CBC Nova Scotia takes home 3 RTDNA awards

CBC Nova Scotia has earned three awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) for court coverage, an in-depth regional series and investigative reporting.

Each year, the association honours the best in Canadian journalism with awards for each region. The awards ceremony for the eastern region took place in Halifax on Saturday.

CBC Atlantic, comprised of journalists from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, P.E.I. and Newfoundland and Labrador, won the Ron Laidlaw Continuing Coverage Television Award for Deep Trouble, last summer's series about the plight of endangered North Atlantic right whales.

The collaborative series involved reporting from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and P.E.I and looked at why so many whales are dying and what's being done to address it.

Blair Rhodes and Dave Irish won the Social Media Award for their month-long coverage of Christopher Garnier's second-degree murder trial in the death of off-duty Truro police officer Catherine Campbell.

Rhodes live tweeted from the courtroom and regular recaps and explainers were shared on social media.

The Ron Laidlaw Continuing Coverage Digital Award went to CBC reporter Michael Gorman for his work exposing an expense scandal at the IWK Health Centre.

CBC Nova Scotia's investigative team first noticed inconsistencies in former CEO Tracy Kitch's expenses last June and revealed that she'd been charging thousands in personal expenses to a corporate credit card.

Gorman also found the hospital's top financial official, Stephen D'Arcy, removed critical emails related to expense preparation for a freedom-of-information disclosure.

In total, CBC Atlantic racked up 11 RTDNA awards this year.