National Conference & Awards Gala

June 3, 2021

Thank you for joining us June 3 to celebrate the RTDNA Canada 2021 Best Canadian Local News and National Award winners.

Please enjoy the Awards Gala video, in which the Best Canadian Local News and National Awards were announced, and the Lifetime Achievement and Outstanding Recognition Award winners were honoured.

If you’d like to view all the winning submissions, please click on the links below: 

Best Canadian Local News Awards
National Awards

And thank you again to our hosts, Christine Birak and Nathan Downer.

Don’t forget – if you got dressed up, or had a virtual watch party, we want to know about it! Send your photos to events@rtdnacanada.com and you may just be featured on the website.

National Conference

Reckoning and Recovery: Journalism and the year that changed everything

Thank you for joining us on June 3 for the 2021 National Conference. We hope you enjoyed it! Please find the conference session videos below.

Journalism by the Numbers – pollster Darrell Bricker on the impact a global crisis has had on news consumption, habits, preference and trust. 

Bear Pit session – our annual accountability session with news leaders at the major networks. They will outline their goals and plans for the year ahead, and take questions from our moderator and online participants.

Diversity and Inclusion in Journalism – In a year of racial reckoning, this panel will look at what changes have been suggested, and whether any progress has been made. We will discuss representation in management, representation on-air, transparency around salaries, representation in newsrooms in general, racism training, safety, story choices, the language we use, and how we cover police.

Innovation in Storytelling – Gen Z and Millennials are least likely to depend on traditional platforms for their primary news. This panel will explore innovations in storytelling during the pandemic, from digital publishers to podcasters, and examine how journalists can reach younger audiences and connect with a new generation of news consumers.

Keynote speakerPierre Thomas, ABC News, Chief Justice Correspondent. Moderator: Reshmi Nair, CP24. Thomas discusses covering the Trump Justice Dept. and year of racial reckoning in America and American newsrooms, including events he covered – the death of George Floyd, interviewing U.S. Attorney General William Barr, and the first exclusive tv interview with U.S. Capital Police officer Harry Dunn following the January 6th attack on the Capital.

The Rise of the TV Doctor – They have become some of the best-known faces of the pandemic. How do these doctors feel about their role in journalism, what do they think works and doesn’t work when it comes to stopping the spread of misinformation, and what advice do they have for us in our role as journalists in a pandemic.

Journalism Education and Underrepresented Groups – In a year that heard accusations that journalism schools were way behind on diversity – we hear three perspectives on addressing the concerns of BIPOC students and also how students are being prepared to cover issues of race. 

Newsroom Trauma – support for journalists who are suffering through an unprecedented year of violence and hate. In newsrooms that are often understaffed and regularly under attack, stories with a personal impact can lead to stress and exhaustion. This session looks at coping strategies, and how to recognize the signs of stress among colleagues.

Victims, Survivors and the Media – what we report and how we report it can further traumatize victims. In this session we will look at how to lessen that impact, and how more compassionate reporting can make a big difference to the lives of those we cover.

Take a quick look at how the language we choose in our stories can sometimes do more harm than good when it comes to reporting on issues of addiction. Here’s a compelling message, with some helpful tips, from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction.

CBC
Conference & Award Gala Sponsor
CTV News
Gold Level Sponsor
Global News
Gold Level Sponsor
CityNews
Gold Level Sponsor

Conference & Award Gala Partner

Gold Level Sponsors

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Bronze Level Sponsors

Full-DARK-The-Canadian-Press

Companion Level Sponsors