And the JHR Lifetime Achievement Award in Human Rights Reporting goes to…

TORONTO, Oct. 7 2016 /CNW/ - Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) is delighted to announce that Paul Barnsley, of Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), is the winner of the annual JHR Lifetime Achievement Human Rights Reporting Award.

Barnsley has had a long career covering human rights issues in Indigenous communities. He began his career working at the Tekawennake, a weekly community newspaper, and from 1997 to 2007 worked as a correspondent for Windspeaker. In 2007 he joined APTN, and over the years has made a huge impact on the network. Today he leads APTN's Investigative team. APTN Investigates is the first Indigenous investigative news program in Canada. The show offers viewers hard-hitting investigative reports and stories that change lives.

Barnsley is also known for directing the team that broke the Bruce Carson story - a government-connected scandal that was picked up by every major news outlet in the country.

"Journalists for Human Rights is delighted to honour Paul Barnsley's critically important body of work with the Second Annual Lifetime Achievement Award for Human Rights Reporting. Barnsley's work has laid the foundation for so much powerful reporting on Indigenous issues. He has been consistently first, and consistently the most dogged, in his coverage of this critically important aspect of life in Canada -- opening up vital public conversations on everything from the Bruce Carson case to the residential school survivors' court settlement. Hence the jury's decision", said Rachel Pulfer, JHR Executive Director.

"Paul's thorough, ethical and unbiased coverage has gained the trust of Indigenous people and leaders across the country. During his career he has consistently covered hundreds of human rights stories," said Karyn Pugliese Executive Director of News and Current Affairs at APTN. "He has also influenced and mentored a number of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal journalists, influencing and helping to modernize the field of Aboriginal journalism, by insisting on context, detailed investigative work and balance."

"I am so proud of Paul to have achieved this recognition, and to have brought Aboriginal issues to the forefront of national news. He continues to play a significant role on reporting our Peoples stories and APTN is honoured to have him on our team," said Jean La Rose, APTN Chief Executive Officer.   

Barnsley received the Human Rights Reporting Award at JHRs annual Night for Rights Gala on Thursday October 6^th, 2016.

Night for Rights is JHR's flagship fundraising event, and an opportunity to bring together Canada's leading media organizations in celebration of JHRs work around the world. Since 2002 JHR has worked in 25 countries and trained over 14,500 journalists, whose stories are ensuring human rights remain in the headlines.

-Thank you to CNW for sponsoring this release-

Notes for Editors:

For more information on the award, please contact:

Janine deVries
Community Engagement Coordinator
Journalists for Human Rights
416.413.0240
[email protected]
www.jhr.ca

Journalists for Human Rights (www.jhr.ca ) is Canada's leading media development organization. JHR trains journalists to report ethically and effectively on human rights and governance issues in their communities. Since 2002, JHR has trained over 14,500 journalists whose stories have reached over 50 million people.

JHR currently has projects in Jordan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Northern Ontario, and South Sudan, with a pilot set to launch in South Africa in 2017.

SOURCE Journalists for Human Rights (JHR)

please contact Rachel Pulfer, Executive Director at 416 413 0240 ext. 206, 647 892 9673 (mobile) or [email protected]