Your Excellencies, honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen. It was nearly 10 years ago that the Governor-General of the day, the Right Honourable Roland Michener, and the Federation of Press Clubs of Canada, now Press Club Canada, began collaborating on the establishment of a Canadian journalism award. From that collaboration emerged the Roland Michener Award for Meritorious Public Service in Journalism. As its name implies, it was designed to acknowledge outstanding public service performed by Canadian news organizations, either print or broadcast.
As chairman of the Press Club Canada Michener Award Committee, I am pleased to be here today for the presentation of the eighth annual Award, which covers journalistic endeavours during the calendar year 1977.
It's my opinion that during these last eight years the Michener Award has become recognized as the crowning achievement of Canadian journalism. It was particularly heartening to see in this year's report of the Michener Award judges the following paragraph: "The judges found the general level of excellence in 1977 much higher than in past years, reflecting the success of the award in fostering and developing meritorious public service in journalism. "
A major factor in that success is without question due to the unflagging interest in and support of the Award displayed by Your Excellencies, and on behalf of Press Club Canada I would like to take this opportunity to thank Your Excellencies for it.
William MacPherson:
Michener Award Presentation
Friday, Oct. 6, 1978
Government House, Ottawa