television in edmonton - the ewasuk watch
Here at the Last Link, we have a soft spot for crime – after all, this site has a rather large section devoted to the murdered and the missing in the metro area.
We also have a soft spot for crime reporting. And since Byron Christopher hasn't been heard from since November 2007, there's only one reporter in town worth paying attention to: CTV Edmonton's David Ewasuk.
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Edmonton-born and a NAIT Radio/TV Arts graduate, Ewasuk has picked up numerous awards for his reporting. He's also picked up a certain reporting style ... and that's what this page is devoted to.
It seems that whenever Dave is covering an item, he somehow always makes it into the story itself. While it's not unusual for a reporter to appear at the beginning or end of a piece, Dave frequently appears in the middle. Fifty years ago, when newspapers reigned, the scene might have looked something like this.
Dave's mid-story appearances are a constant – much like University of Alberta criminologist Bill Pitt showing up whenever a quick gloom-and-doom quote is needed.
While we don't know for sure if his cameraman is under instruction to always include Dave in the frame, or whether CTV's editors have to follow some sort of rule, the question remains: is it showboating, is it style – or is Dave trying to start his own drinking game?
Submitted for your approval ... the Ewasuk watch.
November 2008 - The Maia Soukonnik Story
Police allege 60-year-old Maia Soukonnik was stabbed to death by her 20-year-old son who fancied himself a martial arts expert.
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David interviewed a woman who saw the man splitting wood with his hand in an apartment parking lot.
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Also interviewed was a martial arts instructor who was asked by the victim's son to be taught how to break bricks with his head, a request so unusual the segment warranted a double shot of Ewasuk.
The original story can be found here.
October 2008 - The Larry Bosiak Story
After a few months off on special assignment (and welcoming a second child), Dave was back on the beat drumming up statements from ear-witnesses to the city's 24th murder of the year.
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The original story can be found here.
August 2008 - The Percy Davis Police Shooting Story
26-year-old Percy Davis was shot by police after refusing demands to drop a foot-long butcher knife.
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With a rapidly developing story to tackle, Ewasuk likely had not much opportunity to craft his trademark appearances ...
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... until he later interviewed an eyewitness on a doorstep with time to spare.
The original story can be found here.
August 2008 - The Andrew Livingstone O'Brien Story
While interviewing witnesses to the city's seventeenth murder of the year, David seemed to display some unusual behaviour.
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Either he was keeping an eye out for breaking developments, was disinterested in what the interviewees were saying ...
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... or was perhaps just trying out a page from the David Caruso school of acting.
The original story can be found here.
July 2008 - The Horse Painting Thief Story
Once upon a time, Mounties were often called on to catch a horse thief. In July 2008, Mounties were called in to catch a horse painting thief. CTV Edmonton called up David Ewasuk to round up their story.
Now, with a house full of unusual items to use for cutaway shots (see item below) ...
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... viewers were still treated to a close-up of David's face during his own voiceover.
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Included was a sequence of the stolen painting's owner demonstrating some unknown action to the reporter ...
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... and who knows what was going through David's mind at the time.
The original story can be found here (look for Horse Painting Thief in the Wanted section).
July 2008 - The Kristopher Kratchmer Story
Kristopher Kratchmer was found dead on a rural highway west of Leduc. At first, not much was known about the man and his family wasn't talking.
However, Dave found someone who was willing to talk ... sort of.
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When questioned by the crime reporting veteran, Ryan Woolley was careful with his words.
"Around my age as far as I know. Mid-twenties – I would assume. I don't actually know," he said when pressed.
Ewasuk later snagged an interview with the victim's father, Tim Kratchmer. For fans of the industry expose movie Broadcast News, it likely brought a sense of deja vu.
In the 1987 film, a television reporter (played by William Hurt) is sent out with a single camera to interview a date rape victim.
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During the interview, Hurt is seen in a reaction shot shedding a tear when listening to the victim's tale. His colleagues deduce the tears were shed after-the-fact in a pick-up shot filmed later.
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In Ewasuk's interview with Tim Kratchmer, CTV's single camera establishes the reporter conducting the interview.
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Later, when Tim reveals his fear that his son would eventually lose his life to violence, a reaction shot of Ewasuk nodding in sympathy was inserted. The single camera footage obviously came from the earlier establishing shot.
Now, these sorts of "cutaways" are often used to mask edits, joining two separate remarks made by an interview subject to create what's known as a "Frankenquote."
However, close analysis of the audio of Kratchmer's remarks reveal no such edit, raising the question – is it showboating or just Ewasuk's style?
The original story can be found here.
July 2008 - The Mill Woods Molotov Cocktails Story
aka Message In A Bottle?
A series of fire-bombings involving Molotov Cocktails was believed by police to be the result of a tit-for-tat exchange between three groups of teens.
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After attending a police news conference ...
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... Ewasuk sought the opinion of Ward 6 councillor Amarjeet Sohi.
July 2008 - The Chantel Robertson Story
Escort Chantel Robertson went missing and was found two days later, buried in a back yard. A 24-year-old man was charged with first-degree murder.
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After Ewasuk dogged the father of the accused outside the courthouse, the man handed the reporter a written document. Dave likely thought he was being served with a restraining order.
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Interviewing Don and Rose Metz. Rose did most of the talking (much to Don and Dave's relief).
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Interviewing Chantel's friend Ivanka Arar. Results of the staring contest weren't released.
The original story can be found here.
June 2008 - The Strathcona Skeleton Story
Strathcona County RCMP were called to investigate a human skull found in a yard near Range Road 231 and Township Road 514, south of Sherwood Park.
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While Dave didn't play his usual active role in the story, he was seen attending a news conference, likely just to prove to his wife he was on the job – oh wait, that should be easy for her to confirm – she's a member of the Edmonton Police Service (holy disclosure, Batman).
The original story can be found here.
April 2008 - The Stony Plain Baby Story
RCMP investigated the discovery of dead newborn baby found on an acreage northwest of Edmonton.
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After citizens were pulled over by police they also had to answer Dave's questions.
The original story can be found here.
April 2008 - The Alex Semenovich Story
77-year-old Alex Fred Semenovich was shot to death and his body was found stuffed in an incinerator. His wife, daughter and grandson were charged in connection with his murder.
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While covering the story, Dave covered the ground with some of Semenovich's neighbours.
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While another grandson escaped being charged, he didn't escape the attention of the CTV reporter.
The original story can be found here.
March 2008 - The Shernell Sharon Pierre Story
Nurse Shernell Pierre was shot and left for dead in a burning car on 170th Street, mere blocks from where she worked at the Misericordia Hospital.
Police were under pressure to solve the case, and rookie homicide detective Dennis Storey – with only a year under his belt on the murder squad – made frequent media appeals.
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Making one of his frequent media appeal appearances was a local CFRN reporter.
The original story can be found here.
February/March/April 2008 - The Thomas Svekla Trial
Thomas Svekla was on trial facing charges of second-degree murder in connection with the 2005 death of Theresa Merrie Innes and the 2004 death of Rachel Liz Quinney.
CTV viewers were treated to some unusually aggressive moments (even by Ewasuk's standards) as Dave covered the trial.
The first incident occurred on February 20th after Brad Ludwick, the owner of an auto-wrecking yard on an acreage near Sherwood Park, took the stand.
Despite Ludwick's dramatic testimony in court, Dave seemed anxious for additional quotes for his 3-minute supper-hour live hit.
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"Ah, no, I have no comment," was all Ludwick had to say despite Dave's efforts.
The original story can be found here.
The second incident occurred on March 4th after Thomas Svekla's father had taken the stand with his testimony subject to a voir dire (a trial within a trial).
Though the trial had adjourned for the day, Dave attempted to put George Svekla's testimony to his own test.
Ewasuk introduced his supper-hour piece by saying the man didn't like media attention – at one point calling journalists "worse than hounds." The CFRN reporter then gave viewers reasons why George Svekla may have formed that opinion.
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"Can we ask you about your testimony Mr. Svekla?" Ewasuk asked.
"No!" came George's reply with middle finger extended.
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"You seem to have a fairly select memory up there," Ewasuk put forward.
"You gotta," came the reply.
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"You gotta have a select memory? How come?" Ewasuk baited.
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"Keep your distance, Dave" Svekla warned.
"What?"
"Keep your distance. You hard of hearing?"
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Ewasuk could then be seen exchanging glances with a well-built man trailing George Svekla
who shook his head 'No' ...
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... causing the Edward R. Murrow award-winning reporter to drift out of camera range.
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While some may question Ewasuk's aggressive style of gathering material for the day's story, the greater question is whether the sequence was itself worthy of broadcast.
Did it further coverage of the trial ... or did it serve the interests of the reporter and his station at the tail end of a competitive Bureau of Broadcast Measurement ratings period?
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The day's testimony was best summarised by the Edmonton Sun with dramatic use of its customary four-word headline policy.
On March 5th, Sharyn Durocher, one of Svekla's six sisters, claimed to have memory problems on the stand. Unfortunately for Dave, her husband's recall remained sharp and he recognised the reporter's face ... and his style.
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"Wondering if you have any comments on your testimony," Ewasuk asked.
"No comment at this time, thank you," came the quick and curt reply from Durocher's husband.
The original story can be found here.
On the next day, Svekla's trial heard from two medical examiners. Later outside court, both pathologists were asked to recall their testimony.
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After seeing the broadcast, viewers would have had no trouble recalling who did the interviews.
The original story can be found here.
On March 11th Dave seemed to have met his match when interviewing former Edmonton Institution inmate Jerry Wetherelt. Either the wiseguy was a genuine tough guy .. or he was wise to Ewasuk's ways.
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When Dave was attempting to ask Wetherelt if there was anything less than honest in his testimony, the man cut him off.
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"100% the truth. 100% the truth. Everything I said was the truth. I got no reason to lie," he said.
The original story can be found here.
Speaking to reporters outside court on April 23rd, Rebecca Kroetsch said visiting her old friend Thomas Svekla in jail was like encountering the Hannibal Lecter character from the film and book Silence of the Lambs.
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While the woman being interviewed didn't want to be revealed, CTV Edmonton's reporter made sure he was.
The original story can be found here.
July 2007 - The Shawn Hennessey/Dennis Cheeseman First Court Appearance Story
To date, Shawn Hennessey and Dennis Cheeseman have been the only persons charged in the connection with the March 2005 deaths of four RCMP officers near Mayerthorpe, Alberta.
Their first court appearance in the small town was a media circus.
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630 CHED's Byron Christopher said that anybody who didn't have a microphone in his hand had one in their face.
The hearing was interrupted by a Bible-carrying man who told the judge he was "a representative and ambassador of the Kingdom of Heaven." The same man was seen outside court sounding "a battle call for justice" on a horn.
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Ewasuk caught up with the man and recorded an astounding quote from him. "God has spoken on the issue. There was a tornado when a SWAT team arrested Shawn."
The original story can be found here.
April 2007 - The Sara Easton - William Wharry Jr. Story
William Edward Wharry Jr. was convicted of manslaughter in connection with the October 2005 shooting death of Sara Easton. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison. The defence contended that Wharry shot at random and Justice Sheila Greckol agreed.
To illustrate a key point in Greckol's decision, Ewasuk revisited the scene of Sara Easton's murder at the intersection of 124th Street and 134th Avenue in Kensington.
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With Ewasuk standing where Easton was struck by a bullet, the camera pulled back to Wharry's approximate firing position in an attempt to provide viewers with the shooter's point of view – half a football field away.
Not afforded CTV Edmonton viewers were details of the focal length the cameraman used for the final frame of the zoom shot. Shorter focal lengths on zoom lenses tend to make distant objects appear further away than they are in life.
Attempts by the Last Link to ascertain from CTV Edmonton the details of the shot went unanswered.
The original story can be found here.
December 2006 - The Queen of Kensington Story
A 32-year-old dream passed from one owner to another as a prairie-landlocked ocean-going sailboat was freed from a property in northwest Edmonton.
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While Sheldon Larmand was at the scene, it was Ewasuk who provided the poignant prose and post-production voice-over for viewers.
The original story can be found here.
October 2006 - The Shane Chalifoux Story
Shane Chalifoux was stabbed to death in a downtown rooming house. The man who was charged with his murder held police at bay from a ledge of the building in chilly temperatures of 7 C for almost an hour. The scene was captured in a remarkable photograph by Shaughn Butts of the Edmonton Journal.
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A higher-resolution version of the photograph can be viewed here.
Days later, an equally remarkable scene took place when Ewasuk and his cameraman were on hand to witness a woman walking along the same ledge, this time in broad daylight.
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The situation allowed Dave to make a very tongue-in-cheek comment during his broadcast.
"She's on a third-storey ledge ... and on a fixed income," he dryly reported.
When the Last Link later ran into Dave, we told him the line was pure corn.
"We specialise in corn," Ewasuk replied.
The original story can be found here.
October 2005 - The Michael White Makes Bail Story
Michael White was charged with – and later convicted of – the murder of his four-month pregnant wife.
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Part of a media scrum vying for a quote from the man just granted bail, Ewasuk was captured by CBC Edmonton cameras demonstrating his ability to walk backwards and ask questions at the same time.
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Seconds later, Dave is either sensing a pending collision ... or realising competing media cameras are not capturing his best side.
The original story can be found here.
April 2005 - The Nina Courtepatte Story
13-year-old Nina Courtepatte was raped and then beaten to death on a golf course west of Edmonton. There was also an attempt to set her body on fire. Two adults and three juveniles were charged.
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Mike Kachuk, one-time owner of the Edmonton Springs Golf Course, took Dave on a tour of the property.
The original story can be found here.
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This page updated
13:59 2008-11-16.