Born in Saskatchewan,[1] Janz went on to graduate from teacher's college in 1961.[1]
Janz's first broadcasting position came at CFAM Radio in Altona, Manitoba in 1961.[1] His career saw his move between Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta,[2] and he provided coverage of the October Crisis in 1970.[3] He became an anchor with CFCN (now part of CTV) in 1973, continuing in the position until 2013.[4] Among the highlights of his career were covering the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.[3]
Janz taught broadcast journalism at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology for 11 years and taught at Mount Royal College for another 15.[5]
In 2006, Janz was recognized with a lifetime achievement award from Radio Television Digital News Association of Canada (RTDNA), one of two recipients that year from the prairie region.[6]
In 2013, he was the inaugural inductee to the Western Association of Broadcasters' Broadcast Hall of Fame.[7] That year, the city of Calgary recognized him with a Community Achievement Award for his community advocacy. Following his retirement from his anchor position, Janz continued with CTV and hosted the weekly show Inspired.[2] He later hosted a weekly show on Yes TV.[2]
Janz died on the morning of November 2, 2024, at the age of 83.[4]