Veteran journalist and Radio Canada presenter Michel Désautels will retire in June, ending a career that has spanned just over half a century, he announced to listeners on Sunday.
“Leaving the house I’ve owned for 50 years gives me a good shot of the blues. But very quickly that feeling fades when I think of the opportunity I had to pursue an impressive profession with colleagues who genuinely believe in the relevance of public service,” he said in a press release.
PHILIPPE-OLIVIER CONTANT/QMI AGENCY
After joining Radio-Canada in Toronto in 1972, Michel Désautels gradually moved to television and radio stations in Montreal. On the radio side, his voice resonated with Montreal listeners for more than four decades, including on the homecoming program on 95.1 FM between 2003 and 2012, followed by “Désautels le dimanche,” which he had been with the Première Chaine for 10 years moderated .
“Michel Désautels is literally a radio giant. He is recognized for his phenomenal career, his immense talent as an animator, communicator and journalist, both in international, national and regional politics, as well as in sport and culture,” boasted the Director General for Information, Luce Julien.
The latest edition of his program “Désautels le dimanche” will be broadcast on June 18th.