CTV News’ Ethan Faber Dispatched to Sierra Leone for Unique Mentorship Opportunity with Journalists for Human Rights

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TORONTO (February 3, 2014) – CTV News announced today that its own Ethan Faber, Managing Editor and Assistant News Director, CTV Vancouver, is the first of three candidates selected for placement abroad as part of a comprehensive partnership with Journalists for Human Rights (JHR). Faber will travel to the West African nation of Sierra Leone on Saturday, Feb. 8 to conduct human rights workshops and participate in mentorships with local radio and television reporters, following three days of intensive pre-departure training. Beginning Tuesday, Feb. 4, viewers are invited to follow Faber’s journey here.

“Two million people voted in Sierra Leone’s last election, out of a population of only six million,” said Faber. “This is a remarkable achievement for a desperately poor country that is still recovering from a devastating civil war, and a clear sign to me that democracy there has a strong foothold. The key now, as it is for any democracy, is the development of a free press to shine a light on problems and pursue accountability from those with the power to fix them. The chance to share some of my skills with the young journalists who will lead this charge is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I fully expect they will have much to teach me as well. The commitment by CTV News to this partnership is something that makes me very proud.”

“Ethan’s placement abroad creates a dual opportunity to leverage his exceptional talent as a mentor while also learning from his journalist peers who face some of the toughest conditions simply by doing their jobs,” said Wendy Freeman, President of CTV News. “Our partnership with JHR is a tremendous opportunity to build on CTV News’ commitment to quality journalism and demonstrates the important role free press plays in democracy. We are proud to work with a partner whose ideals so closely mirror those of CTV News.”

“Journalists for Human Rights is delighted to be partnering with CTV on this excellent project,” said JHR’s Executive Director Rachel Pulfer on behalf of JHR’s Selection Committee. “Our training programs will benefit greatly from the enormous breadth of talent and expertise that CTV News journalists bring to the equation and we are very keen to track the results.”

Originally developed in November 2013, the partnership between CTV News and JHR creates unique training and mentorship opportunities for qualified journalists from CTV News’ properties. The strategy sees Canadians spend time on the ground working with journalists in developing countries where freedom of the press remains an elusive ideal. This follows a trip by CTV News Chief Anchor Lisa LaFlamme and JHR to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the spring of 2013.

The program extends JHR’s mission of helping local reporters overcome significant obstacles – from a lack of basic resources to government intimidation and corruption – to report their stories safely and fairly. With the help of local JHR leaders, CTV News’ three successful candidates have the opportunity to enhance their experience by exploring their chosen country, building on their knowledge of the area, and expand their journalistic interest in human rights.

Faber responded to the call for applications to the program with a creative and comprehensive written submission, highlighting key qualifications and relevant experiences that could be applied to mentoring journalists abroad in countries with fledgling democracies. A committed journalist with an infectious enthusiasm for journalism and training, Faber’s wealth of experience as an on-air reporter, producer, and long-time newsroom leader at CTV News led JHR to a unanimous decision to welcome him to the mentorship program in Sierra Leone.

All JHR mentorship program submissions are vetted by a select internal senior management team led by Freeman and LaFlamme. Successful applicants are then evaluated by the JHR team. The remaining two placements will be announced later this year.

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About JHR
Journalists for Human Rights (www.jhr.ca) is Canada’s leading media development organization. JHR helps journalists build their capacity to report ethically and effectively on human rights and governance issues in their communities. When the media puts a spotlight on human rights, people start talking about the issues and demanding change. A strong, independent media is a referee between governments and citizens. When human rights are protected, governments are more accountable and people’s lives get better. Since 2002, JHR has trained over 12,500 journalists. Their human rights stories have reached over 50 million people. JHR currently has projects in Jordan, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Tanzania, and Northern Ontario.

About CTV News

CTV News is Canada’s most-watched news organization both locally and nationally, and has a network of national, international, and local news operations. CTV News operations include CTV NEWS CHANNEL, BNN – Business News Network, CP24, and information programming, including CTV NATIONAL NEWS WITH LISA LAFLAMME, CTV NATIONAL NEWS WITH SANDIE RINALDO, CANADA AM, W5, POWER PLAY, and QUESTION PERIOD. Flagship news sites include CTVNEWS.ca, as well as CP24.com and BNN.ca. With a perspective that is distinctly Canadian, CTV News brings Canadians the international and domestic news stories of the day and is the #1 news organization in Canada.

– CTV-

For more information, contact:
Patricia Garcia, Bell Media, 416.384.2645 or patricia.garcia@bellmedia.ca 
Julie MacFarlane, Bell Media, 416.384.4623 or julie.macfarlane@bellmedia.ca
Claire Hastings, Director of Community Engagement, JHR, 416.413.0240 x 206 or claire@jhr.ca