With close to 50 years in the broadcast industry in Atlantic Canada, Rick Howe has been there, seen it and done it.

As a reporter he has covered spectacular murder trials, riots and disasters. Howe has covered labour strikes, police investigations and politics at both the municipal and provincial levels. As a talk show host he has interviewed federal politicians like Stephen Harper and Jack Layton, celebrities like Natalie MacMaster and Loretta Swit, commentators like Michael Harris and Parker Donham, authors like Bernard Cornwell and Stephen Kimber, and many others involved in the daily events that affect the lives of Atlantic Canadians. Howe's open hours each weekday also provided opportunities for citizens to discuss everyday issues.

Howe also wrote a weekly opinion column for the Daily News newspaper for 8 years. As well, he has been a guest analyst for CBC and CTV in Halifax and is the author of Radio Talk, his first book, published in 2008.

Behind the Mic takes the reader into radio newsrooms and on the air from the 1970s and on. It details some of the region's major events from the Saint John jail fire to the Westray Mine explosion. Readers will also learn about the inner workings of a news department and those who bring us the news each day.

Additionally, Behind the Mic examines the impacts of ongoing layoffs in the radio business and how regulation changes have left many news operations at the bare bones. But Howe also looks at some of the zany antics both on and off the air, including Steve Murphy's infamous curse at the Pope.

For the first time, Howe also publicly discusses the health issue that resulted in his decision to retire earlier than he had planned.

Rick Howe is a retired radio journalist with nearly 50 years' experience. He has been a reporter, a news director, and for more than 20 years hosted Atlantic Canada's most listened to radio talk show. An army brat, Rick has lived on bases across Canada and in Germany. He also wrote a weekly column for The Daily News newspaper for eight years and has been an occasional political commentator on CBC and CTV. Rick has won several regional awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Radio, Television, Digital News Association.

Rick Howe's profile page