Halifax Rainbow Encyclopedia: Raymond Taavel Media Award

An NSRAP award recognizing an individual or organization for work in the traditional or social media educating the public on news or issues affecting the LGBT community. This Award has been renamed in 2012 to honour the memory of RaymondTaavel – a gay community activist who worked in the media as a Wayves editor/contributor and as an employee of the Shambhala Sun.

Past recipients have included CBC Radio One’s Mainstreet & Maritime Magazine (for coverage of LGBTQ issues) and Jesiah MacDonald? (for his public advocacy for trans* rights). - See more at: http://nsrap.ca/community/2014heroes#sthash.101mjflr.dpuf

2013: The Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project (NSRAP) is pleased and proud to announce that the Raymond Taavel Media Award for 2013 will be shared by Halifax-based CBC Radio One programs Mainstreet Nova Scotia, with Host StephanieDomet? (Stephanie Domet, Producer), and Maritime Magazine, with Host PaulineDakin?, ChristinaHarnett?, Producer.
: “It is still exceedingly rare for the LGBT community to catch the mainstream media’s attention,” said NSRAP Chair Lisa Buchanan, “unless there is either a tragedy or controversy. And in those situations the coverage is often sensationalized. Both of these programs have been exemplary in their portrayal of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans-identifying Maritimers as they are, real people.”
: Over the last year, Maritime Magazine has presented several half hour documentaries on LGBT people, including a program on trans students attending university in Charlottetown, PEI, and a story about an openly gay high school student in New Brunswick whose positive outlook and example transformed their community.
: Mainstreet NS has consistently offered nuanced, accurate reporting about Nova Scotia’s LGBT communities. They have explored issues facing older LGBT people, trans issues, and LGBT youth.
: “Raymond was himself a journalist,” said NSRAP member Hugo Dann. “These programs are fully deserving of an award named in his honour. They tell compelling stories that present our community fairly and accurately, and that sets a good example for others in the media.”