2012 Atlantic Journalism Awards Finalists
Attachments
| Slug/Label | Rome Calls |
|---|---|
| Date Aired or Published | May 9, 2012 |
| Media outlet where first aired or published: | CBC Newfoundland |
| Name of Program: | CBC News: Here & Now |
| If co-produced, list partner: | |
| Location: | St. John's |
| List awards, grants: | |
| Running time (TV/Radio): | 6:14 (main item: 3:00, followup: 3:00) |
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Short explanation of the story and how it developed: AJA BREAKING NEWS TELEVISION Rome Calls Lee Pitts In the spring of 2012, the Canadian Coast Guard's sub-rescue centre based in St. John's had shut down as part of federal budget cuts. The duties had been transferred to the military's command centre in Halifax, but that's when CBC News learned of changes that put fishermen's lives at risk. CBC News obtained a memo sent by Coast Guard officials instructing staff to no longer accept the tele-medicine calls from the offshore and, instead, to direct them to contact a not-for-profit, free organization called CIRM in Italy. Until the closure of the rescue centre in St. John's, those medical calls from boats offshore used to be handled by doctors in Atlantic Canada, through a contracted service. Doctors would provide medical advice, determine the severity of the medical help needed and decide whether an airlift was required. The Rome-based CIRM is a charity-like organization that often provides that assistance to developing countries that cannot afford its own search and rescue. The reporter and producer who received this memo immediately began to investigate while preparing immediate coverage of the story since it was potentially life-threatening to people working offshore. While the reporter and producer were investigating the memo and preparing to break the story, news broke - unexpected and unanticipated, forcing the crew to react to this new and unexpected development - but a development that suddenly put a face on this important public interest story. A fishing crew had to use the medical service in Rome and were talking about their experience and the botched emergency call. A skipper of a fishing boat had taken ill, his son called for medical advice, but between the language barriers and other problems, couldn't get the medical advice needed and spent hours steaming to shore without any help at all to rush the skipper to the hospital. The fishermen spoke about his experiences which then allowed the reporter to merge his story with the government memo obtained and the other details revealed through calls and other investigative methods. The reporter adapted to the unexpected development and delivered a powerful - perhaps even more powerful - story about public safety. This story made national headlines in the days that followed. It caused an uproar in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and sparked questions to the Prime Minister. Opposition politicians demanded answers. The federal and provincial government were scrambling to understand what had happened. Within 24 hours of uncovering the story, federal politicians and officials with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Department of National Defence and Coast Guard, had reversed its decision. Doctors in Atlantic Canada would once again handle the calls. The reporters stayed with this story - months later, through access to information, the reporter obtained copies of government memos to staff, which detailed what lead up to the decision to send medical calls to Italy, and the government scrambling behind the scenes to attempt to control the story after it broke. This story demanded immediate accountability and ultimately reversed a life-threatening decision by the federal government that affected anyone working in Newfoundland and Labrador's offshore. |
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Resources of the newsroom (money and time) available to complete the story: One day to complete the story, Pitts was the TV reporter, Antle filed for the web, both chased elements/interviews. Editor required to create maps/graphics to illustrate the story for the viewer. Producer used I-phone to record Pitts making the telephone call to Rome. |
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