Journalism professor nominated for AIPS Sport Media Awards’ Shortlist Audio 2024

Congratulations to associate professor Adrian Ma on his CBC radio documentary, “Vinsanity (external link) ,” being nominated for AIPS Sport Media Awards’ Shortlist Audio 2024 (external link) . 

Ma reported and produced the piece with the help of CBC’s Michelle Parise.

Vinsanity covers the story of Vince Carter and includes interviews with Raptors players, fans of Carter and cultural commentators who share how Carter changed the Raptors forever.

The story had Ma revisiting the rush basketball first gave him, back when he played on a court near his childhood home, “I was consumed with the dribbling and the feeling of the ball, even my fingertips and hearing the swoosh [of the ball in the air.]”

Watching sports, Ma always wanted to root for Canadian athletes.

When Carter came to the Raptors, he blew people away as an amazing athlete, quickly becoming Ma’s first real sports hero.

So, when it was recently announced that Carter was going to be added to the Hall of Fame (external link) , Ma thought, “Why do I care so much that this guy wants to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Raptor…as a 40-year-old?”

He used the piece as a chance to unpack that question.

As one of Canada's two nominations on the shortlist, he said it meant a lot to him.

Though Ma isn’t a sports reporter, he was still able to produce a story that captured the cultural significance of the sport.

“This whole piece was a thank you letter to a guy I have never met,” he said. “We would not have the basketball scene we have today if he didn't end up here.”