In recognition of its 20th anniversary, Global’s flagship news program, Global National, will air a one-hour documentary special Disruption: 20 Years of Global National on September 10.
Disruption: 20 Years of Global National will be hosted by current Anchor and Executive Editor Dawna Friesen and former Global National Chief Anchor Kevin Newman.
This occasion marks Newman’s return to Global’s airwaves for the first time since 2010 after serving as the first Chief Anchor beginning with the program’s launch September 3, 2001.
Disruption: 20 Years of Global National examines how transformative events over the past two decades such as 9/11, our country’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan, the Arab Spring, and the global pandemic have transformed the lives of Canadians. In addition to coverage and conversation hosted by Newman and Friesen, the special will also feature stories and recollections of producers, correspondents and video-journalists involved in some of the biggest stories in recent history, including those who have been with Global National since its inception, Mike Armstrong and Ross Lord.
“I believe the role of journalists is to bear witness, to go places most people don’t and to reflect and describe events as they unfold,” said Dawna Friesen, Anchor, Global National. “We write the first draft of history, and the last 20 years have been an almost non-stop firehose of information and events. Even things that take place thousands of miles away from us can affect and disrupt our lives here in Canada. 9/11 is an example of that.”
“It was a privilege to help create and anchor Global National and I loved reconnecting with friends and colleagues in recognition of this milestone,” said Kevin Newman. “I hope viewers will see what Dawna and I know to be true, that our storytellers have always been dedicated to truth, empathy, and creativity.”
“Recognizing the ingenuity, accuracy and tenacity of our journalism over two decades is a momentous occasion for Global National,” said Ward Smith, Senior Vice President, Global News. “Disruption: 20 Years of Global National reflects the perspective of our devoted journalists who have documented the news and brought it to viewers coast-to-coast. We’re excited to look back and share this perspective with Canadians.”
Global National is Canada’s only early evening national newscast and provides a distinctive voice and approach to the day’s top stories. Global National has been voted Best Newscast by the Radio and Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) of Canada and by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.
In 2019, Friesen was awarded Best National Anchor at the Canadian Screen Awards (CSA). In 2015, the Global National team won Best National Newscast at the 2015 CSAs. In 2013, Global National was awarded the Edward R. Murrow Overall Excellence Award for Network Radio and Television, becoming the first Canadian program to earn that recognition in the award’s 42-year history. In 2011, she won a Gemini for Best National Anchor in Canada. In 2008, Friesen also won an Emmy award for coverage of the US presidential election.
Disruption: 20 Years of Global National airs at 8 p.m. MT/AT, 9 p.m. CT and 10 p.m. ET/PT on all Global networks nationwide and at globalnews.ca/globalnational.
