OTTAWA, Nov. 17, 2017 /CNW/ - The Canadian Association of Journalists and JHR are pleased to announce a new journalism award: the JHR / CAJ Emerging Indigenous Journalist Award.

This new award will join the 14 other categories within the annual CAJ Awards program starting this year. Entries for the 2017 program will open in December, with an entry deadline of Jan. 15, 2018.

The Emerging Indigenous Journalist Award seeks to recognize exemplary journalism created by a First Nations, Métis or Inuit journalist that was published or broadcast in any format, on any medium, in Canada at any point in the 2017 calendar year. The award is a portfolio category, where this journalist, who has up to five years' professional experience, can submit up to five pieces for consideration. The pieces do not have to be related in topic or theme.

"Indigenous journalists are under-represented across all media in Canada— whether they are producing work for those outlets based within Indigenous communities or working for other media," JHR executive director Rachel Pulfer said. "This award will recognize those journalists who are excelling in the craft in the early part of their career, providing some encouragement for them to continue producing great journalism."

Judges will select between one and five finalists and the recipient will be announced at the CAJ's 40^th anniversary conference, scheduled for May 4-5, 2018, in Toronto. The recipient will receive a $1,000 cash prize.

"The CAJ is proud to partner with JHR in creating another program that helps recognize and reward the work of Indigenous journalists in Canada," CAJ president Nick Taylor-Vaisey said. "This award is a welcome addition to the CAJ Awards program, which continues to recognize exemplary journalism being produced in all formats."

Full details on this award and the other CAJ Awards categories will be available in December at www.caj.ca.

Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) is Canada's leading media development organization. Founded in 2002, the organization trains journalists on how to cover human rights issues effectively and ethically. The organization currently works in South Sudan, Syria, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and across Canada on Indigenous themes. For more information www.jhr.ca

The CAJ is Canada's largest national professional organization for journalists from all media, representing about 600 members across the country. The CAJ's primary roles are to provide public-interest advocacy and high-quality professional development for its members.

SOURCE Canadian Association of Journalists

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