(Toronto) Canwest Publishing today announced the creation of the Michelle Lang Fellowship in Journalism.
Michelle Lang, an award-winning journalist and reporter for the Calgary Herald, lost her life on December 30th, 2009 while on assignment for Canwest News Service in Kandahar, Afghanistan. She was the first Canadian journalist killed while reporting on this war.
The Michelle Lang Fellowship in Journalism, a national program, will see a recent Canadian university graduate, from any discipline, awarded the unique opportunity to apply his or her passion for writing and interest in current events. The trust will award up to $10,000 annually to fund a special news project that holds significance for a Canadian audience. In order to achieve this goal, fellows will be expected to develop a project that would address the goals Michelle aspired to in her daily journalism: telling stories that have gone unreported or unnoticed on topics of social significance. This special project is limited only to the fellow’s own imagination – but should be inspired by Michelle’s own portfolio of work. In addition, Canwest Publishing will fund the salary of a full year internship for the Fellow: six months at the Calgary Herald and six months at Canwest News Service in Ottawa.
“Losing Michelle was shocking and tragic,” said Dennis Skulsky, President and CEO Canwest Publishing. “Almost immediately there was overwhelming support for the creation of a lasting tribute. We believe The Michelle Lang Fellowship in Journalism will honour the memory of a great person and inspire passionate young journalists for years to come.”
The Michelle Lang Fellowship Trust is established with an initial investment of $100,000. David, Gail and Leonard Asper have made personal contributions totalling $20,000 and an additional $80,000 comes from Canwest Publishing. Contributions from individuals and organizations are welcome and can be made at any Scotiabank Branch across Canada starting Monday, January 18, 2010.
The Fellowship will continue in perpetuity and the selection process will be guided by Michelle Lang’s journalistic principles. The Fellow will be chosen by a panel of senior editors at Canwest News Service and the Calgary Herald. She had a great passion and garnered professional recognition for challenging politicians, highlighting injustices and exploring solutions to health care challenges. Most important were the stories Michelle told of ordinary Canadians in extraordinary circumstances.
Application details will be available in March. Those interested in learning more can send inquiries to michellelangfellowship@canwest.com. The first fellowship is expected to be awarded in the Fall of 2010.
Michelle Lang was 34 years old and is survived by her fiancé Michael Louie, parents Art and Sandra, brother Cameron, Granddad Art, a loving extended family along with colleagues, friends and devoted readers.
About the Calgary Herald
The Calgary Herald Mining and Ranche Advocate and General Advertiser began publishing as a weekly newspaper on August 31, 1883, when Calgary's population was just 400 people.
Since then, the Calgary Herald has chronicled the evolution of this vibrant, enterprising city and the world we live in.
Community is at the heart of what the Herald does every day with initiatives such as the Calgary Herald Christmas Fund, our annual Raise-a-Reader literacy campaign, and the recent Sandy Beach Riverbank Rescue Project. The Herald also lends support to the many individuals, organizations and charities that perform admirable work on the community's behalf. Together we share a common goal to make Calgary the best place to live, work and play.
About Canwest News Service
Canwest News Service (CNS) provides news, sports, entertainment, photography, financial and feature information and data to Canwest's Canadian newspapers, television news operations, online properties and a number of third party clients in Canada and the United States. CNS draws content from its own team, including a group of premier news, feature and specialist writers and from journalists working throughout Canwest's newspaper, television and online outlets. CNS operates the Canadian News Desk, which co-coordinates Canwest's news gathering and content sharing throughout Canada and around the world. CNS has the country's largest news bureau in Ottawa, and has bureaus in Washington, New York, Jerusalem, Afghanistan, Paris and Shanghai.
About Canwest Global Communications Corp.
Canwest Global Communications Corp. (www.canwest.com), (TSX-V: CGS and CGS.A) is Canada’s largest media company. In addition to owning the Global Television Network, operating 18 industry-leading specialty channels and having ownership in 5 specialty channels, Canwest is Canada’s largest publisher of English language paid daily newspapers and owns and operates more than 80 online properties.
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For more information, please contact:
Phyllise Gelfand, Director of Communications, Canwest Publishing
(416) 442-2936, pgelfand@canwest.com
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