Paikin was an anchor and Queen's Park correspondent for CBC Television's Toronto station CBLT-TV, and host of a daily news and current affairs program on CBC Newsworld.
He also held reporting jobs in private radio and print media, including the Hamilton Spectator and Toronto radio station CHFI, where he was Toronto City Hall reporter from 1982–85.

In 1992, Paikin began work at TVO, hosting the political series Between the Lines until 1994.
He also co-created the Queen's Park magazine Fourth Reading, which he hosted for 14 years.
In 1994, Paikin began co-hosting duties (with Mary Hynes for two years, and then Paula Todd) on Studio 2 until 2006.
In 1998, he co-created and began hosting Diplomatic Immunity, a weekly foreign affairs commentary show.

In 2006, TVO cancelled Studio 2 and replaced it with a new program, The Agenda with Steve Paikin.
Paikin frequently is selected to be the moderator of election debates.
He acted as a moderator for federal leaders debates in 2006, 2008, and 2011; and for Ontario provincial leaders debates in 2007, 2011, 2014, and 2018.

Aside from his hosting and journalistic endeavors, Paikin has produced a number of feature-length documentaries: Return to the Warsaw Ghetto; A Main Street Man; Balkan Madness; Teachers, Tories and Turmoil; and Chairman of the Board: The Life and Death of John Robarts.
For 1993's Return to the Warsaw Ghetto, Paikin won the "Silver Screen Award" at the U.S. International Film and Video Festival, and received awards at the Yorkton Film Festival in Saskatchewan and at China's Shanghai Film Festival.

In February 2012, Paikin was named the Queen's Park journalist with the most Twitter influence in a study conducted by PR agency Hill+Knowlton Strategies.

He holds honorary doctorates from McMaster University, Victoria University, Laurentian University, York University,  and honorary diplomas from Humber College, Centennial College, Mohawk College and Fanshawe College.
He was later appointed chancellor of Laurentian University in Sudbury in October 2013.
In December 2013, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and invested into the Order of Ontario.
Paikin was an anchor and Queen's Park correspondent for CBC Television's Toronto station CBLT-TV, and host of a daily news and current affairs program on CBC Newsworld. He also held reporting jobs in private radio and print media, including the Hamilton Spectator and Toronto radio station CHFI, where he was Toronto City Hall reporter from 1982–85.
In 1992, Paikin began work at TVO, hosting the political series Between the Lines until 1994. He also co-created the Queen's Park magazine Fourth Reading, which he hosted for 14 years. In 1994, Paikin began co-hosting duties (with Mary Hynes for two years, and then Paula Todd) on Studio 2 until 2006. In 1998, he co-created and began hosting Diplomatic Immunity, a weekly foreign affairs commentary show.
In 2006, TVO cancelled Studio 2 and replaced it with a new program, The Agenda with Steve Paikin. Paikin frequently is selected to be the moderator of election debates. He acted as a moderator for federal leaders debates in 2006, 2008, and 2011; and for Ontario provincial leaders debates in 2007, 2011, 2014, and 2018.
Aside from his hosting and journalistic endeavors, Paikin has produced a number of feature-length documentaries: Return to the Warsaw Ghetto; A Main Street Man; Balkan Madness; Teachers, Tories and Turmoil; and Chairman of the Board: The Life and Death of John Robarts. For 1993's Return to the Warsaw Ghetto, Paikin won the "Silver Screen Award" at the U.S. International Film and Video Festival, and received awards at the Yorkton Film Festival in Saskatchewan and at China's Shanghai Film Festival.
In February 2012, Paikin was named the Queen's Park journalist with the most Twitter influence in a study conducted by PR agency Hill+Knowlton Strategies.
He holds honorary doctorates from McMaster University, Victoria University, Laurentian University, York University,  and honorary diplomas from Humber College, Centennial College, Mohawk College and Fanshawe College. He was later appointed chancellor of Laurentian University in Sudbury in October 2013. In December 2013, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and invested into the Order of Ontario.
Steve Paikin