A GoFundMe page has been set up in remembrance of long-time broadcaster Peter Watts to financially support up-and-coming broadcasters.
Peter Watts died peacefully in his sleep Friday, Jan. 19 at the age of 68.
The goal of the GoFundMe page, which will create a scholarship for high school students who wish to pursue a career in media, is to raise $10,000.
A celebration of life will be held for the 20-year host of the Alberta Morning News at the Deerfoot South McInnis and Holloway Funeral Home on Tuesday, Jan. 29 at 2:00 p.m. A reception will follow in the Hospitality Centre at the funeral home.
Another celebration of life will be held in Kingston, Ont. at a later date.
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Watts found his way into living rooms nationwide as one of the original anchors on TSN’s SportsDesk during the network’s earliest years, starting in 1984. He is credited with bringing a strong work ethic and journalistic integrity to the beginning of the sports network.
While in Edmonton, Watts reported on the dynastic run of Grey Cup championships won by the Edmonton Eskimos between 1978 and 1982, the arrival of Wayne Gretzky to the Edmonton Oilers and the start of the Oilers’ Stanley Cup run.
Watts would go on to cover a pair of Olympic Games — Los Angeles in 1984 and Calgary in 1988 — as well as two Commonwealth Games — Edmonton in 1978 and Brisbane in 1982 — and a Universiade in Edmonton in 1983.
But sports wasn’t Watts’ only broadcasting pursuit. He turned his interest in local news and politics into a 20-year run on Alberta Morning News.
Watts joined 770 CHQR in July 1998, to produce and host the provincewide weekend morning show, which aired on 770 CHQR and 630 CHED.
In his time as host of Alberta Morning News, Watts covered events like the 2013 Alberta floods, the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire, the 1999 Hub Oil explosion, the 2000 Pine Lake tornado, five Grey Cups in Alberta cities, Stanley Cup Final appearances by the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers, the rise and fall of provincial political parties and a historic election that saw the end of 40 years of Conservative rule in the Alberta legislature.
–with files from Adam Toy
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