
OTTAWA – CBC journalist and Seaway District High School graduate, Rebecca Zandbergen, has been named the new host of the radio network’s Ottawa morning show.
Zandbergen, who was most recently host of CBC Radio One’s morning show London Morning in south-western Ontario, began hosting the flagship Ottawa broadcast January 14.
Her career at the CBC spans more than 20 years as a journalist and host in Iqaluit, Whitehorse, Halifax, Windsore, Kelowna, and London. She has also been a recurring guest host for the newsmagazine shows such as The Current, Sunday Magazine, and Cross Country Checkup.
“I’ve spent years working in cities across this country and I’m so happy to be home,” said Zandbergen. “It’s an honour to do what I love in the city that means the most to me.”
Zandbergen grew up in Iroquois, and studied journalism at Carleton University. She also spent nearly a year in southern and eastern Africa reporting and teaching at the National University in Rwanda and at Cape Peninsula University of Technology in South Africa.
“My first and most important job as host is to help people better understand each other,” said Zandbergen. “There are some pretty big rifts in this country — Ottawa Morning needs to be a place where we can talk about that honestly.”
She is the past recipient of two Radio Television Digital News Association Awards including for Best Live News Special.
Zandbergen is the daughter of Richard and Yette Zandbergen of Iroquois.