Toronto, Canada, May 21, 2026 – TVO Media Education Group (TVO) proudly accepts two New York Festivals Radio Awards for the TVO Today original podcasts, Me + Viv and Arachnid: Hunting the Web’s Darkest Secrets in the Technology and Social Justice categories. Winners were announced on May 21at the Virtual Storytellers Gala.
Me + Viv earned Silver in the Technology Podcast category. Hosted by Alexandra Samuel and produced by Antica Productions with AI co-host VIV, the series explores how generative AI affects creativity, mental health, and the environment, offering practical, accessible guidance beyond the typical pro‑versus‑con debate.
“At the exact moment when we are all wondering what generative AI would mean for our lives, along came Me + Viv,” says Laurie Few, Digital Executive Producer at TVO. “It’s fun, it’s cheeky… but it’s also a deeply insightful, cautionary tale. Most of all, it’s journalism that informs and provides an accessible way to understanding how generative AI is rapidly changing our everyday lives.”
Arachnid received Bronze in the Social Justice Podcast category. Created with the Investigative Journalism Bureau, Piz Gloria Productions, journalist Robert Cribb, and the Toronto Star, the podcast exposes the global spread of child sexual abuse material online and the systemic failures allowing it to persist.
“Arachnid wasn’t an easy podcast to produce – nor is it, frankly, always the easiest to listen to,” says Laurie Few, Digital Executive Producer at TVO. “But taking on the challenge of holding powerful, influential and also duplicitous actors to account for the ongoing horror of child sex exploitation material being uploaded to the dark web is as important as journalism in the public interest gets.”
TVO congratulates both teams for their award‑winning storytelling and commitment to impactful journalism.
Listen to TVO Today podcasts here, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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ABOUT NEW YORK FESTIVALS RADIO AWARDS
The New York Festivals Radio Awards honors the exceptional and innovative content created today on all continents and seen across all platforms. The judging panel is comprised of international, award-winning experts applying industry-accepted standards of excellence. Entries are judged on production values, organization, presentation of information, creativity and use of the medium.
ABOUT TVO MEDIA EDUCATION GROUP
TVO Media Education Group inspires learning that changes lives and enriches communities. Founded in 1970, we are a globally recognized digital learning organization that engages Ontarians of all ages with inclusive experiences and diverse perspectives. Through our brands TVO Today, TVO Learn, TVO ILC and TVOkids, we’re investing in the transformative potential of education for everyone. TVO is a registered charity funded in part by the Province of Ontario and supported by thousands of sponsors and donors. Visit TVO.me for more information.
Media Contact: Genevieve Grant, TVO| ggrant@tvo.org