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Broadcaster Ida Clarkson was a TV pioneer

Woman known as host of noontime show died at 85 after a bout with cancer
Ida Clarkson
Ida Clarkson

Longtime Victoria residents remember her as host of the Noon Show, and later, the Ida Clarkson Show.

Clarkson died at age 85 Friday. She leaves a legacy of 30 years in television with CHEK, and a broadcasting scholarship in her name through Camosun College.

Clarkson was born in Victoria and began her career in 1946 as a creative writer for CJVI radio. She later advanced to director of women’s programming.

After taking time off to raise a family, she was hired at CHEK-TV in 1961 as a copy editor.

One year later, she was asked to co-host a live daily program, which evolved into her own show, which focused on community events and saw her interview people of interest.

Clarkson retired in 1991.

In 1998, CHEK made a donation to establish the Ida Clarkson Broadcast Bursary Endowment Fund, to honour her achievements. The fund, matched by the Camosun Foundation and later switched to a scholarship, helped women, aboriginal people, visible minorities and people with disabilities pay for their second year in Camosun’s applied communications program.

The program has since been cancelled at the college, but 30 students benefited from the Clarkson funding.

rholmen@vicnews.com