Veteran journalist Patti-Kay Hamilton launched her new book in Yellowknife this past weekend.
Titled Trapline to Deadline: Trading a Skinning Knife for a CBC North Microphone, the book published by Cascade Publishing in Fort Smith follows HamiltonSA国际影视传媒檚 decades-long career as a Northern journalist.During the launch at the Book Cellar on Sunday, Hamilton shared passages with the audience.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen I started at CBC in SA国际影视传媒�81, Louie interviewed me in his persona as the trapper and he said, SA国际影视传媒楽o miss, whatSA国际影视传媒檚 it like to trade a skinning knife for a CBC microphone?SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� Hamilton recalled.

Hamilton responded that theySA国际影视传媒檙e actually very similar. In 1987, she began having regular conversations on Morningside with host Peter Gzowski, who asked her a very similar question.

SA国际影视传媒淚n the first interview he said, SA国际影视传媒榮o whatSA国际影视传媒檚 it like to go from the trapline to the world of deadlines?SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒�

Hamilton told him there are far more deadlines on a trapline than in a newsroom.

SA国际影视传媒淚 didnSA国际影视传媒檛 come to CBC the way most people did,SA国际影视传媒� said Hamilton. When she was living on a trapline in the late seventies, CBC Radio wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 covering dog races the way she thought they should. So naturally, she and an old friend, Vi Beck, called up the boss at CBC.

SA国际影视传媒淲e called, his name was Graham Hall, British guy, very nice and polite to these screaming, ranting ladies,SA国际影视传媒� said Hamilton.

Hall said heSA国际影视传媒檇 get back to them.

The next day, Hamilton was hanging laundry at her shack in Willow Flats, when Beck came peeling into the yard with the good news.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey wanted us to be colour commentators at the race on the weekend,SA国际影视传媒� said Hamilton.

But Beck had to handle dogs during the race, leaving Hamilton to broadcast alone.

SA国际影视传媒淰i cracked the whip. She made me go through with it. I did not want to do this, ISA国际影视传媒檇 never broadcast in my life,SA国际影视传媒� said Hamilton.

During the live broadcast from a helicopter, the plan was that Hamilton would answer questions from a sports broadcaster. What was supposed to be a few minutes of chatting turned into a 17-minute breathless rant after Hamilton commandeered the microphone from the experienced broadcaster.

SA国际影视传媒淚 got a call at the floatplane base when the chopper landed. I figured that was it, my job was over,SA国际影视传媒� said Hamilton.

But to her surprise, it was The Radio Show host Jack Farr asking her to do a live chat on the dog race the following day, opening the door to her career as a radio journalist.
Hamilton kept careful journals throughout that time, which this book encompasses.

But her 38-year career as a journalist was not without trials.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e been slapped, punched, dragged by my hair, had my ribs bruised. I live in Fort Smith, you understand,SA国际影视传媒� said Hamilton.

But lately, with the rise of social media like Facebook, some of the comments directed towards reporters are just mean, she said. Media types are used to taking abuse from the public on the chin, but part of the reason she wrote this book is to show people the other side of the microphone.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 tough. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 really a hard job,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 mentally very tough. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 tough things that reporters have to be neutral about and cover. And because youSA国际影视传媒檙e taking such careful notes, you donSA国际影视传媒檛 take care of yourself. There are stories ISA国际影视传媒檝e covered that shredded me and I have nightmares about them still.

SA国际影视传媒淚 just wanted people to understand what itSA国际影视传媒檚 like,SA国际影视传媒� said Hamilton.