The Jack Webster Foundation receives CAJ Charles Bury Award

VANCOUVER, May 11, 2014 /CNW/ - The Jack Webster Foundation, which recognizes and promotes the excellent work of B.C.-based journalists, has been awarded the Canadian Association of Journalists' Charles Bury Award for 2014.

The CAJ Charles Bury Award, formerly the CAJ President's Award, was created and is awarded at the president's discretion to any individuals or organizations that have made exemplary contributions to Canadian journalism. The Webster Foundation was selected as this year's recipient by CAJ President Hugo Rodrigues and was received at the #CAJ14 conference and awards banquet by foundation co-chair Scott Macrae.

The foundation is named after famed Western Canadian journalist Jack Webster – an individual synonymous with insightful, accurate and unabashed reporting over a career of more than 40 years -- and was founded in 1986 upon his retirement from the profession. What started as an annual dinner recognizing and rewarding the best journalism in B.C. has evolved into a multi-disciplinary awards program, training fellowships, its own training programs with the Poynter Institute and its law and media workshops.

"The Jack Webster Foundation is an important part of journalism in this country – its programs and awards bring recognition to the great journalism taking place in Western Canada," said Rodrigues. "Journalism matters and the work this foundation does year-round to reward and promote it inspires journalists to improve their craft and ultimately benefits their audiences."

Earlier in the awards gala, Rodrigues announced the CAJ board's unanimous decision earlier this year to rename its president's award the "CAJ Charles Bury Award," in honour of veteran journalist and long-time CAJ board member Charles Bury, who died in February. Bury's son Luke attended the gala for a special in memoriam presentation as part of the award's renaming. Bury himself had received this award in 2000.

The CAJ Charles Bury Award is given under circumstances of exceptional merit to those people or organizations that have made a significant contribution to Canadian journalism. Previous recipients include Massey College in The University of Toronto, the Canadian Journalism Project, Canada's media lawyers, the now-defunct independent Carleton Free Press weekly newspaper from Woodstock, N.B., murdered photojournalist Zahra Kazemi, crime writer Michel Auger, journalist Tara Singh Hayer and Canada's media lawyers.

The Canadian Association of Journalists is a professional organization with over 600 members across Canada. The CAJ's primary roles are public-interest advocacy work and professional development for its members.

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SOURCE: Canadian Association of Journalists

Hugo Rodrigues, CAJ president, 613-330-8396 cell, [email protected]