From 2011 until 2016, I worked in various online and TV departments in the CBC’s regional newsroom in Vancouver. For an early account of my experience writing for cbc.ca/bc in 2012, try: Web news at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Here are some examples of my work:
Leadership
City Votes 2014 – Leading the CBC Vancouver online team in its coverage of election results on the night of the B.C. civic elections 2014. I was responsible for planning, logistics, providing live results updates on the night, reporting the re-election of Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and copy editing our team’s coverage of a several different ridings.
Original reporting
ANALYSIS How (not) to manage a PR crisis on campus (CBC News – complete research, interviews, story, story packaging)
B.C. teachers’ strike: Who is mediator Vince Ready? (CBC News – in-depth research, story, story packaging)
Nearly naked PETA activist covered with BBQ sauce in Vancouver (CBC News – interviews, story, raw video editing, story packaging)
Shipwrecked camera found underwater after 2 years with photos intact (CBC News – interviews, story, photo gallery, raw video editing, story packaging)
Canada gets Happy with Pharrell Williams dance videos (CBC News – story, story packaging)
B.C. budget 2014: ‘Boring, balanced budget’ (CBC News – interviews and news conference, story)
Writing from tape
Karen Talosig heartbroken over 4-year wait to bring deaf daughter to Canada (CBC News – story working from reporter tape, story packaging)
Transgender blood donor turned away in Vancouver (CBC News – story working from reporter tape, story packaging)
Schools’ gender identity policy sparks debate in Vancouver (CBC News – story working from reporter tape, story packaging)
McDonald’s Canada CEO calls foreign worker controversy ‘bullshit’ (CBC News – story working from reporter tape, story packaging)
Tim Hortons breaks with franchisee, expands foreign worker oversight after wage theft claims (CBC News – story working from reporter tape, story packaging)
‘Don’t be a rapist!’ posters get mixed reaction at UBC (CBC News – story working from reporter tape, story packaging)
Nelson Mandela, as seen in a screenshot of a book cover, on the day of his death. © CBC
Video editing
Hannah Day, 5, has relapsed and will ‘die at home’, says devastated mom (CBC News – video editing, story, story packaging)
Tesla test drive on Sea-To-Sky RAW (CBC News – video editing, title, caption)
Chairlift crash ‘traumatic’ RAW (CBC News – video editing, title, caption)
Huge fire at Surrey grow-op RAW (CBC News – video editing, title, caption)
Nelson Mandela: ‘He was the height of morality’ (CBC News – video editing, story, story packaging)
Photo galleries
Arbutus community gardens must go by end of July, says CP Rail (CBC News – original photography and editing, caption research and writing)
Dog shaming blogger Pascale Lemire hits NYT’s bestseller list (CBC News – image selection and editing , story working from reporter tape, story packaging)
Story packaging
Huge fire rips through railway trestles near Vancouver’s Oak Street Bridge (CBC News – story, video editing, photo gallery, story packaging)
Story editing
Jane Fonda takes on ‘big oil’ in Vancouver: ‘Arrest me, I don’t care’ (CBC News – editing)
GO PUBLIC ‘Microsoft tech support’ scammer recorded threatening to kill B.C. man (CBC News – editing)
More women alleging harassment want to join lawsuit against RCMP (CBC News – editing)
Laughing dress designed by SFU students lights up Vancouver social scene (CBC News – editing)
Jingle Bells Christmas song started as a drinking song written by a ‘jerk’ (CBC News – editing)
A promo banner for CBC News Now with Ian Hanomansing. © CBC News
TV writing
Between 2012 and 2014, I also contributed to News Now with Ian Hanomansing, an hour-long newscast broadcast nationally every weeknight on the CBC News Network. I began as a senior writer, crafting scripts, editing footage, supporting breaking news reporters and liaising with contributors ahead of live and pre-recorded interviews. I then progressed to the role of script producer, advising writers on their assignments and checking their items before they aired.
Awards
- Digital Media Award for B.C. Votes 2013
I helped cover the provincial election in 2013 for the CBC Vancouver online team, under the project name B.C. Votes 2013. On election night, I produced Conservative and Green results stories. In 2014, the RTDNA honoured the CBC for B.C. Votes 2013 and its excellence in online reporting.
B.C.’s Greens win first provincial seat (story, story packaging)
B.C. Conservative leader loses in Langley (story, story packaging)
- Digital Media Award for cbc.ca/bc
As a member of the CBC Vancouver online team, I constantly contributed to cbc.ca/bc as a writer, video editor then copy editor. In 2015, the RTDNA honoured cbc.ca/bc for its “excellence in the quality of its daily online or mobile news reporting.”
- Grierson Mentorship Award
Throughout the year, CBC employees in B.C. honour colleagues who they feel have gone “above and beyond for their enormous contribution to the CBC workplace” by naming them a Grierson Mentor. In 2015, two of my colleagues, Natalie Clancy and Kirk Williams, graciously nominated me for the Grierson Mentor Award, for my work sharing my digital skills with colleagues across the newsroom.
My Grierson Mentorship Award. © Jenni Sheppard