcasting with Shaw TV. Throughout the years, Janis has never had to sit at her desk for long before she’s off on her next assignment around the city or the region. She wouldn’t have it any other way. Janis loves what she does, has been doing it for 25 years and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In this day and age, how many of us can claim to be that fortunate? As for the future, Janis plans to keep doing what she loves to do which is tell the story of the community so close to her heart.
I thoroughly enjoyed interviewing Janis for this article. I can tell you first hand that she is twice as nice in person as she is on TV. I know I speak for everyone in congratulating Janis on her landmark 25 years in broadcasting with Shaw TV and in wishing her every success for the future.
Thank you to Janis Gummeson for her time and Shaw TV for its help with this article.
If you have an event you would like to publicize please contact Janis at janis.gummeson@sjrb.ca or Shaw TV at shawtvthunderbay@shaw.ca.
Brian G. Spare is a local author and freelance copywriter who is a regular contributor to Bayview Magazine. Contact him at https://BrianGSpare.com
*Previously published in Bayview Magazine*
Brian G. Spare 