J-Links for July 10: CJFE recognizes Danny Henry; Canada’s ‘The Newsroom’; Journos need protection: UN

In Canadian media:

CJFE awards media lawyer with Vox Libera Award

In Canadian media:

CJFE awards media lawyer with Vox Libera Award

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is awarding renowned media laywer Danny Henry with the Vox Libera Award. It is given to a Canadian who made great contributions to free expression in journalism. Henry, who retired this year, is chosen for his passion for media freedom; he has promoted and defended media freedom throughout his career. He spent the last three decades as legal counsel for the CBC. Henry will accept his award on Dec. 5, at the 15th annual CJFE Gala.

Canada did it first: Canada’s “The Newsroom” aired 16 years ago on CBC

Does anyone remember Ken Finkleman playing an executive producer on the very set of CBC? Now that Andy Sorkin’s The Newsroom is out, it may ring a bell. If not, Toronto-based journalist Soraya Roberts writes an article for The Daily Beast comparing Canada’s The Newsroom to HBO’s.

Article says journos reported unemployment numbers incorrectly

An article on Canadian online magazine, backofthebook.ca says that when Statistics Canada released its monthly job survey numbers in June the media weren’t able to crunch the numbers correctly. Backofthebook.ca took the liberty to explain what it says actually happened with labour in June.

 

In international media:

Sixty-five journalists killed in the first half of 2012 , UN calls for greater protection

The United Nations has drafted a plan for the safety of journalists as a large number of journalists are killed and imprisoned every year. According to the Swiss news agency ATS, 50 per cent more journalists have been killed this year than last and Reporters Without Borders say that 163 were imprisoned. All UN agencies have adopted UNESCO’s plan of action on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity. The discussion of integrating this will be discussed at a meeting in November in Vienna.

 

Today’s read:

Andrew Coyne on Canada’s hate speech law

The National Post’s Andrew Coyne wonders why Canada still has Section 319.2 of the Criminal Code that restricts freedom of speech — forbidding the “willful” promotion of hatred” against any identifiable group.” Coyne discusses the country’s hate speech law and his thoughts on why — or why not — it should be abolished.