Ashleigh Banfield
Most of us remember Ashleigh Banfield's "on location" reporting from September 11, 2001. She reported the events "live" for 8 days, with very little sleep or food for the first two. Her reporting allowed millions of people to go through the trauma and the experience with her. Banfield's account so honest, raw and well received by viewers that she is now anchoring her own show on MSNBC called "Ashleigh Banfield: On Location". In the 5 weeks before the first anniversary of the attacks on the United States, she has been given her own bus and is on a cross country tour gathering American opinions and on how the country has changed since 9/11. Her Canadian roots have allowed her to report on American opinions and beliefs from an unbiased and fresh perspective.
Starting last November, she reported for primetime series 'A Region In Conflict', from Afghanistan, Israel, England, Israel (Tel Aviv, West Bank), Jordan, Lebanon (Beirut) and Syria.
Prior to September 2001, she co-anchored Newsfront, covered the 2000 Olympics Games and the 2000 election.
Her career began in Canada with a bachelor's degree in French and Political Studies from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. Her first position was photographer/researcher/reporter in Kenora. She moved onto Winnepeg as a researcher/reporter for the evening news. From 1989 to 1992, Banfield was the evening news anchor on weekends at CFRN in Edmonton, Alberta.
She worked at Calgary's CICT-TV as a producer and evening news anchor. and at times simultaneously worked as an associate producer for ABC's "World News Tonight". She left CICT in 1995, anchored at Dallas' KDFW-TV and currently reports for MSNBC.
Trivia Eh?
Born in Winnepeg, Manitoba Dec 29, 1967
Boyfriend 'Drew' proposed post 9/11 before she travelled to the middle east in November. Possibly married June 29 2002.
Nominated by Cosmo as a "Fun and Fearless Female" 2002
Received an Emmy for Best News Anchor while at Dallas' KDFW-TV (re: Cadet Killers)
Received Texas Associated Press Award for Best Series (re: To Serve and Survive)
Won 2 IRIS Awards while in Calgary for Best of the Festival and Best News Documentary
Has 2 brothers and a sister
Canuck Quotes
"I grew up in Canada. I used to think America was too introspective, that somehow it was a bad thing that Americans couldn't rattle off the name of my prime minister. But September 11 has made things different. It's true - ask many Americans about history, and they'll fluently recite Revolutionary War tales and Civil War stories yet stammer on the Crimean War. But I've come to realize that this is what makes America strong. Americans focus on themselves....and strive for excellence in doing so. They know themselves better than anyone - their strengths and their weaknesses. They just tend to focus on their strengths, and that, I believe, is a good thing. Legally, I can't say I'm proud to be an American....but morally, I can say I'm proud to live among them."
Ashleigh Banfield
Oprah Magazine
September 2002
Banfield Links