* ATTENTION EDITORS AND AWARDS COORDINATORS * - Call for Entries for the Canadian Hillman Prize in Journalism: Deadline January 9, 2015

5th Annual Prize Honours Excellence in Journalism
In Service of the Common Good

TORONTO, Oct. 22, 2014 /CNW/ - The Sidney Hillman Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2015 Canadian Hillman Prize honouring excellence in journalism in the public interest. The Hillman Prize seeks out the best investigative reporting that draws attention to social or economic injustice and hopefully leads to corrective measures. We strive to recognize discernment of a significant news story, resourcefulness and courage in reporting, skill in relating the story and the impact of the coverage.

Past Canadian Hillman Prize winners include Steve Buist for "Code Red" in the Hamilton Spectator, CBC's Investigative Unit and the fifth estate for "Scout's Honour," Glen McGregor and Stephen Maher for their robocalls investigation, and Karen Kleiss and Darcy Henton of the Edmonton Journal and Calgary Herald for an investigation into the death of children who were in provincial care.

The 2015 prize will be given to a reported piece or series published or broadcast in 2014. Eligible entries include reporting in newspapers, magazines and online, as well as film and broadcast journalism (television and radio), and multi-media. The contest is open to journalists and subjects globally, although the content must have been published in Canada and be widely available to a Canadian audience. The deadline for submissions is January 9, 2015. 

The winner of the Canadian Hillman Prize will be announced in early March and awarded travel to receive a $5,000 prize and certificate at a reception to be held on Thursday March 12, 2015 in Toronto. The winner will also get to travel to New York City to participate in the U.S. awards ceremony to be held May 5, 2015. The Canadian winner will be listed among all Hillman Prize winners on the Hillman Foundation website.

There is no submission fee. A cover letter and four copies of the nominated material are all that is required. 

This year's entries will be judged by a distinguished panel of Canadian judges: Tony Burman, previously managing director of Al Jazeera English, chief news editor of CBC News, and currently the Research Chair in News Media and Technology at Ryerson's School of Journalism; Jim Stanford, Unifor economist and regular columnist and commentator for the Globe and Mail and CBC Television and Radio; and Bonnie Brown, television documentary producer and radio news producer at CBC for 15 years.

Since 1950, the Sidney Hillman Foundation has honoured journalists, writers and public figures who pursue social justice and public policy for the common good. Sidney Hillman was the founding president of the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union of America, a predecessor union of Workers United, SEIU. Sidney Hillman, an architect of the New Deal, fought to build a vibrant union movement extending beyond the shop floor to all aspects of working peoples' lives. 

"We depend on the hard work and dedication of Canadian journalists to bring forth the pivotal and important stories," said Alex Dagg, Director of Operations for the NHLPA and Hillman board member. "Each year the Canadian Hillman Prize illustrates that Canada is rich with committed and hard-working journalists, who stop at nothing to uncover the issues and stories Canadians care about. The Hillman Prize allows us to pause to honour some of Canada's best in the industry."

Please forward all nominations to:

Annie Hennessey
Media Profile
579 Richmond Street West 
Toronto, Ontario
M5V 1Y6

For questions, please contact: Courtney Radic at 416-427-5041 or [email protected]

SOURCE: Sidney Hillman Foundation

about the Hillman Prize and to see past winners, please visit www.hillmanfoundation.org.