Denis Harvey

Denis Martin Harvey (August 15, 1929 – December 7, 2003) was a Canadian journalist and television executive who served as executive editor of The Hamilton Spectator and Montreal Gazette, editor-in-chief of the Toronto Star, and vice-president in charge of English-language television at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Print journalism Harvey was born on August 16, 1929, in Hamilton, Ontario. In 1947 he dropped out of high school and went to work as a copy boy for The Hamilton Spectator. He later worked as a sports reporter and labour columnist for the paper. In 1954 he found Donald Ritchie, who was wanted in connection with the attempted murder of United Auto Workers President Walter Reuther, in a Windsor, Ontario diner. Harvey got an exclusive interview with Ritchie before notifying police. In 1961 he became executive editor of the Spectator. In 1978 he left the network to become editorial director of the Toronto Star. In 1982, Harvey rejoined the CBC as head of its sports division.

In 1983, Harvey was appointed vice-president in charge of English-language television, succeeding Peter Herrndorf. During his quest to increase the amount of Canadian programing on the network, Harvey was criticized by some, including the Toronto Star'''s Antonia Zerbisias, for commercializing the network by airing programs that appealed to mass audiences and imitated American styles. Harvey also guided the network through budget cuts which resulted in downsizing and the elimination of local programming at eleven stations. Harvey's later wife, Louise Lore, was a television producer for CBC who produced Man Alive''. He had two children from a previous marriage. His daughter Lynn Harvey is also a television producer.