Global News receives seven central, 25 Prairie regional RTDNA award nominations

TORONTO – Global News has been named a seven-time finalist for the central RTDNA awards, including best continuing coverage online and best data storytelling.

Global News in Toronto was named a finalist for the Ron Laidlaw award, for ongoing coverage of the growing number of suicides among Canada’s first responders and what, if anything, the government was doing to stem the problem.

The stories, both online and on television, touched on the lives of Canada’s paramedics, nurses, police officers, and firefighters as they struggle to live with, and find treatment for, post-traumatic stress disorder.

Global News in Montreal was named a finalist for the data storytelling award for its coverage of the Quebec election.  The interactive maps created by Global News showed exactly how residents in each of Quebec’s 125 ridings voted.

And Globalnews.ca was named a finalist for the same award for an in-depth investigation into Ontario’s Drive Clean program which found newer cars hardly ever fail the test and asked why the government insisted on continuing the program.

WATCH: Exclusive Globalnews.ca investigation finds many vehicles are near perfect when it comes to the Drive Clean test. Sean O’Shea reports.

Global News is also a finalist for the Adrienne Clarkson diversity award for Passage: Inside an Ultra Orthodox Wedding by VJ Ines de la Cuertara, a two part special exploring the world of Hasidic Jews and featured the story of a young Montreal couple.

Global News in Montreal and Toronto were named finalists for the Trina McQueen award for the best news information program for Focus Montreal’s special on the Montreal massacre in which Jamie Orchard spoke to one of the victims of the Polytechnique shooting. Focus Ontario was nominated for its coverage of the 2014 Ontario election featuring Alan Carter’s exclusive “on-the-run” with Kathleen Wynne.

And Global News in Montreal was also nominated for the Sam Ross award for the What I learned on the Web: Polar Vortex segment by Peter Anthony Holder which took a look at home videos posted about cold weather.

Global News was also nominated for a total of 25 Prairie regional RTDNA awards.

Global Winnipeg picked up four nominations, including the Adrienne Clarkson diversity award for Focus Manitoba: Northern Schools, Dave Rogers award for Focus Manitoba: CMHR Window Washers, Ron Laidlaw award for continuing digital coverage on the Assiniboine Park Zoo and the Trina McQueen award for Focus Manitoba’s special on the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Global Regina was nominated for a total of six awards. These include the Bert Cannings award for best newscast, Trina McQueen award for Focus Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan Sound, a sports award for coverage on how pop culture is creating interest in archery, the Hugh Haugland award  for creative use of video in the segment “The Farm in Focus” – an exploration of what farms and farmhouses meant to early pioneers, and the Dave Rogers award for the short feature “Splash Hazards” (a visually creative look at the challenges and consequences that come with navigating puddles in the spring) and the long feature “Heroes & Builders” (a look back at some of Saskatchewan’s hockey pioneers).

Global Edmonton was a finalist for the Adrienne Clarkson diversity award for the two-part feature on Marni Panas, who was born as a boy and now lives as a woman, the Charlie Edwards award for spot news for exclusive video of a fatal hit and run suspect being arrested, the Hugh Haugland award for creative use of video in a segment about a paramedic whose haunting artwork focused attention on the crisis of PTSD among first responders, the Bert Cannings award for best newscast and Bob Layton was nominated for the Sam Ross award for best commentary.

Six nominations went to Global Calgary and Global Lethbridge and Saskatoon received two each.

Global Saskatoon’s Lisa Ford and Global Calgary’s Tony Tighe also received Lifetime Achievement awards.