Lina Caneva Melbourne, Australia Producer, Director and Writer

Now she combines the careers of Media Trainer and freelance TV Producer with that of Journalist, Director, Producer and Writer.

Lina graduated from RMIT with a Diploma in Arts and Journalism, majoring in politics.

From 1977 to 1985 she was on the staff of Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) Television and Radio News.

She started as a junior State Political reporter and went on to write and produce two half hour medical documentaries for the ABC’s popular program, Weekend Magazine: a documentary on the production of insulin and about Australian medical research into diabetes on the island nation of Kiribati.

In her journalism career she won 1978 Paul Tonkin Cadet Broadcast Award for radio and the 1995 Australia Day Media Award for the best television feature story. She has covered everything from State Parliament and medical break-throughs to Royal tours and major crime investigations.

From 1985 to 1997 she worked at the Seven Network, presenting the late news show Newsworld and news updates. She was senior State Political reporter for five years.

As a freelance journalist, working in all areas of current affairs, she produced stories for A Current Affair on the Nine Network, has been a producer on the ABC’s 7.30 Report and worked with the ABC’s weekly news review show, Stateline, as well as producing and writing for the Seven Network’s Today Tonight.

She has produced a number of TV reality programs including Great Escapes (Seven Network 1996) and Sudden Impact (Nine Network 2008).

Turning to independent documentary production, Lina won the 2003 Rouben Mamoulian Prize for Best Australian Short Film at the 50th Sydney Film Festival for her documentary, The Mascot. Since 2000 Lina has been Editor of the online news service for the Australian not-for-profit sector called Pro Bono Australia. She retired from the role in December 2017

Away from work, she has two adult sons with partner, cameraman and photographer, Ian McGill.