CBC appoints new ombudsman

The CBC has appointed Vince Carlin, a former CBC journalist, to serve as its new ombudsman.

Carlin will be in charge of investigating complaints about the CBC's English-language services.

The American-born Carlin will hold the position for five years. He is currently finishing a six-year stint at Ryerson University, where he was head of the journalism school.

He will take over from David Bazay, who is set to retire in November.

The ombudsman's office is an independent institution within the CBC.

The ombudsman's mandate is to represent viewers, listeners or readers who have concerns about the quality of CBC's journalism on television, radio or online.

Apart from his experience as a journalism teacher, Carlin also knows his way around the CBC he has been head of television news, head of radio news, and head of the 24-hour news network Newsworld.

Among the highlights of the veteran journalist's career: in 1979, he was part of the team that helped reshape The National, CBC's flagship newscast, into an hour-long program at 10 p.m.

Carlin has also worked for the weekly newsmagazine Time and the Time-Life News Service as a correspondent and bureau chief.

In addition, he has been a visiting fellow at Duke University's Institute for Policy Studies.