Year Born:
1945
Year of Induction:
2003
Member of CAB Hall of Fame
Lamarche, Claire (1945- )
A consummate communicator, Claire Lamarche soon earned the love of people of all ages. A university graduate in sociology, Claire gave up a teaching career to move into television in the 80s.
Fascinated by every aspect of humanity and possessed of a deep desire to get close to people and listen to them, to let the public have its say remained Claire’s main objective, as is evidenced by her eight-year tenure as host of the popular and attention-grabbing Radio-Quebec program, Droit de parole.
Claire subsequently went to work for TVA where she welcomed thousands of people to her studio over the years to share their joys, sorrows and life stories with viewers on a daily basis. Twelve seasons and 1,713 broadcasts later, Claire Lamarche had helped the Quebec public to take part in the province’s social revolution, while maintaining enormous respect and generosity towards those who confided in her.
A woman with a heart who was deeply sensitive to others, Claire continued her mission through her special programs entitled Retrouvailles. These specials, which attracted over a million viewers and met a very real need in society, were designed to give people the opportunity to be re-connected with loved ones after years of separation. Following along the same lines, a successor series Bonheur a partager was conceived to feature the moving testimonials of individuals who were reunited thanks to a vast assistance project initiated by Claire and her team.
In 2003, Claire Lamarche was inducted into the CAB Broadcast Hall of Fame.
Written by Yvon Chouinard – November, 2003