News broadcasters have taken an early lead at the Geminis, following word that journalists from both CBC and CTV are among the recipients of this year’s special awards.

Bob Culbert, VP of documentaries at CTV and a former exec director at CBC Newsworld, will receive the Academy Achievement Award in recognition for his ‘outstanding contribution’ to journalism and broadcasting in Canada.

Beverly Thomson, cohost of CTV’s Canada AM, will take home the Humanitarian Award for her work in the battle against breast cancer, while Hana Gartner, one of the hosts of CBC’s the fifth estate, has scored the Gordon Sinclair prize for broadcast journalism.

A statement from the Academy praised Thomson’s ‘unyielding spirit, humor, empathy and humility’ since going public with her own breast cancer and treatment in 2003.

Culbert and Thomson will be the only CTV newsies among this year’s winners. The net’s news department has pulled out of competition amid complaints of a pro-CBC bias among Gemini wins.

The special awards will be handed out at Gemini’s industry awards in Toronto on Oct. 16, 17 and 18. The larger, Gemini gala will be in Vancouver on Nov. 4.

The other winners: actor Donnelly Rhodes has scored the Earle Grey prize for raising the profile of Canuck TV. His film and TV appearances over the past 40 years include 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Mission Impossible, Police Story, Street Legal and a recurring role on Da Vinci’s Inquest.

Peter White (Danger Bay, Northwood) has won the Margaret Collier prize for screenwriting, while the pilot episode for Wapos Bay takes the Canada Award for its representation of racial and cultural diversity. The series, written and directed by Dennis Jackson, airs on APTN.

The Academy’s technical achievement nod goes to the openGear equipment platform.

Organizers have not yet named the host, if any, for the Nov. 4 gala. The 2005 awards did not have a single host, but, at press time, the format for this year was still undecided, according to a Gemini spokesperson.

www.geminiawards.ca