360 Vision. [2004-02-11]
Summary: "360 Vision is the only current affairs show on Canadian television dedicated to exploring the role that spirituality plays in our society. It is the flagship program of VisionTV, Canada's multi-faith and multicultural network.
The mandate of 360 Vision is to provide viewers with a compass to help them navigate their own belief systems and those of others. The hour-long program features in-depth documentary reports, interviews with leading contemporary thinkers and insightful, provocative commentaries.
360 Vision resists following the journalistic herd, focusing its energies instead on telling unique stories overlooked by the mainstream media. The series celebrates the diversity of faiths in Canada, while bringing to its subject the kind of rigorous, critical thinking essential to good reporting.
The 360 Vision team is small, and operates with far fewer resources than most other national current affairs shows. Its producers make up for this disadvantage with a depth of expertise on matters of spirituality that is unmatched anywhere else in Canadian television.
In 2004, 360 Vision produced a variety of unique and original stories that helped to solidify its standing as a leading source of news and information about spirituality in contemporary Canadian society. Examples include:
- On Dec. 15, 2004, the show presented an exclusive investigation of Operation Christmas Child, a popular charitable initiative that sends shoeboxes packed with toys to children in developing nations. As 360 Vision reported, Operation Christmas Child is run by Samaritan's Purse, an Evangelical Christian organization that, despite its denials, uses the campaign as a vehicle for converting youngsters of other faiths. 360 Vision's coverage prompted at least one Canadian school to suspend its involvement with the charity.
- On Dec. 8, 2004, the show presented the full-edition documentary 'One Heart, One Fist.' A 360 Vision crew joined the Caravan of Hope, a convoy of buses bearing relief supplies from Toronto to Central America. For the Ecuadorian-born Anglican priest who launched the Caravan initiative, this grueling 5,000-kilometre odyssey is all about following the difficult spiritual path known as liberation theology.
- On Nov. 3, 2004, 360 Vision presented an exclusive report on a union drive launched by clergy from the United Church of Canada in an effort to protect themselves against verbal and emotional abuse from parishioners. Other mainstream media throughout the country subsequently picked up this story.
- In October 2004, 360 Vision introduced its 'Pop Slot,' an innovative weekly segment that looks at faith in popular culture. This feature, which has covered everything from a Muslim rap group to a burlesque version of the nativity, takes a fresh and sometimes irreverent approach to its subject, proving that current affairs coverage of faith and spirituality need not always be solemn."--2004 Peabody Awards entry form
Corporate Producers: VisionTV
Persons Appearing: Noelle Richardson (Host)
Broadcast Date: 11-Feb-04
