Global News Toronto has won two Central Region Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) Awards for extensive coverage of news events in the city in 2019.
Breaking News – Charlie Edwards Award Global News Toronto – Raptors Parade Shooting
Global News Toronto was on scene and livestreaming when four people were shot near Nathan Phillips Square where the Toronto Raptors, along with millions of people, were celebrating the team winning the NBA Title on June 17.
The festivities were put on hold while several people, including Raptors coach Nick Nurse and broadcaster Matt Devlin spoke to the crowd, in an effort to keep them calm.
The city estimated over two million people were on-hand to witness the parade and subsequent rally, which was meant to wrap up by 2 p.m., but was delayed due to how many people lined the streets.
Toronto police said three people were arrested at the scene. None of the victims were seriously injured.
Global Toronto anchors Alan Carter and Farah Nasser were both on location at Nathan Philips Square when the shooting occurred. Nasser quickly made her way back to the Global News studios in Don Mills, while Carter remained on scene and continued to report on the aftermath of the event.
Together they co-anchored that evening’s Global News at 5:30 and 6 bringing the audience the latest on the shooting as well as recap of the parade from earlier in the day.
Long Feature – Dave Rogers Award (Large Market) Global News Toronto – Making a Difference: Miracle Makeover
Susan Hay and her Making A Difference team capture the dramatic redesign of a home that fell into disrepair while a family cared for their two boys with autism.
The Nikolics family has three sons in their 20s. Alex, 25, lives at home and helps his parents Mark and Hilary care for the twins, Eric and James, 23. They mortgaged their home three times
In early 2018, the family was selected by the Design for Hope project, an annual charity endeavour led by Toronto-based designer Stacey Cohen.
Cohen, along with a team of over 100 tradespeople, vendors and volunteers came together to renovate the Nikolic home and Global News was there to capture it all.
Production of the Making a Difference: Miracle Makeover special was overseen by Susan Hay, and the project’s executive producer Debbie Lane. It aired across the province over Easter of 2019.
In total, Global News teams in Ontario took home four awards.
Global Kingston took home the Digital Media Award (Small/Medium Market) for Highland Shores CAS Sexual Impropriety – Spring 2019.
Global Peterborough took home the Short Feature – Dave Rogers Award (Small/Medium Market) for Norway.
The story of Norway centered around Global Peterborough journalist Sarah Deeth and her personal chronicle of her trip to Norway to help honour the efforts of her grandfather during the Second World War.
Teams across Ontario initially received 10 nominations across its platforms, which were announced March 6.
In response to the wins Regional Director of News for Global News in Ontario, Mackay Taggart, noted the team effort that was required to produce the award-winning content.
“It’s gratifying seeing projects recognized by the RTDNA that were produced with the help of dozens of Global News staff across the province. These awards speak to the scope and the strength of our journalists and production crews throughout Ontario.”
The RTDNA Canada Awards recognize the best journalists, programs, stations and news organizations in digital, television and radio across the country.
These Central Region winners will now compete with winners from West, Prairie and East regions for the best of the best, the National Awards.
Those winners will be announced in May.