CBC NOTCHES 18 WINS OVER THE FIRST TWO NIGHTS OF THE 2015 CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS

The Academy of Canadian Film & Television handed out the first Canadian Screen Awards of 2015 over the last two nights and CBC was recognized with 18 trophies. Tuesday night’s gala focused on television and digital media in categories including documentary, reality, lifestyle, news, sports, and digital media while Wednesday’s event honoured excellence in drama, comedy, variety, children’s, and performing arts.

CBC’s news programming took home four awards including CBC NEWS TORONTO for ‘Best Local Newscast’ and CBC News Network,CBC NEWS: THE NATIONAL, and CBC New Brunswickfor ‘Best News Special’ in recognition of their combined coverage of the capture of Justin Bourque. CBC’s the fifth estate was recognized in the ‘Best News or Information Series’ category and also won ‘Best News or Information Program’ for the Made in Bangladesh program.

CBC Sports was awarded twice for coverage of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games in the ‘Best Live Sports Event’ category for the Women’s gold medal hockey game and ‘Best Sports Play-by-Play Announcer,’ recognizing Jim Hughson’s work during the Games. THE NATURE OF THINGS was named ‘Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series’ for Invasion of the Brain Snatchers, while WILD CANADA was recognized in the ‘Best Direction in a Documentary or Factual Series.’

The network’s comedies were well-represented among the winners with RICK MERCER REPORT winning awards for ‘Best Performance in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series (Individual or Ensemble),’ Best Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series,’ and ‘Best Writing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series,’ while MR. D’s Jonathan Torrens was recognized in the ‘Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role or Guest Role in a Comedic Series’ category.

CBC Kids’ THE ADVENTURES OF NAPKIN MAN was named ‘Best Pre-School Program or Series’ and host Yannick Bisson was recognized as ‘Best Host in a Pre-School, Children’s or Youth Program or Series.’ Dramas also did well with four awards including: ‘Best Costume Design’ and ‘Best Achievement in Make-Up’ for MURDOCH MYSTERIES; ‘Best Original Music Score for a Program’ for STILL LIFE: A THREE PINES MYSTERY; and ‘Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series’ for THE BEST LAID PLANS.

CBC will broadcast the 2015 CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS two-hour gala on Sunday, March 1st at 8 p.m. (8:30 p.m. NT) on CBC-TV and at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on CBC.ca. For a full list of Canadian Screen Awards nominees and winners, visit academy.ca.

A breakdown of CBC wins at the Canadian Screen Awards thus far is as follows:

Best Local Newscast:

CBC News: Toronto

Dwight Drummond, Dayna Gourley, Alan Habbick, Anne-Marie Mediwake, Alexandra Sienkiewicz

Best News Special:

CBC News: Moncton Shooting - The Capture of Justin Bourque

The National, CBC News Network, CBC New Brunswick

Derek Desouza, Mark Harrison, Darrow MacIntyre, Mark Ross, Kate Scroggins

Best News or Information Series:

CBC News: the fifth estate

Julian Sher, Jim Williamson

Best News or Information Program:

CBC News: the fifth estate - Made in Bangladesh

Tarannum Kamlani, Mark Kelley, Lysanne Louter, Aileen McBride

Best Direction in a Documentary or Factual Series:

The Nature of Things - Wild Canada- The Eternal Frontier

Jeff Turner

Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series:

The Nature of Things - Invasion of the Brain Snatchers

Sue Dando, Mike Downie, FM Morrison, David Wells

Best Live Sports Event:

Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games - Gold Medal Hockey Game - Women

Chris Irwin, Brian Spear

Best Sports Play-by-Play Announcer:

Jim Hughson

Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games

Best Performance in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series (Individual or Ensemble):

Rick Mercer Report - Episode 16

Rick Mercer

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role or Guest Role in a Comedic Series:

Mr. D - Donor Dinner

Jonathan Torrens

Best Host in a Pre-School, Children’s or Youth Program or Series:

The Adventures of Napkin Man - Just Me in a Tree

Yannick Bisson

Best Pre-School Program or Series:

The Adventures of Napkin Man

CBC (Breakthrough Entertainment, Little Airplane,Little Tugboat) Ira Levy, Brenda Nietupski, Josh Selig, Tone Tyne, Stephanie VanBruggen, Peter Williamson

Best Writing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series:

Rick Mercer Report - Episode 16

Rick Currie, Greg Eckler, Chris Finn, Rick Mercer, Tim Steeves, George Westerholm

Best Costume Design:

Murdoch Mysteries - Murdoch in Ragtime

Alexander Reda

Best Achievement in Make-Up:

Murdoch Mysteries - Friday the 13th, 1901

Deb Drennan

Best Original Music Score for a Program:

Still Life: A Three Pines Mystery

Robert Carli

Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series:

The Best Laid Plans

Peter Moss

Best Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series:

Rick Mercer Report

CBC (Island Edge Inc.) Gerald Lunz, Rick Mercer, Tom Stanley

About CBC/Radio-Canada

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages.

A space for us all is CBC/Radio-Canada’s strategy to transform the public broadcaster, and ensure that it continues to fulfill its mandate for Canadians, now and for future generations. Through to 2020, the Corporation will increase its investment in prime-time television programming and continue to create radio programs of the highest quality, while promoting the development of digital and mobile platforms and content.

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For further information, please contact:

Simon Bassett, publicist, CBC

simon.bassett@cbc.ca 416-205-8533 (office) 416-988-1590 (mobile)