Nominations open for CJF Excellence in Journalism Award

The Canadian Journalism Foundation has opened nominations for its annual Excellence in Journalism Award. Deadline for submissions is March 4.

Since 1996, the Canadian Journalism Foundation has celebrated news organizations that embrace ideals of journalistic excellence – accuracy, independence, accountability, courage, originality, etc. – with its annual Excellence in Journalism Award. Winners in two categories are selected: 1) small/medium or local/regional media, and 2) large or national media.

Past winners include:

2010
Toronto Star (large media)
Metroland Durham Region (small media)

2009     
The Winnipeg Free Press (large media)
The Tyee (small media)

2008                               
The Canadian Press (large media)
The St. John’s Telegram (small media)

2007                               
The Hamilton Spectator (large media)
The Guelph Mercury (small media)

2006                                
The Globe and Mail

2005                                    
The Hamilton Spectator

2004                                
CBC News

2003                                
The Record, Kitchener

2002                                
CTV News

At last year’s gala, Michael Cooke, editor-in-chief of the large media category winner Toronto Star, accepted the award on behalf of the organization.
“Editors, publishers and even owners are only as good as their reporters, and this country has some great reporters — I’d like to say mostly at the Toronto Star, but also at The Globe and Mail, and the National Post, and the Sun papers,” said Cooke.

“It’s the journalism of pursuit, the journalism of energy. We’re blessed to be working with this kind of competition. It keeps us fit, and keeps us honest. But we need to back our reporters up with good salaries, and benefits, and legal protection…and not look so closely at their expense accounts.”

Metroland Durham Region won the Excellence in Journalism Award in the small, medium or local market category. The newspaper’s submission both wowed and educated the jury since several of its members were unfamiliar with the publication.

“Anyone who runs a newsroom should enter in the morning and just listen. If you hear your staff laughing, chatting or discussing their kid’s soccer game, you have the ingredients for great journalism,” said Joanne Burghardt, editor-in-chief. “If there’s silence, you know there’s a problem: there’s no community, an important part of a solid newsroom. It’s important to remember that great journalism happens in even the smallest newsrooms.”

This year’s winner will be announced at the CJF 14th Annual Awards Gala to be held at The Fairmont Royal York Hotel on June 7, 2011. 

As previously announced, Robert MacNeil, legendary political correspondent and co-anchor of the MacNeil/Lehrer Report, will be presented with the CJF Honorary Tribute. Other awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Greg Clark Award and the Tom Hanson Photojournalism Award, will also be presented.

For more information, visit http://www.cjf-fjc.ca/awards_excellence.htm or contact Natalie Turvey at nturvey@cjf-fjc.ca or at 416-955-0394.