Jodi Cooke is one of NTV’s most seasoned journalists and perhaps the province’s most dynamic.

She embodies the spirit of NTV News, where versatility and professionalism are paramount. Cooke, who’s been with NTV for over 15 years, is willing to tackle any story, asking tough questions and delivering the product with accuracy and acumen.

Equally comfortable behind the desk as in the field, she perhaps shines brightest on live television. Her poise and comfort in front of a live television audience, as a reporter, is second to none in Newfoundland and Labrador broadcasting – no small task when considering the material she delivers is often technical and complicated.

Cooke also has the unique ability to make viewers feel like they’re listening to a trusted friend. That’s why you’ll see her fronting those “live hits” for national television, covering stories like the recent Royal Visit or major breaking news events that speak to a national audience.

Sunday Evening News

But like so many of her colleagues, Cooke doesn’t take herself too seriously. Yes, she takes her career seriously but is game for any challenge. 

A self-described adrenaline junkie – who has a penchant for adrenaline sports like skiing – it’s no surprise she tackles her journalism career with the same passion and vigor. 

She’s the first to raise her hand for participatory journalism assignments, from training with a search and rescue team to, wait for it, repelling from a helicopter. 

Those assignments, she admits, are among her most fun days at the office. Versatile is a word that best defines Cooke and, well, many of her colleagues.

She’ll file a major story one day and sit in the anchor chair the next. Cooke will anchor Newsday, First Edition and co-anchor The NTV Evening Newshour, and will be back reporting in the field just a day later. That’s the type of virtuosity that separates NTV News from the competition.

She’s not alone. Like Cooke, Amanda Mews has hosted everything from morning news and entertainment checkpoints, from Newsday to First Edition and the Evening Newshour. You can also find her, on occasion, delivering the weather forecast when Eddie Sheerr is out of the office. Did we mention she’s Cooke’s co-host on the The Sunday Evening Newshour?

Mews is also the station’s popular entertainment reporter, has a weekly feature (Backstage Pass) and hosts a weekly half-hour entertainment show. Oh, and is the main reporter for the daily Your Community feature.

Like Cooke and Mews, veteran journalist David Salter has hosted many of the same programs from time to time – news and entertainment checkpoints, Newsday and even First Edition, The Evening Newshour and Sunday on occasions. Salter also hosts his own weekend news program, Eyewitness News.

When he’s not anchoring, Salter is filing top news stories as a general assignment news reporter.

The station’s commitment to news – provincially, nationally and internationally – is what makes it a news leader. The NTV Evening Newshour has been the province’s top newscast for two decades, averaging over 100,000 viewers each night in this province alone. 

In fact, it’s not only the top newscast but is the most-watched program in Newfoundland and Labrador. There are nights, for example, when over 120,000 people in this province are tuning in, astonishing for a province of about 500,000.

“It says a lot about the incredible work this team does,” says Mark Dwyer, NTV’s Director of News and Current Affairs. 

“Hard work, consistency, a commitment to local news and a very talented team of people has earned us the trust of our viewers. We take that responsibility very seriously.”

‘Commitment to news’

NTV’s news team features many of the province’s top journalists. The anchor team is led by veteran broadcasters Toni-Marie Wiseman and Michael Connors, among two of the most trusted names in local news. Wiseman, of course, began her career with NTV over three decades ago. 

“I’ve been very fortunate to work with some great people over the years but, honestly, this team is incredible,” says Wiseman, who also anchors First Edition.

Her co-anchor, Michael Connors, is one of the province’s most trusted journalists. Connors was NTV’s legislative reporter since 2005, replacing Glen Carter at the desk when he retired earlier this year.

“I think our success stems from the Stirling family’s commitment to news,” says Dwyer. “In an era when other networks are looking for ways to cut, we look for growth. I’m very fortunate to be part of a team that works together to tell the stories that matter in this province, and around the world.”

And, of course, no topic is more important to people in this province than the weather and that’s why NTV Chief Meteorologist Eddie Sheerr plays such a pivotal role. No one delivers more detailed, in-depth and expert weather forecasting than Sheerr.

The NTV News brand is demanding. There are morning news checkpoints, a half-hour Newsday newscast at noon (weekdays at noon), not to mention 90 minutes of news from 5:30 to 7 (First Edition and NTV Evening Newshour). There’s The Sunday Evening Newshour, an hour-long broadcast anchored by Jodi Cooke and Amanda Mews

There’s news-driven programs like Issues and Answers (hosted by Michael Connors), Eyewitness News (hosted by David Salter), Week-in-Review (a half-hour recap of the week’s top stories), not to mention a half-hour weekly entertainment show (hosted by Amanda Mews). 

There’s also breaking news programs, everything from the provincial budget to election coverage.

“It’s a challenge to deliver all these programs but it truly shows how much depth we have at NTV,” says Dwyer.

One of NTV News’ secret weapons over the past few decades has been photojournalist Bart Fraize, noted for his work in spot news – from tragedies to rescues. His work has elevated NTV as a breaking news leader. 

Acquiring talent

Speaking about outstanding camera work, NTV has two of the best in Tony Barrington and Glenn Andrews. Barrington recently celebrated his 44th anniversary with the company. Andrews is emerging as one of the province’s top feature editors.

And the team keeps getting better with the acquisition of talent. Beth Penney, the 2018 Geoff Stirling Memorial Scholarship winner, has emerged as one of NTV’s top young journalists. Ben Cleary, who pursued a journalism degree after graduating with a political science degree at MUN, was named Atlantic Canada’s Top New Journalist in 2020. 

Cleary is now NTV’s legislative reporter. Bailey Howard and Marykate O’Neill, both outstanding young journalists, have been key additions to the NTV lineup in recent years.

The latest to join the award-winning newsroom is an award-winning journalist herself, Rosie Mullaley. After over three decades at The Telegram, she made the switch from print just weeks before Carter’s retirement.

Of course, that’s the St. John’s newsroom. Two of the province’s most familiar journalists are outside the overpass – Don Bradshaw and Colleen Lewis, the talented west coast and central correspondents who are fixtures with the NTV news brand.

“I challenge you to find a more talented, dedicated, multi-dimensional team,” says Dwyer, answering his own challenge with: “You simply won’t. This is a team I am so proud to be a part of. And when you factor in people like Sharon Snow, who can deliver the weather forecast, file a Your Community and Places to Go feature, you know you have a star-studded team.”

It’s no secret that NTV News has been number one in the ratings for over two decades. Incredibly, as conventional news audiences decrease throughout much of the world, NTV’s brand continues to grow. 

For a province of about 500,000 people, over 100,000 of them tune into NTV each day at 6 o’clock and just under 90,000 for First Edition at 5:30. Numbers continue to climb each year. The Sunday Evening Newshour also grew its audience with over 50,000 viewers tuning in each weekend.

There’s no secret recipe to NTV’s success over the years but the ingredients are obvious. It takes talent, hard work and leadership. It’s about telling stories and keeping viewers informed, and never has there been an era more important for doing just that.

“No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it. That’s no truer anywhere than it is here at NTV News.” — Glen Carter

That piece of wisdom came from respected anchor Glen Carter during his retirement address to NTV viewers on March 4, 2021.

And while NTV News may have lost its revered conductor that night, the band plays on. And make no mistake it remains a finely-tuned orchestra, positioned to entertain audiences for many years to come.

Despite Carter’s departure, NTV is blessed with some of the province’s most talented and trusted journalists. Carter’s long-time co-anchor, Toni-Marie Wiseman, has been a constant with the station for over three decades and is one of the most identifiable faces in broadcasting. 

Joining her at the anchor desk is friend and colleague Michael Connors, best known for his outstanding work as NTV’s legislative reporter for the past decade.

‘A strong friendship’

“Michael and I have worked closely together for many years (our desks are side by side) and because of that, we’ve developed a strong friendship,” says Wiseman. “We know each other so well that sometimes we can read each other’s minds. It’s been a pretty seamless and effortless transition from working together in the newsroom to anchoring together on the Evening Newshour desk.”

The NTV Evening Newshour, weekdays at 6 p.m., remains not only the province’s top newscast, but is also the most-watched television program in Newfoundland and Labrador. Wiseman, one of Newfoundland and Labrador television’s most iconic personalities, remains at the helm. 

Connors, of course, has won the respect of viewers for his work at NTV and is the perfect choice to fill Carter’s place at the desk. Aside from the flagship supper-hour show, the newsroom generates a host of NTV News programming. There are daily morning news checkpoints, a half-hour Newsday program (weekdays at noon) and the popular NTV News: First Edition (weekdays at 5:30), hosted by Wiseman. There’s also The Sunday Evening Newshour, an hour-long broadcast anchored by Jodi Cooke and Amanda Mews.

In fact, Wiseman’s 5:30 p.m. show, First Edition, is also one of the province’s most-watched programs. “Our commitment to news has never wavered. While our competitors have found ways to reduce local news programming, we continue to grow,” says Mark Dwyer, Director of News and Current Affairs. 

“There’s a real appetite for local news and it’s our mandate to do just that.”

And just like any good orchestra, or team, there’s a host of performers who deliver. “There’s so much versatility and talent in our newsroom. It’s not uncommon for a reporter to leave the field to sit at the anchor desk, from one day to the next,” Dwyer adds. “We are fortunate to have a team of journalists who are very passionate about their work and informing viewers.”

Speaking of versatility, Jodi Cooke, co-host of The Sunday Evening Newshour, is also a regular host of NTV Newsday and is one of the most-seasoned television reporters in the province. 

Cooke is noted for, among many of her attributes, her ability to go live – dissecting information to deliver key news to the audience.

Like Cooke, Amanda Mews has hosted everything from morning news and entertainment checkpoints, to Newsday to First Edition and the Evening Newshour. You can also find her, on occasion, delivering the weather forecast when Eddie Sheerr is out of the office. 

Backstage Pass

Did we mention she’s co-host of The Sunday Evening Newshour, and as the station’s popular entertainment reporter, she has a weekly feature (Backstage Pass) and hosts a weekly half-hour entertainment show. Oh, and is the main reporter for the daily ‘Your Community’ feature.

Like Mews, veteran journalist David Salter has hosted many of the same programs from time to time – news and entertainment checkpoints, Newsday and even First Edition and Sunday on occasions. Salter also hosts his own weekend news program, Eyewitness News. 

When he’s not hosting Salter is filling news stories as a general assignment news reporter.

Ben Cleary is another reporter impacted by Carter’s retirement and he has also stepped up to fill the void. 

With Connors replacing Carter on the anchor desk, Cleary has assumed Connors’ place as the newsroom’s legislative reporter. Cleary, who has political science and journalism degrees, has earned his chops with his excellent coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, among other things. In fact, Cleary was named most promising young journalist at the 2021 Atlantic Journalism Awards.

And perhaps NTV’s secret weapon is assignment editor Bart Fraize, who has been covering the courts and breaking news for many years. Fraize’s work ethic is unrivaled. 

It’s an intangible that separates him from his peers – the willingness to answer every call, good or bad, day or night, rain or shine. And he does so without fanfare, evading praise like it’s a punishment. “I’m just doing my job,” he quips, shrugging his shoulders.

Beth Penney is journalism’s answer to the ‘Swiss Army Knife’ – someone who can be relied upon to fill just about any role in the newsroom, a talented reporter who has the skillset to do so much more – anchor work and feature reporting. You’ll also see her regularly host the ‘Your Community’ feature.

NTV’s New talent

A pair of newcomers to the business, Bailey Howard and Marykate O’Neill, are relatively new additions to the newsroom, but both bring a talent beyond their years – covering all sorts of stories.

And, finally, the most recent hire in the newsroom may be a newcomer to television, but not to journalism. After over three decades at The Telegram, Rosie Mullaley made the switch from print just weeks before Carter’s retirement. 

Of course, that’s the St. John’s newsroom. Two of the province’s most familiar journalists are outside the overpass – Don Bradshaw and Colleen Lewis, the talented west coast and central correspondents who are fixtures with the NTV news brand.

“I challenge you to find a more talented, dedicated, multi-dimensional team,” said Dwyer with admiration and pride. “You simply won’t. This is a team I am so proud to be a part of.”

It’s a go-go business and all these players contribute to the performances viewers see every night. It’s a common scene inside NTV’s fast-paced newsroom as reporters craft their stories and camera operators gear up for the evening’s live hit. 

The production crew, led by Donnie Decker, prepares for the 5:30 and 6 o’clock live shows. It’s hectic, but the team appears in total control, each focused on the task at hand. 

There’s also the usual newsroom banter as reporters share the developments of the day. It’s like a fine-tuned engine. And like Decker, there are others behind the camera you don’t see, camera operators like Tony Barrington and Glenn Andrews, both incredibly talented and veterans of the business. 

Barrington has seen it all in his 43-year career with NTV where he has served in a multitude of roles, including producer, while Andrews is noted for his creativity and excellence as both a shooter and editor.

And while some could argue that his orchestra lost its conductor when Carter retired, it has retained the true mastermind of this excellent news team, news director Dwyer who guides, supports and encourages his staff to reach their full potential.

Dwyer, of course, is known to many as the longest-serving sports reporter in the province’s history, but is also, as Carter pointed out, the glue that holds the team together.

“Our audience is loyal. They depend on us (for information) and we take that responsibility very seriously,” says Dwyer, who’s been leading the station’s newsroom since 2013. “However, our talented team continues to attract new viewers and that’s a result of talent, old-fashioned hard work and commitment.”

It’s no secret that NTV News has been number one in the ratings for over two decades. Incredibly, as conventional news audiences decrease throughout much of the world, NTV’s brand continues to grow. 

For a province of about 500,000 people, over 100,000 of them tune into NTV each day at 6 o’clock and just under 90,000 for First Edition at 5:30. Numbers continue to climb each year. The Sunday Evening Newshour also grew its audience with over 50,000 viewers tuning in each weekend.

There’s no secret recipe to NTV’s success over the years, but the ingredients are obvious. It takes talent, hard work and leadership. 

It’s about telling stories and keeping viewers informed, and never has there been an era more important than doing just that.

If you think Michael Connors and his family talk politics around the dinner table from time-to-time, then you’d be bang-on, he admitted unapologetically. 

“2021 was a busy year politically, so politics came up a time or two in the evening hours,” he shared. 

Wife Amanda Labonté, a well-known author, (Call of the Sea, Return to the Sea and Supernatural Causes) studied political science in university. Labonté added that politics just might be a family passion that comes naturally.

‘A natural calling’

“Our son and daughter (Andrew who’s 16 and Dianna, 11) have a natural calling, you might say, when it comes to politics, though it certainly isn’t the only topic around the table or in the home,” she offered.

 Labonté’s Call of the Sea series, a trilogy set in Newfoundland that’s aimed at young adults, is something she’s proud of. Husband Connors helps “flesh out” the stories from time-to-time and helps with early editing when called upon, she added. Connors, who has been with NTV over 19 years, met his love when both attended university. 

“We were both at the student newspaper, The Muse. We started dating in ‘98 and we got married in 2002, so we got married about a year before I went to NTV in 2003.” 

‘Motivated & organized’

Both have busy careers that see them working outside the home. Now, with the kids at home attending school, we ask how they balance their busy schedules.

“We’re lucky our kids are at an age where they’re pretty proactive about getting their online schooling done. Andrew, at 16, can get himself organized, and Dianna is motivated and organized. I think for parents with younger children, it’s definitely more juggling for them, so we are lucky in that way,” Labonté shared. 

Connors says he’s “rolled with the punches” at work, the same as anyone. 

“Three times now with the various lockdowns we’ve taken turns working from home. Jodi (Cooke), Beth (Penney) and Ben (Cleary) and the team, we go where we need to go to get the job done and be safe.”

Going virtual

Staying home isn’t an option when you’re the backup anchor or hosting Newsday or taping Issues and Answers, he added. “I’ve always had to remain in studio in some capacity. There were a couple of phases where they had us in a separate building, but because of the backup hosting role that I have, I’ve had to stay at the studio.” 

It hasn’t always been easy, he admitted. In fact, he says, it’s been “a huge adjustment.”

“Switching everything to virtual and dealing with the COVID briefings obviously affects everything that’s going on with what the government of the day does. We’ve had these phases where we’re in lockdown and then another phase where things loosen up and life sort of goes back to normal and we go back to dealing with other issues.”

‘Other issues’

“Other issues” included both a provincial and a federal election.  “The provincial election was definitely the biggest challenge through it all, though. One day we were preparing for our election night show and for voters going to the polls and all that and then all of a sudden this new variant hit and suddenly we were in lockdown and the election got delayed for six weeks. And that was that. That was something I don’t think we’ve ever seen the like of before and hopefully never will again.” 

Covering Politics

With close to 20 years in the rear view when it comes to covering politics, he’s met many politicians. From the late John Efford and John Crosbie to Danny Williams and Andrew Furey, we ask about the  relationships that he’s built, and the trust he’s maintained, over the decades. 

“I covered (Efford) somewhat. I kind of came in right at the tail end of his political career because he retired from politics in early 2006, and I actually didn’t start covering the Legislature until 2005, so I wasn’t in that primary political role when he was at the height of his political career. But I definitely encountered him many times.”

One of the first encounters was when Connors worked for The Telegram. 

“It was a Sunday afternoon. I was on the weekend shift. I wasn’t a political reporter, but there was some issue going on in the fishery and he was in his office at the fisheries building on a Sunday afternoon, and all the media were down there sort of staked out outside waiting for him to come out.”

The fact Efford was at his office on a Sunday afternoon was “testament to how devoted he was to his job,” Connors shared.

Political Scandals

“I didn’t quite get to know him as well as maybe some of the other politicians I’ve covered in more recent years, but there’s no question he was a unique personality on the political stage, someone who really almost comes from a whole other era of politicians that’s sort of disappearing. The John Crosbie-type that you don’t often encounter anymore.”

Connors has covered his share of political scandals over the years. Where does his approach to handling the more delicate side of politics come from, we ask. He paused. 

“I don’t know. I guess I was just raised to always treat everyone with respect and to be honest and to be upfront. And that’s just the way I try to approach everything. And I find you sort of get back what you give, maybe. And that’s just who I am. And that’s the way I always try to deal with everyone that I encounter, whether it’s a politician, or anyone. It doesn’t matter who it is.”

‘Never a dull moment’

We ask if any stories stand out for him. He paused again, thinking.  

“The Bill 29 Filibuster was certainly an interesting exercise in covering legislative proceedings. Muskrat Falls, obviously, was just such a massive project that’s been going on for more than a decade now. That’s obviously been a very big story.”

There’s been plenty of floor crossings too, he added, and “there’s never a dull moment when you’re covering that.”

“I guess for me, it’s always just kind of having that front row seat to history as it’s happening. That’s always sort of been the appeal of it for me,” Connors said. 

A Shared Interest 

Labonté said the family “is proud of the dedication” her husband brings to the job. “I studied political science in university as well, so Michael and I talk politics as that’s a shared interest. The kids grew up always hearing it. I think Andrew knew who the premier of the province was before he knew his colours.” 

We ask if there’s anything about her husband that no one else knows that she’d like to share with Herald readers. She laughed. “He can juggle.” 

Interesting.

Connors, she continues, also is a “bit of a geek” in that he’s a fan of Harry Potter and Star Wars. Another behind-the-scene fact? He drinks tea, never coffee!

Family Game Night

What about family nights? Any favourite activities? “Sometimes board game nights can get a little competitive. So our games aren’t always a fun, relaxing time,” Labonté shared with a laugh.

When daddy deals with premiers for a living, how does the family balance home and work?

“Michael is really good at giving me space to write, but also being somebody I can bounce ideas off of. He’ll even read things for me and I think that having this sort of relationship where we’re just really invested in what each other is doing and are there to help is really good, and I think it shows our kids that we are there for one another, and that no matter what we do, it’s important.”

Labonté credits their children for “staying grounded” but she also knows the work that she and her husband have put in. “I think Michael and I show the kids that we can be busy parents but you can still be invested in what we want to do. Kind of following your own goals, type thing, and follow your own passion while still being a cheerleader for the other person.”

‘Staying grounded’

We ask about life in the newsroom at NTV, and about the senior role Connors has taken on.

“As I’ve gotten older – and that’s a little bit scary to think about sometimes because I’m just like everyone else. I don’t think I have any particular insight into life or the world that anyone else doesn’t have – but others do come to me for guidance sometimes. It sort of surprises me when people come to me, but I’m sort of evolving into that more senior role as I get older and I’m always willing to help anyone that I can and do whatever I can to help.” 

The dynamics in the newsroom is one of extended family, he adds. It doesn’t matter if it’s Glen Carter, Eddie Sheerr, Toni-Marie Wiseman, Mark Dwyer or Ben Cleary – everyone always treats everyone else with respect.

“We’ve always had a bit of that family feel. When I first started there in 2003, I was the youngest reporter in the newsroom. Glen Carter is the quintessential news anchor. The experience that he brought to us from working at other TV stations across the country has been invaluable. Toni is a great friend. Our daughters are the same age, so we share that experience of going through adventures in parenting at the same time. Mark is a great boss to work for. I’ve been very lucky to have all great news directors, ones that give me a lot of freedom in terms of going about how I do my job and in terms of covering the political beat.” 

The couple share that they know they’ve been blessed both professionally and personally, and it’s a point they’d like to make sure gets shared.

“I feel like, even though it’s been a difficult time, we’ve been lucky to still be able to do the things that we really enjoy doing. I got lucky. I’m a writer. The arts community’s been struck hard by COVID and I think performing artists and musicians have had it much harder than others,” Labonté shared.

‘We’ve been lucky’

While there’s good days and bad days, she’s learned to take it all in stride and to be as grateful as possible.  

“In general, we’ve been lucky. Michael’s been able to do his job throughout this time and he’s been even more essential than ever before and we’ve remained committed to each other and to the family.”

Focusing on family is always number one, Connors added. 

“Family time is always big. We always do Sunday dinner at my parents with the kids. That’s always important. While travel is harder now, any trips we do take are to visit friends and family. We try to keep things very family oriented. I guess that’s sort of where a lot of our focus has always been and we make an effort to stay focused on that, because it’s important to us as a family.”

The NTV Evening Newshour has been the province’s top newscast for two decades, averaging more than 100,000 viewers each night in this province alone. In fact, it’s not only the top newscast but is the most-watched program in Newfoundland and Labrador. There are nights, for example, when over 120,000 people are tuning in, astonishing for a province of about 500,000.

“It says a lot about the incredible work this team does,” says Mark Dwyer, NTV’s Director of News and Current Affairs. “Hard work, consistency, a commitment to local news and a very talented team of people has earned us the trust of our viewers. We take that responsibility very seriously.”

NTV’s news team features many of the province’s top journalists. The anchor team is led by veteran broadcasters Glen Carter and Toni-Marie Wiseman, among two of the most trusted names in local news. Carter, of course, began his career with NTV in the early 1980s before taking his craft to newsrooms across the nation, anchoring broadcasts at stations in Halifax, Ottawa and Calgary before returning home to this province over a decade ago.

“The desire was always there to come home. I’ve been very fortunate to work with some great people across Canada over the years but, honestly, this team is incredible,” says Carter, who has covered provincial and federal elections, filed award-winning stories and interviewed world leaders.

‘Stories that matter’

His co-anchor, Toni-Marie Wiseman, is one of the province’s most recognizable faces. She’s won awards for her work as an entertainment reporter, has anchored news programs since she arrived in 1989, was the station’s popular weather person for two decades and, in perhaps her biggest test professionally, has grown the First Edition audience at 5:30 to numbers that would be the envy of newscasts across Canada. There are evenings when that show generates 100,000 viewers. 

“I think (our success) it stems from the Stirling family’s commitment to news,” she says. “In an era when other networks are looking for ways to cut, we look for growth. I’m very fortunate to be part of a team that works together to tell the stories that matter in this province, and around the world.” 

It’s the early stages of the federal election and PM Justin Trudeau is facing a political firestorm. The emergence of images – particularly the “brownface” picture from 2001 – has dealt the Liberal leader a serious blow to his multi-cultural brand.

Trudeau, of course, won a landslide victory in 2015 with affirmations of a diverse Canada, one of tolerance and acceptance. For four years, he emerged a global leader for inclusion – embracing a gender-balanced cabinet and, more importantly, a country built on tolerance.

The embarrassing Time image – with the PM’s face darkened and wearing a feathered turban – generated international headlines and had news outlets, like NTV, scrambling for reaction. Trudeau’s Liberal Party, we know, is facing a tight race against Andrew Scheer’s Conservatives ahead of the Oct. 21 election and, as political pundits confirmed, this could swing the vote.

Political football

NTV’s legislative reporter Michael Connors, like so many of his contemporaries across the nation, quickly went to work. The party – including incumbents Seamus O’Regan and Nick Whalen – was doing damage control. The opposition was taking advantage of a slippery political football and, well, everyone else seemed to have an opinion.

One of the most fascinating local interviews came from Dr. Syed Pirzada, president of the Muslim Association of Newfoundland and Labrador. “Please grow up,” he cautioned Canadians in a compelling conversation with NTV: First Edition anchor Toni-Wiseman, reminding viewers of how this country prides itself as a peace-maker and a humanitarian country. “Let’s focus on the real issues, seniors and global issues – like Gaza, Palestine and Syria. We need to lead from the front, not focus on these petty issues.”

The premier, in an exclusive interview with newly-hired veteran journalist David Salter, expressed his disappointment but said the country could use this as an opportunity to open the dialogue on racism.

The Trudeau controversy, of course, was merely one of many stories the award-winning team at NTV News was tracking that particular day. There was senior reporter Jodi Cooke’s story on how the Public Utility Board approved a 6.4 per cent rate hike for electricity users. The long-standing feud between the FFAW and FISH-NL got physical at a meeting in Baie Verte. Central Newfoundland was lobbying for an air ambulance story and, at a hospital thousands of miles away, Kelly-Anne Roberts filed reports on Team Broken Earth’s incredible work in poverty-stricken Haiti.

The station’s commitment to news – provincially, nationally and internationally – is what separates it from the competition.

The NTV News brand is demanding. There are morning news checkpoints, a half-hour Newsday newscast at noon (weekdays at noon), not to mention 90 minutes of news from 5:30 to 7 (First Edition and NTV Evening Newshour). There are news-driven programs like Issues and Answers (hosted by legislative reporter Michael Connors), Eyewitness News (hosted by Glen Carter), Week-in-Review (a half-hour recap of the week’s top stories), not to mention a half-hour weekly entertainment show hosted by Amanda Mews. 

There’s also breaking news programs, everything from the provincial budget to election coverage.

“It’s a challenge to deliver all these programs but it truly shows how much depth we have at NTV. Veteran reporters like Jodi Cooke or Mike Connors, for example, often move from the field to the anchor desk on the same day,” says Dwyer, the station’s news director since 2013. “We have so many multi-talented professionals here, people who do incredible work.”

NTV’s latest additions

And the team keeps getting better with the acquisition of young talent. Beth Penney, the 2018 Geoff Stirling Memorial Scholarship winner, has been a great addition, as has King’s College graduate Ben Cleary, who pursued a journalism degree after graduating with a political science degree at MUN. And the latest addition is veteran David Salter, also a King’s grad. 

An award-winning journalist, Salter began his career with The Telegram in the early 1990s before working for publications across Canada. He’d spend over a decade working in communications, with government and the private sector, before returning to his first love, journalism. “I’m exactly where I want to be, working alongside a great group of people here at NTV. I have so much respect for this station and it’s a dream come true to come back home to work here,” says Salter, born and raised in St. John’s.

With the federal election just around the corner, and a myriad of other stories developing, there’s never a dull moment for the NTV news team. 

To check out NTV’s latest coverage, head over to ntv.ca