From Andrew Ryan of the Globe and Mail:

• Canadian shows scoop awards at Banff festival
  Say it loud and proud, Canada: Our track record of unique TV programming still ranks among the best in the world. A diverse group of Canadian programs were among the grand-prize-winners named at the 29th Annual Banff World Television Awards.” Read more.

Original to TV, eh?:

There’s no red carpet, no A-list celebrities dripping with borrowed jewels in haute couture, no online forums guessing winners, no widely televised ceremony. What the Banff World Television Awards do have is a truly international scope, with winners from countries including Liberia, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Israel, South Africa, and more.

Presented at the Banff World Television Festival, the 29th annual Awards – popularly known as The Rockies — included a Lifetime Achievement award to BBC producer Jon Plowman (Extras) and the NBC Universal Canada Award of Distinction to actor Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City).

The Grand Prize went to HBO’s White Light/Black Rain: The destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Comedy award was given to Extras: Episode 9 – Daniel Radcliffe, airing on BBC and HBO, while Skins of the UK’s Channel 4 picked up the trophy for Continuing Series and A&E’s Intervention won for Reality Format Program.

Canadian shows pick up awards

National Geographic’s Ghosts of the Yangtze (Up the Yangtze) and Discovery Channel’s The Real Superhumans and the Quest for the Future Fantastic both won Best Canadian Program. How the Gimquat Found Her Song won in the Children’s Programs categry, while Odd Job Jack was rewarded for Interactive Program Enhancements and The Border: Interactive picked up the Mobile Programs and Enhancements award.

The Banff World Television Festival website has a full list of winners.