BTS with CTV News Vancouver

When health officials declared a global pandemic, it quickly became obvious it would have an impact on our lives. Just as every industry and family had to adapt to the rapidly-changing public health orders and advice, so have TV news journalists. From microphones on hockey sticks to dinner-table interviews, journalists have changed the way we work to stay in the field in a way that's safe for us as well as the people whose stories ...

For weeks, demonstrations in support of hereditary chiefs of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation in northern British Columbia have resulted in in unprecedented rallies, blockaded railroads and intentionally disrupted commuter routes for drivers and transit users alike -- not to mention attempts to stall legislators in the capitol and even taking their placards to the premier's own home. The issue of whether or not to allow the Coastal Ga...

The world was shocked when a Ukrainian Airlines flight went down near Tehran, but when officials confirmed dozens of Canadians were on board our nation was stunned -- as journalists sprang into action to tell the stories of the innocent lives taken too soon. With so many victims in the Lower Mainland, CTV Vancouver journalists were inundated with heart-wrenching stories as communities mourned the tragedy.

BTS with CTV Vancouver ho...

When an American journalist was slapped on the butt as she was reporting live during a run, it went viral for many reasons. Most saw it for the on-the-job physical assault that it was, but a few didn't think it was a big deal and that she should "lighten up." For broadcast journalists who've experienced that kind of violation, it's not something you easily forget -- and that's not even the worst example.

BTS with CTV Vancou...

What started as a routine pedestrian accident quickly took several unusual turns as Vancouver Police revealed the driver didn't know he'd dragged a young woman for nearly six blocks. How was that possible? When an American punk band was later connected and witnesses began coming forward with their stories, the situation only became more confusing as the victim clung to life in hospital, unaware that she would need major reconstruct...

The heart-wrenching details instantly made headlines across the country: two young sisters found dead in their beds, their Christmas presents sitting unopened under the tree. Their father, Andrew Berry, was covered in blood and claimed he was attacked by mysterious loan sharks who must've killed his daughters for some unfathomable reason. The trial that followed, spanning 5 months and including riveting testimony, made headlines as...

There are few people who could survive a harrowing attack by an apex predator and fewer still who are willing to tell the tale of how they tried to pull a grizzly bear's teeth off their limbs as the animal started eating them alive -- just days after it happened. But Powell River's Colin Dowler did just that, in a bedside interview at a Vancouver hospital in front of a swarm of captivated reporters.

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A young couple found dead, a middle-aged man's body near a burnt-out camper, two teens missing after leaving home to look for work: these storylines would all converge in the remote landscape of northern British Columbia, culminating in a manhunt that would put the spotlight on a bizarre manhunt swirling in mystery, fear and warnings with journalists scrambling to keep up with the twists and turns.

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Municipal politics generally don't capture the attention of constituents, much less observers outside the city in question, but that's definitely not the case in Surrey. Less than a year after winning a landslide victory, the mayor of Metro Vancouver's fastest-growing suburb is seeing support on city council crumble as he continues to stand by his election promises, using his political muscle to do so.

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VPD Const. Nicole Chan has been with the force for a decade when she went on leave amid struggles with her own mental health and an internal investigation triggered by serious allegations around senior officers. In January, she took her own life and her family began searching for answers in a complex case that only came to light after other officers came forward to speak with a CTV News journalist.

BTS with CTV News host Pe...

In January, CTV Vancouver employees got a huge shock at an all-newsroom meeting: the station would be combining jobs and cross-training journalists working in the field so that they could do everything. Highly skilled videographers would start writing for online and broadcast while on-air reporters would learn the technical ins and outs of shooting and editing, with online content a priority.

Other stations have tried to mak...

It's an uncomfortable fact for the technical crew of TV newsrooms that a flawless broadcast will go unnoticed by viewers at home, but a technical snafu will probably make the blooper reel and go viral online. That's why the technical wizards behind each broadcast work so hard to make everything look flawless -- including sometimes keeping the on air journalists in the dark about chaos unfolding in the control room.

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When two float planes collided mid-air, plummeting into a remove inlet and killing a number of cruise ship passengers on board, CTV Vancouver sent a crew north to Alaska to learn more about the crash. Not only had their ship left from the port of Vancouver days earlier, but a metro Vancouver husband and wife died aboard one of the sea-planes.

BTS with CTV Vancouver host Penny Daflos and reporter Allison Hurst discuss the log...

Hollywood movies and TV shows like to feature the journalist who will all but draw blood in his or her thirst to be the first, the best, the one with the exclusive interview. That’s the kind of hyperbole and stereotyping that make real reporters cringe, while reluctantly acknowledging there is a kernel of truth to the trope. Though there’s a certain code and “gentleman’s agreement” that guide us, that’s sometimes thrown by the ways...

When a Vancouver suburb was grappling with an increasingly complex homelessness crisis centred around a growing tent city, residents and journalists alike turned to the city’s mayor for answers about what was being done. But Mike Morden avoided interview requests, leaving reporters little option but to approach him at public event. Eventually the mayor decided to hire a public relations company for a controlled interview — a strate...

Personal health and medical treatment are among the most intimate and sensitive issues, so discussing them in public -- on a TV broadcast, no less -- usually only happens when someone is having a serious issue with the medical system, a practitioner or treatment. Choosing which stories to cover and how is incredibly difficult because they often turn into a "he said, she said" see-saw between the patient and/or their family and the ...

Underwater inspectors probed a waylaid BC Ferries vessel as two Coast Guard crews and a pair of heavy-duty tugboats waited for word it'd be safe to try and manoeuvre up and off a section of a ferry terminal -- as more than 200 passengers waited hours on board the Queen of Surrey, running out of food and patience.

BTS with CTV Vancouver host Penny Daflos was the reporter dispatched to the scene with veteran videographer Pete ...

It's now been decades since women began regularly reporting on the full range of news topics rather than just "fluff" pieces, but there are still certain expectations and double standards for female reporters. Criticisms range from being too aggressive to not aggressive enough, with plenty of sexist comments around makeup and clothing thrown in. While a lot of progress has been made, sexism remains an ongoing issue for women, parti...

In February, several Vancouver schoolchildren tested positive for measles, the first of several people who'd traveled overseas and become infected with the virus. Health officials termed it an outbreak and warned the public about possible exposure sites, which triggered a wave of public anger against families who refuse to get their children vaccinated. Anti-vaxxers became more vocal, making the issue a contentious one in the regio...