New award announced for human rights reporting

The National NewsMedia Council of Canada and Journalists for Human Rights have partnered to create the Fraser MacDougall Award for Best New Canadian Voice in Human Rights Reporting, recognizing the best new Canadian voice working on human rights reporting today.

The award winner will receive public recognition, a $1,000 cash prize and a place in the 2017 cohort of JHR Ambassadors – individuals whose work and conduct exemplify the best of JHR’s core principles of fostering human rights reporting to achieve positive change. The award will be presented at JHR’s annual Night for Rights gala, October 5th.

Fraser MacDougall, the first Executive Secretary of the Ontario Press Council did more than anyone to build it into a respected organization. He had served the Council from its founding in 1972 to 1987 The following story appeared in the Ottawa Citizen. Journalist Fraser MacDougall was a man dedicated to the craft he served for nearly six decades, a stickler for accuracy who was instrumental in building the Ontario Press Council.