RTDNA Canada recognizes Janice Johnston with an Prairies Region Lifetime Achievement Award

"On behalf of RTDNA Canada, I want to congratulate all of you recognized with a well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award. Even more important, I want to thank each of you for the contribution you have made to our industry."
Lis Travers
President

About Janice

CBC reporter Janice Johnston spent more than three decades covering Alberta courts and crime with an unmatched determination to chase the truth. Janice died of cancer on Jan. 13 after a brief illness. 

 Born in London, Ont., on March 2, 1960, Janice studied radio and television arts at then – Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University), and got her first job working in Wingham, Ont. 

She moved to Edmonton in the 1980s, first working at radio station CISN as a reporter and later as a news director. She moved on to work at CFRN-TV as a reporter. She started at CBC in the early 2000s.  

Throughout her career, the courthouse was her calling. 

Janice brought the details of significant cases to Edmontonians over the decades: the disappearance of St. Albert seniors Lyle and Marie McCann and the case of the so-called “Dexter killer” Mark Twitchell. 

She spent years covering dangerous offender Leo Teskey’s progress through the justice system. After her reports, the provincial government made it illegal for dangerous and long-term offenders to change their names. 

In 2016, she won a national Radio Television Digital News Association award for her coverage of the trial of a 13-year-old Alberta boy who was acquitted of killing his abusive father. 

She was dogged in holding the justice system accountable through her coverage of Alberta police agencies withholding the names of homicide victims. She broke the story of a sexual assault victim who was jailed while testifying against her attacker. 

 Janice also met her husband, Scott Johnston, through work — he was a journalist, and now works for the provincial government. 

Janice is survived by Scott, daughter Samantha Milles, son-in-law Demetri Milles and her granddaughter Calliope (Cali).  

Read the CBC Edmonton tribute to Janice Johnston here. 

Thank you message on behalf of Janice

A message from Janice’s Nominator

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