A native of Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Eric Malling, born in 1946,was a Canadian journalist who earned a reputation for his skills at researching and reporting hard-hitting investigative reports.

Malling covered all types of stories with tenacity and a relentless demand for detail, interacting on a daily basis with politicians,business people and other newsmakers. He was well-known for asking the toughest of questions and getting clear answers from his subjects.

An alumnus of the University of Saskatchewan with a degree in English literature, Malling continued his studies at Carleton University in Ottawa where he graduated from the School of Journalism. Following that, he began his professional career as a reporter at the Regina Leader-Post, then The Toronto Star, between 1969 and 1974.During his time at the Star he also covered Ottawa for The Washington Post.

Eric Malling was committed to telling the whole story, providing all salient details and leaving no stone unturned. If there was a turning point in Malling’s journalistic career, it was in 1970 when he reported on the invocation of the War Measures Act during the FLQ crisis.

In 1976, Malling moved to weekly television when he was named co-host of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)’s flagship news magazine The Fifth Estate,a position he would hold until 1990. He made an indelible impression in the broadcast environment where he conducted on-camera interviews, while in the process establishing himself as a formidable investigative reporter. One of the high points of his time at the CBC was his reporting into how government-owned Canadair lost $2 billion, an investigation that led to the establishment of two Parliamentary committees.

By 1990, Malling shifted to CTV’s weekly news magazine program as host of W5,a news show that would later be renamed W5 with Eric Malling. His investigative journalism continued. His purposeful reporting included stories on the fiscal crises in New Zealand and Saskatchewan that led to a national debate about government debt.

Malling was honored for excellence by his industry with seven ACTRA/Gemini Awards, which at the time of his passing were the most awarded to any single person. And he twice received the highest award for investigative reporting from the Centre of Investigative Journalism. Malling passed away in 1998 at age 52.