"WELCOME HOME, DAWNA FRIESEN" - GLOBAL NATIONAL LAUNCHES EXTENSIVE
ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN TO INTRODUCE NEW ANCHOR

For more information and high resolution campaign images, please visit the media site:
www.canwesttvmedia.com

TORONTO, Sept. 8 /CNW/ - Earlier this summer, Global National announced award-winning veteran journalist Dawna Friesen as the newscast's new Anchor and Executive Editor beginning September 20. Now, as Dawna's highly-anticipated debut approaches, Global is pulling out all the stops with Global National's most significant advertising campaign to date.

Launched with TV spots on Global late this summer and extending to additional media this week, the integrated, multi-faceted campaign will span the fall and include television, radio, outdoor, transit and print. Dawna will also be travelling across Canada on a multi-city publicity tour.

The campaign creative tells Dawna's unique story - from her Manitoba roots, to her extensive experience as a journalist across Canada, to the last 11 years covering major international stories for NBC News. The campaign comes together with a simple and appropriate tag line: "Welcome Home, Dawna Friesen."

"Dawna's arrival presents a unique opportunity for Global National to build on its loyal base of over a million viewers every night," said Walter Levitt, Chief Marketing Officer, Canwest Broadcasting. "We have planned an extensive campaign where Canadians will get to know Dawna, connect with her, and proudly welcome her to the Global National anchor chair. The size and scope of this launch reinforces Global's commitment to our national newscast and to introducing Dawna as its new leader."

Campaign media highlights include:

• A series of originally produced on-air spots on Global and across all Canwest Specialty channels and on targeted cable news stations
• Print advertisements in the major dailies including The Toronto Star, National Post, Globe & Mail and Postmedia Network's local newspapers
• Outdoor advertisements on billboards and transit shelters in major cities across the country
• Digital Superboards located in high profile, high traffic areas in the Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver markets
• A series of radio spots
• A multi-city publicity tour with Dawna Friesen including Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and others

All creative and media plans were developed in-house through the Canwest Creative Agency and Media Strategy teams.

A Winnipeg-native, Dawna began her news career in Canada in 1985 with postings in Portage La Prairie, Brandon, Saskatoon and Thunder Bay. She went on to work for both CTV and CBC at the national level. For the past 11 years, she has served as the London-based correspondent for NBC News covering everything from the murder of journalist Daniel Pearl in Pakistan to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to the British Royal Family. Assignments have taken her to Africa, Middle East, Russia and across Europe. Dawna was part of the Emmy® award-winning team covering Barack Obama's election and returned to Vancouver in February to report on the Winter Olympics.

Global National with Dawna Friesen begins on Monday, September 20.

Global National airs weeknights at 5:30pm/6:30pm Maritimes on Global and 7:30pm NFLD on NTV.

Global Television is a Canwest Broadcasting Network.

About Canwest Broadcasting
Canwest Broadcasting operates Global Television and 19 of the country's most popular specialty channels, including HGTV, Mystery TV, National Geographic Channel, Showcase, History Television, Food Network and TVtropolis. Canwest Broadcasting is a division of Canwest Media Inc.

About Canwest Media Inc.
Canwest Media Inc. is a subsidiary of Canwest Global Communications Corp. (www.canwest.com) (TSX-V; CGS and CGS.A), one of Canada's largest broadcasting companies. In addition to owning the Global Television Network, Canwest operates 19 industry-leading specialty channels and more than 20 online properties.

For further information:

For media inquiries, please contact:                      

Grace Park, Publicity Manager
Global Television
[phone]
[email protected]

Jacqueline Kendall, Publicist
Global Television
[phone]
[email protected]