Global News Partners with Journalists for Human Rights to Send Correspondents to Africa

Laurel Clark, Rumina Daya, Sean O'Shea and Barry Acton to File Exclusive Stories as Part of the Shaw Africa Project

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TORONTO, Feb. 27, 2012 /CNW/ - Global News and Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) announced today that they have selected four Global News reporters to travel to Africa as part of the joint Shaw Africa Project. Global BC's Rumina Daya, Global Edmonton's Laurel Clark, Global Toronto's Sean O'Shea and Global News Videographer Barry Acton will each travel to three separate sub-Saharan countries in the first move of a partnership announced late last year.

"With Rumina, Laurel, Sean and Barry, we have a group of professionals who represent the high journalistic standards and principles advocated by Global News," says Troy Reeb, Vice-President, Global News. "We are happy to provide them with an amazing opportunity to grow personally and professionally while helping to strengthen the communities they visit."

Location and information as follows:

Rumina Daya in Sierra Leone: Daya is an awarding winning journalist who has covered stories all over the world, including the war in Afghanistan, the tsunami in Sri Lanka and sex tourism/human trafficking in Thailand and Myanmar for which she won a Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) award. Originally from Calgary, Daya graduated with a Communications degree with a major in journalism at Mount Royal University.

Laurel Clark in Liberia: Clark has reported on major news events in all three capitals on the Prairies, covering the June 2010 house explosion in north Edmonton, the funeral for Greyhound bus murder victim Tim McLean Jr, and the devastating fires that swept through Slave Lake in May, 2011. Clark graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism, Highest Honours from Carleton University in Ottawa. Sean O'Shea in Ghana: An award-winning investigative and consumer reporter, O'Shea has spent 25 years with Global Toronto, and is the station's longest-serving on-air reporter. He has hosted several programs and segments and has reported on events, including countless federal, provincial and municipal elections, as well as elections in Haiti and El Salvador. Throughout his career, O'Shea has mentored and trained more than 100 journalists. Born in Calgary, O'Shea is a graduate of the University of Regina, School of Journalism.

Barry Acton in Liberia: A seasoned videographer and photojournalist, Acton has over 20 years experience shooting major news events. Acton has been embedded in Afghanistan twice, and was on the ground for revolts in Bangkok, as well as in Egypt, Bahrian and Libya during the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings in each country. Acton now resides in Ottawa, working on The West Block with Tom Clark. Raised in Nepean, Ontario, Acton is a graduate of Loyalist College's Television Broadcasting program.

Daya, Clark, O'Shea and Acton will spend approximately three weeks in these African countries to file location-specific stories and conduct human rights reporting workshops. On returning, each will work with JHR's youth engagement division to help provide a deeper understanding of reporting from Africa.

"Journalists for Human Rights is delighted to partner with Global News on the Shaw Africa Project," says Rachel Pulfer, JHR's Executive Director. "Shaw Media's journalists get an introduction to what is arguably one of the most rewarding forms of journalism that exists: putting hard-earned reporting skills to work for development goals in places where the need for a stronger media is very great."

Selected journalists will be sent to each location within the coming months. Specific dates will be announced shortly.

Global Television is a Shaw Media network.

About JHR:
Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) is Canada's largest media development organization. Founded in 2002, JHR sends international journalists and expert journalism trainers to work side-by-side with journalists in five sub-Saharan African countries, including Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The goal is to build the strength of local media by training journalists on reporting strategies that mainstream human rights issues and hold local governments to account. For more information, www.jhr.ca

About Shaw Communications Inc.
Shaw is a diversified communications and media company, providing consumers with broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Home Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business), satellite direct-to-home services (through Shaw Direct) and engaging programming content (through Shaw Media). Shaw serves 3.4 million customers, through a reliable and extensive fibre network. Shaw Media operates one of the largest conventional television networks in Canada, Global Television, and 18 specialty networks including HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, History Television and Showcase. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX - SJR.B, NYSE - SJR). For more information about Shaw, please visit www.shaw.ca.

Nick Poirier
Publicist
Global News, Shaw Media
416-934-7049
[email protected]

Rachel Pulfer
Executive Director
Journalists for Human Rights
416-413-0240, ext 209
[email protected]