TORONTO, April 6, 2020 /CNW/ - A Montreal-based non-profit organization dedicated to press freedom, the Fédération professionnelle des journalistes du Québec (FPJQ), has won the annual CJF-Facebook Journalism Project News Literacy Award, presented by The Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) and the Facebook Journalism Project.
The FPJQ won for its #30secondes avant d'y croire project (#30seconds to Check it Out in English), featuring workshops first launched in high schools, alerting students to the various forms of misinformation prevalent on the Internet. The project expanded its reach last year with a version targeting CEGEP and university students, focusing on political misinformation. Another form of the initiative will soon be offered in libraries to reach the general public.
#30secondes avant d'y croire relies on volunteer journalists to share techniques to identify truth from falsehoods, understand what makes a credible source, why one should take a moment before sharing information across social networks and to explain the negative impacts of disinformation on democracy. The journalists also explain their work and how to obtain information from reliable and diverse sources.
"The Fédération's campaign against disinformation has been a labour of love for the past three years, fuelled largely by journalists volunteering their time to arm young people with the tools to discern good information from bad," says Susan Harada, director (interim) of the School of Journalism and Communication at Carleton University. "The innovative structure, track record and reach of this initiative — nearly 15,000 students have participated to date — make the Fédération a truly worthy recipient of this honour."
The award, which carries a $10,000 prize, celebrates journalistic efforts that encourage Canadians to better understand and assess the quality of news they consume and to promote news literacy, generally. It also recognizes best practices that underpin factual reporting as key contributors to democracy.
The winner will be recognized at the annual CJF Awards on October 30 at The Ritz-Carlton in Toronto. Tickets, tables and sponsorship opportunities are available.
Jury
Chair - Susan Harada, director (interim) of the School of Journalism and Communication, head of the Journalism Program, Carleton University
Gino Apponi, former chief of staff, CBC News
Kathryn Hill, executive director, MediaSmarts
Catherine Wallace, deputy editor of news, Toronto Star
About The Canadian Journalism Foundation
Established in 1990, The Canadian Journalism Foundation promotes, celebrates and facilitates excellence in journalism. The foundation runs a prestigious annual awards and fellowships program featuring an industry gala where news leaders, journalists and corporate Canada gather to celebrate outstanding journalistic achievement and the value of professional journalism. Through monthly J-Talks, a public speakers' series, the CJF facilitates dialogue among journalists, business people, academics and students about the role of the media in Canadian society and the ongoing challenges for media in the digital era. The foundation also fosters opportunities for journalism education, training and research.
About the Facebook Journalism Project
The Facebook Journalism Project's goal is to create strong ties with the news industry by building community through news; by training journalists and publishers around the world and by working with partners to support quality news.
SOURCE Canadian Journalism Foundation
For inquiries: Natalie Turvey, President and Executive Director, The Canadian Journalism Foundation, [email protected]
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