RTDNA Canada has announced its 2024 Regional Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, presented to individuals who have distinguished themselves through outstanding service and continued excellence during the course of their careers in broadcast and digital journalism.
In the Atlantic region, this year’s honourees include longtime ATV/CTV Atlantic personality Jayson Baxter, who left the station this summer after 25 years as a reporter, host, anchor and producer, and three decades as a broadcaster.
CBC Nova Scotia reporter Paul Withers, who retired from the public broadcaster this year, is also being recognized, as is former Global News Supervising Producer Richard Dooley, who retired from Global Halifax in 2023.
In the Central region, RTDNA is recognizing Lily Pakula, a longtime technical producer with CTV News Northern Ontario in Sudbury, who started in the master control department at Mid Canada Television (MCTV) in 1974.
Linda Oland, retired Director of News and Information Programming at CP24, and a longtime assignment editor, field producer, and lineup editor at CTV Toronto/CFTO is also being recognized in the Central region, alongside recently retired CKLW AM 800 Windsor morning show personality, Lisa Williams.
On the Prairies, RTDNA is honouring John Vos, Corus Entertainment’s former Regional Program Director for QR (CHQR-AM) Calgary and 630 CHED Edmonton, who retired in July; longtime Global Calgary anchor Linda Olsen, who also recently stepped away from broadcasting; and Arnie Jackson, an alum of CFAC and CFXL Calgary, and CKGY Red Deer, known as the voice of chuckwagon racing to viewers and listeners across radio, CBC and Shaw TV.
In the West, Ross McLaughlin, who pioneered the first consumer investigative franchise, Troubleshooter, at ITV Edmonton (now Global), is being recognized. McLaughlin went on to work at KIRO-TV Seattle, WJLA-TV Washington, DC, and WXIA-TV Atlanta, before returning to Canada in 2015 to join CTV Vancouver with “McLaughlin on Your Side.” Retired since 2022, McLaughlin is an 18-time Emmy Award-winner.
RTDNA Canada will announces its National Lifetime Achievement Award recipients at its National Awards in Toronto on Nov. 2.
