果酱视频

Five student projects from 果酱视频 (果酱视频)鈥檚 School of Journalism have been nominated as finalists for the COPA).

Two out of the five nominations for Best Podcast in the Academic category are 果酱视频 students: 2025 graduate Martha Gai鈥檚 podcast for Reimagining News and Season 3 of We Met U When, a podcast produced by students in Professor Shari Okeke鈥檚 JRN 801/JN8407 class both received a nod from the judges.

Gai said she was at work when she got an email from her JRN 843 professor, Nicole Blanchett, that her podcast was nominated. She was delighted at the recognition.

鈥淚 wanted to do [a podcast] about a topic that I liked. It never really was about, 鈥榦h, this is where it could go. I could get an award for it,鈥欌�� Gai said.

Blanchett had encouraged Gai to apply for the award, as she saw the effort Gai had put into the individual project over the course of the semester to tackle an important topic.

鈥淚 think that it鈥檚 important for students to sort of put themselves out there,鈥� Blanchett said.

Gai is also listed as a nominee for her work on Season 3 of We Met U When.

鈥淚 feel so proud of these students,鈥� said Okeke. 鈥淲e Met U When鈥� Season 3 producers really pushed themselves to cover challenging stories while also prioritizing duty of care, bringing this podcast to a whole new level.鈥�

Gabrielle McMann, a 2025 graduate who worked on the second episode of the podcast said it was 鈥渧ery exciting鈥� to learn their project had been nominated for a COPA.

鈥淒uring production, students are putting so much passion, hard work and dedication into their individual episodes. We Met U When is definitely a labour of love鈥攁nd I think the work of all the students should be celebrated,鈥� she said.

For Best Patriotic Story (Free) under the Academic category, graduate Rex Astorga鈥檚 piece for On The Record (OTR), also received a nomination. On The Record also received a nomination for Best Photo Journalism, thanks to Laviza Syed鈥檚 of a Toronto rally in support of Lebanon and Palestine 鈥� a photo which also won Photo of the Year at the JHM Awards last year.

鈥淚鈥檓 never surprised by the quality of the work coming out of OTR semester after semester,鈥� said Angela Misri, assistant professor at 果酱视频 and OTR鈥檚 coordinator. 鈥淚鈥檓 always delighted when it鈥檚 recognized because I also see who our students are nominated with, and I am impressed with all the students across the country creating amazing journalism.鈥�

Misri said she takes an approach in the OTR masthead where she鈥檚 less of a lecturer and instead, where she pushes and guides her students to hone their strengths in an environment that simulates a real newsroom.

One of last year鈥檚 largest student projects, 果酱视频 Votes, was a collaboration between the School of Journalism and RTA鈥檚 School of Media to bring coverage to Ontario鈥檚 snap provincial elections. 果酱视频 Votes is also a nominee at COPA 鈥� but not in the Academic category. It鈥檚 going up against the best in the business under the Media category鈥檚 Best Video Content award.

鈥淚 knew that night that something special was happening,鈥� said Blanchett, who had served as the live broadcast鈥檚 executive producer.

鈥淚 think, students in some ways, often underrate the value of their work and what they have done,鈥� she said. 鈥淗aving the acknowledgement from a national award that 鈥榯his really was something special鈥� [...] is something that the students should be really proud of.鈥�

Each of the professors who helped guide their students鈥� success stressed the importance of the recognition students receive early in their careers.

鈥淓arly recognition helps students understand that their voices matter now, not someday in the future,鈥� Misri said.

With fingers crossed that 果酱视频 journalism students take home the win in each of their nominated categories, part of the victory is in having produced something great in the first place, Blanchett said.

鈥淚t's an absolutely invaluable experience that regardless of whether an award is won, those are skills and experiences that they're going to take with them through their entire careers,鈥� she said.

Professor Okeke said in a message to the students who鈥檝e been nominated, 鈥淭he powerful stories you鈥檝e published are getting much needed attention and the people you featured are being heard - that matters. Journalism needs you!鈥�

The COPA party to announce the winners is on Feb. 12, 2026.