Citytv Mourns the Loss of Canadian Television Icon Mark Dailey

TORONTO, Dec. 6 /CNW/ - CityNews anchor and the voice of Citytv, Mark Dailey, died today at Sunnybrook hospital in Toronto. He was 57. On September 8, 2010, Mark revealed on CityNews at Six that he had been diagnosed with kidney cancer. Mark is survived by his wife, Kim Dailey and his daughter, Nicole.

"Mark was quite literally THE VOICE of Citytv and CityNews. He was smart, funny and a brilliant broadcaster. He touched so many lives," commented Tina Cortese, Vice President, News/Executive Producer. "It's a very difficult day for Citytv and a sad day for Torontonians."

"Mark was an outstanding news journalist," commented Jamie Haggarty, Executive Vice President, Television Operations, Rogers Media Television.  "He has left an imprint on our station and community forever and will be deeply missed."

His distinguished career spanned over 30 years with Citytv.  As anchor for CityNews at Six and CityNews Tonight, Mark delivered the news that mattered most to the local community and Greater Toronto Area.  His iconic baritone was instantly recognizable as the voice that helped shape and define Citytv and Toronto. He joined the Citytv family back in 1979 as an assignment editor and producer before becoming the station's Crime Specialist and trusted News Anchor.

"Mark Dailey was a senior member of the news team here at Citytv for 31 years. During that time, he taught us all the meaning of professionalism and how to develop a love of the task at hand," said Gord Martineau, Anchor, CityNews. "In addition to that, his sense of comedic timing was always offered at just the right time to take the stress away from the job. He was a true original."

Some of his most notable career highlights include receiving a national Radio and Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) award for the CityNews serial, I Want Work and a Letter of Appreciation from the Governor General of Canada for his active leadership in community service. He was honoured with the City of Toronto Civic Award of Merit and named Consumers Choice, Man of the Year in 2009. Mark was also a multiple winner of the Metro Police and Toronto Fire department Best Media Coverage of the Year award.

His charitable involvement over the years includes work with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Salvation Army, St. John Ambulance, the Sick Children's hospital Therapeutic Clown Program, Jennifer Ashleigh Foundation, Kinder Foundation, Alzheimer Society, and many others.

Six years ago, Mark successfully battled prostate cancer. As a tireless advocate for prostate screening, his award-winning CityNews series on his own treatment helped to increase awareness of the disease. Mark was also the spokesperson for Prostate Cancer Canada. 

Tonight CityNews at Six will air a special tribute to Mark Dailey.

An image of Mark Dailey and his bio are available at www.rogersmediatv.ca.

Citytv™ television stations in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg offer viewers intensely-local, urban-oriented, culturally-diverse television programming. A distinct alternative to other conventional television stations, Citytv engages its viewers with dynamic on-air personalities and delivers an entertaining mix of news, local-interactive formats such as: Breakfast Television and CityLine; as well as local Canadian and US acquired prime time entertainment programming. Citytv is a part of Rogers Broadcasting Limited, a division of Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX: RCI and NYSE: RCI) which is a diversified Canadian communications and media company. For more information on Citytv stations and programming, visit Citytv.com.

/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: The photo accompanying this release is also available at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the media/

For further information:

Media Contact:

Veronica Logue, Rogers Media Television, 416.764.3195,
[email protected]

Koreen Ott, Rogers Media Television, 416.764.3250,
[email protected]