Media Advisory - Canada's leading media figures join CJF 15th Annual Awards Gala

TORONTO, May 31, 2012 /CNW/ - Hosts from Canada's three major networks are among those attending The Canadian Journalism Foundation's 15^th Annual Awards Gala next week on June 7 at The Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. Former Gala hosts Lisa LaFlamme and Peter Mansbridge will be among the media guests, while Dawna Friesen has joined the lineup of award presenters.

Other major journalism figures attending include John Stackhouse, editor-in-chief of The Globe and Mail; Michael Cooke, editor of the Toronto Star; Kenny Yum, managing editor of The Huffington Post Canada; and Scott White, editor-in-chief of The Canadian Press.

More than 500 business and media luminaries will celebrate excellence in journalism and honour those who have made significant contributions to journalism throughout their careers.

WHAT:
The Canadian Journalism Foundation's 15^th Annual Awards Gala

WHERE:
The Fairmont Royal York
Canadian Room, Conference Level

WHEN:
Thursday, June 7
Reception 6:00 p.m.
Awards Gala 7:00 p.m.

WHO:

Legendary ABC newsman Ted Koppel and CTV National News correspondent Seamus O'Regan will be among those celebrating excellence at the Gala. Koppel, former ABC Nightline anchor, will present this year's CJF Honorary Tribute posthumously to Peter Jennings, Canadian-born anchor and senior editor of ABC's World News Tonight. The evening's award presenters also include Tom Clark and Sally Armstrong. O'Regan will also host the event.

The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Jack Sigvaldason, publisher of Northern News Services, for a remarkable career building a network of newspapers in northern Canada.

The winner of the coveted Excellence in Journalism Award, among other awards, will also be announced that night. The finalists are: The Canadian Press, The Current- CBC Radio One, The Huffington Post Canada, the Toronto Star and the Winnipeg Free Press.

Major media outlets supporting the event through table and ticket purchases include AOL Canada/The Huffington Post Canada, CBC News, CTV News, Rogers Communications, The Canadian Press, Thomson Reuters, the Toronto Star and the Winnipeg Free Press.

Also attending are executives from leading Canadian businesses and organizations, including Accenture, BMO Financial Group, Barrick Gold, CIBC, Hill + Knowlton Strategies, Ipsos Public Affairs, Labatt, Manulife Financial, Maple Leaf Foods, Medtronic of Canada, Ryerson University, Scotiabank, Sun Life Financial, TD Bank Group, Thomson Reuters, University of King's College and Waste Management.

Benefits of purchasing a table include the opportunity to host two journalists. This year, media guests include Adrienne Arsenault, Tony Burman, Tom Clark, Danielle Crittenden, Wilf Dinnick, Marcus Gee, Jian Ghomeshi, Shinan Govani, Melissa Grelo, Mathew Ingram, Amanda Lang, Heather Mallick, Wendy Mesley, Kevin Newman, Michelle Shephard, Lloyd Robertson, Anna Maria Tremonti and Paul Wells, among others.

The Canadian Journalism Foundation thanks the following organizations for their additional support: Accenture; BMO Financial Group; Barrick Gold; CIBC; Labatt; Medtronic of Canada; Thomson Reuters; and Waste Management Canada. Thank you also to The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, CNW Group and CBC News for their in-kind support.

For tickets, table and other information, visit www.cjf-fjc.ca/gala-2012 or contact Josh Gurfinkel at [email protected] and follow #cjfgala.

Media requests should be directed to:
Wendy Kan, Program Manager
Phone: [phone]; email: [email protected]