President's Fellowship awarded to James Peters

TORONTO, May 2, 2012 /CNW/ - RTDNA Canada - The Association of Electronic Journalists - is pleased to announce that James Peters has been selected as the recipient of the 2012 RTDNA Canada President's Fellowship. The Fellowship of up to $3,000 is offered to a working electronic journalist annually to attend a seminar at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida. Poynter offers an assortment of seminars on issues ranging from Leadership and Management, to Reporting Writing and Editing, to Ethics and Diversity, among others.

"In our 50^th anniversary year, I believe James Peters is an excellent applicant for the President's Fellowship," said RTDNA Canada President Andy LeBlanc. "His duties at CKBZ/CIFM/CFJC Radio-TV in Kamloops, B.C. reflect the reality of our times. His duties entwine functions in radio, TV and digital journalism, presenting news on two radio stations and one TV station, and Peters is actively engaged in social media like Twitter and Facebook."

James is an active member of RTDNA Canada and he has been instrumental in one national and four regional Byron MacGregor awards for best radio newscast. He has spent more than a decade working radio jobs in Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia.

James plans to attend the Poynter Institute's "Planning a Social Media Strategy" session this summer.

"Like many small newsrooms, CFJC is challenged to fit social media into our traditional news delivery," says Peters. "A comprehensive strategy that fits the rigours of our day-to-day newsroom responsibilities will be very helpful, and just such a strategy is what I hope to shape with the help of the Poynter Institute seminar this summer. I am extremely grateful to RTDNA Canada for giving me this opportunity."

RTDNA Canada is the voice of electronic journalists and news managers in Canada.  The members of RTDNA Canada recognize the responsibility of electronic journalists to promote and to protect the freedom to report independently about matters of public interest and to present a wide range of expressions, opinions and ideas. The RTDNA Canada Code of Ethics, adopted by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, is used to measure fairness and accuracy in the profession.