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Toronto journalist Shanelle Kaul on navigating the industry as a South Asian woman and her journey from the 6ix to the Big Apple
Breaking barriers in the journalism industry is already hard enough as a woman, let alone being a woman of colour. Now, that can be considered a difficult feat, however, Toronto native Shanelle Kaul has managed to beat the odds and become an inspiration to young women in the field.
From being a CP24 anchor and reporter in Toronto to a CBS News Correspondent in New York City, Kaul has come a long way from her humble beginnings in the Middle East.
Her dad was born in Kashmir and her mom was born in Sri Lanka, both of whom had to survive civil unrest within their countries. After moving to the Middle East, the Gulf War broke out which ultimately led them to Canada where they decided to settle.
In an interview with Now Toronto, Kaul told us how critical credible journalism has been for her and her family.
“I come from a background where news was just so important to our family and so, I think because they had had so many experiences in their lives where they had to lean in on what was happening on the news, they realized it was life and death. You know, in so many circumstances where what you were hearing about on the news could dictate a choice you make for the safety of you and your family. And so, news was always a part of our lives growing up,” she said.
She said when they moved to Canada, news continued to be a constant element in their household.
“I remember that the news would just always be on in our house and eventually, when we moved into a home, where we had multiple rooms, and we had a TV in every room, my dad literally had CP24 on in the background in every single room in our house growing up. So yeah, I think it was just such a part of our childhood and my adulthood that it felt like a very natural thing to be curious about as a career choice,” Kaul explained.
Being raised in a traditional South Asian family also comes with its own challenges. Often, when one is raised by immigrant parents, there is a set of expectations in place for the child which usually includes three highly regarded career choices: doctor, lawyer or engineer.
Kaul chose the former and was originally heading down a path to be a doctor. But while in the process of applying to universities, her high school guidance counselor shocked her by saying,
“You’re a really good writer, have you ever thought about journalism school?” Shocked by that suggestion she replied, “No, of course not. That’s not an option in my family. Like, the option is doctor, that’s what we’re doing here.”
Her guidance counselor then recommended applying to Ryerson University, which is now Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), and see what happens.
To Kaul’s surprise, TMU was the first school she got accepted to and she took that as a sign to pursue journalism. At first, it was difficult for her parents to get on board with the career change, Kaul said.
“I think a lot of immigrant families come to North America with a thought that success only looks a certain kind of way. And often, creative industries don’t appear to be successful industries sometimes or they’re harder to find success in those kinds of avenues and so, you know, it took them a long time to sort of come around to it and I think today after all of these years, of course, they’re so proud of how much I’ve been able to achieve in this space but yeah, it’s not easy,” she said.
After graduating from TMU, Kaul started her career in Saskatchewan working for Global Regina, before going to CTV Edmonton and finally, Toronto, to work for CP24.
KAUL’S BEST MOMENTS OF HER JOURNALISM CAREER
Today, Kaul has gone on to achieve numerous broadcast journalism accolades such as anchoring top network programs in Canada. This includes Bell Media’s 24-hour national news show, “CTV News Channel,” CTV’s national morning show, “Your Morning,” and guest-hosting CTV’s national talk show, “The Social.”
Prior to joining CBS News in Jan. 2023, Kaul was working as an anchor and reporter for CP24, known as Toronto’s #1 Breaking News Channel. Looking back at her time at these news stations, she said she’s grateful for every experience and opportunity.
“The most special moments to me are the ones where I had been able to use my platform to share someone’s story that wouldn’t have been told otherwise. And, you know, coming from a background of having immigrant parents and being an immigrant myself, I often think about ‘Who are the underrepresented voices in the room?, “Who are the people who we’re not hearing from in this particular story that we’re telling?’ And those are the people that I will advocate for in a newsroom,” Kaul said passionately.
She emphasized that as a woman of colour in these spaces, where historically there was no room for women, it is vital to share and tell stories of marginalized women.
Some female broadcasters Kaul admired during her youth were Monita Rajpal and Ali Velshi. Her idols’ career trajectory ultimately led her down a path to the Big Apple.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A CBS NEWS CORRESPONDENT
Kaul currently reports for the special events department with CBS News. So, what does this role entail exactly? She says whenever there are big breaking news moments between the CBS Evening News and before CBS mornings, her job is to be in the action and anchor for the CBS News Network and CBS News streaming.
Other times, she is also out reporting on stories for the CBS Evening News or pitching a thorough story idea to the network, and if approved, she’ll go out in the field and put it all together.
“Since I’ve been here, in the last eight months, I have been able to tell some really special stories for CBS News Network. The first one actually, the first piece of mine that aired on CBS mornings was a story about a lack of Black sperm in the United States and the impact that that has on women and families who are trying to get pregnant in non-conventional ways. And so that’s an example of a story that I thought, ‘You know, this is something that is not a story being widely told in the mainstream media, how can we do this? How can we share these people’s experiences in this way?’ And it got a really positive response,” she said.
When it comes to tips on how to handle and approach stories which can be difficult to tell, she says it’s about showing compassion, empathy and kindness, especially for stories which can be painful and tragic for the affected community. An example she mentions is her report on the Fort McMurray wildfires in Alberta where she had to speak to a family who lost everything.
HER RECIPE TO BEING A GOOD JOURNALIST
The biggest piece of advice Kaul would share to current and aspiring journalists is to be really careful who they take advice from.
Early on in her career, she spent a lot of time and energy listening to people who would criticize her voice and her appearance. As she got older, she realized she needed to focus her energy on asking for advice from people whose work she admired and whose experiences were parallel with hers.
“I think a really important thing to remember is that the people who are going to give you the best advice are the people who’ve probably encountered challenges similar to you. And so for me, in the industry, that means really seeking out not just mentors, whose work and journalism I truly admire, but also women of colour, who can relate to some of the things that maybe I’ve been through. And so, when I go to them, you know, looking for help or advice, they can be there in a way that no one else can because they know what that’s like,” Kaul said.
After years of experiences and some tough lessons learned, Kaul is now in a similar position as the journalistic heroes she looks up to and continues to give a voice to those underrepresented. To her, journalism is not just a job but a part of who she is.
“I think the interesting and fascinating thing about journalists is that I don’t think it ends when you come home from work. It is so different (from) so many other jobs where I think journalists at their core are curious and interested people. And so, I don’t wait to clock in when I get to work to start being a journalist, I’m a journalist all the time,” she explained.
“When I’m walking around Central Park, when I’m getting on the subway, I’m listening to people, I’m looking at things and that’s sometimes how you find story ideas, right. And so, I think what makes a good journalist, first of all, is, of course, just being a curious person. I think the second really important thing is being a good listener. And I think the third most important skill that you must have is being a good writer,” she added.