Recognizing innovative storytelling - Call for entries: The Canadian Journalism Foundation's Innovation Award

TORONTO, Jan. 25, 2016 /CNW/ - With news organizations facing daunting challenges amid an ever-shifting media landscape, The Canadian Journalism Foundation welcomes submissions for its CJF Innovation Award that recognizes innovations that advance the quality of journalism. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 19, 2016.

"More than 20 years into the Web and nearly 10 years into the modern smartphone, the news business is still going through a period of massive change," says Joshua Benton, a member of the CJF Innovation Award jury and founder and director of the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University. "It will take innovation by journalists, publishers, technologists and more to ensure our communities get the news they need—and that work needs to be acknowledged and rewarded."

Innovation can come in many forms, including (but not restricted to):

• new formats for audiences;
• different operating procedures within a newsroom;
• new storytelling techniques;
• a new product produced by the newsroom;
• the design and/or introduction of new technology;
• distinctive reporting strategies and techniques;
• new ways of engagement with audiences;
• involvement of the community in the news process; and
• partnerships or team approaches to reporting and producing stories.

Further details can be found at the CJF Innovation Award page.

This year's winner will be recognized at the annual CJF Awards at The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto on June 16, 2016. Early-bird rates for tickets and tables are available until February 26.

About The Canadian Journalism Foundation

The Canadian Journalism Foundation promotes excellence in journalism by celebrating outstanding journalistic achievement. Our signature events include an annual awards program featuring a must-attend annual industry gala where Canada's top newsmakers meet Canada's top news people. Through J-Talks, our popular speakers' series, we facilitate dialogue among journalists, business people, academics and students about the role of the media in Canadian society and its ongoing challenges in the digital era. The foundation also supports journalism websites J-Source.ca (English) and ProjetJ.ca (French) and fosters opportunities for journalism, education, training and research.

SOURCE Canadian Journalism Foundation

Image with caption: "Craig Silverman accepted the inaugural CJF Innovation Award last year for his start-up Emergent, which tackled the challenge of assessing the huge social media information volume by checking the veracity of emerging stories. He went on to take those verification tools to BuzzFeed Canada, where he is now editor. (CNW Group/Canadian Journalism Foundation)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160125_C6958_PHOTO_EN_605073.jpg

For further information: Natalie Turvey, Executive Director, The Canadian Journalism Foundation, 595 Bay St, Suite 401, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C2, Phone: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]