AJAs 2017 Finalists
Attachments
| Slug/Label | Show of work |
|---|---|
| Date Aired or Published | Oct 08, 2023 / Apr 30, 2023 |
| Media outlet where first aired or published: | CBC Nova Scotia |
| Name of Program: | cbc.ca/ns |
| If co-produced, list partner: | NA |
| Location: | Halifax |
| List awards, grants: | NA |
| Running time (TV/Radio): | NA |
|
Short explanation of the story and how it developed: "Listen to the Music: Impromptu Doobie Brothers set in 1980 part of Halifax lore" separates fact from fiction about the night The Doobie Brothers played a small club in Halifax at the height of their fame when they were playing arenas worldwide. With the band returning to play a show in Halifax in 2023 — their first show here since 1980 — it was a perfect time to look back at this night and find out what really happened. I tracked down a variety of people who were there, all of whom saw the evening unfold from a different perspective: an audience member, bar employees, local musicians, and most importantly, a Doobie. It took several weeks to arrange the interview with Patrick Simmons, but I reached him at a tour stop in Missouri where he was enjoying his morning coffee. I started doing the interviews a couple of months in advance to make sure I had the necessary voices, but wrote the story closer to the band's Oct. 13, 2023, show here. It's the story of a big band playing a small venue, which is what all music lovers dream of seeing. "Facing terminal cancer, Halifax woman focuses on 'blessing' she's been given" came on my radar through contacts, so I attended the gallery opening. The interviews were conducted on the spot at the packed gallery and I filed the story on my next day at work, so it was treated more like a daily news story. It's an inspiring story of a woman who always dreamed of being an artist, but life circumstances prevented that from being her career. Not many people would see terminal cancer as a blessing, but Maria Valverde does. Her art is a visual reminder of what life looked like in Halifax during peak portions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cancer and the pandemic are two topics that all readers can connect with. |
|
|
Resources of the newsroom (money and time) available to complete the story: These stories were each completed over the course of a couple days in the midst of other digital writing duties with the usual support from our Sr. Digital Producer and Copyeditors. |
|