Reporter Harvey Oberfeld accepts the 1990 Michener Honourable Mention award on behalf of BCTV from Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn.
The television station was given the award for its coverage of the Greater Vancouver Regional District's first region-wide recycling plan and a proposed $28 million contract with a Chicago-based firm of less-than-spotless reputation. The Vancouver station and senior reporter Harvey Oberfeld, spent more than three weeks scrutinizing the plan, and checking legal and environmental authorities at the provincial, federal and state levels. A reporting team visited San Francisco, Los Angeles and other areas, probing the Chicago firm's record that showed convictions and fines for anti-trust, environmental and corruption infractions. After the 3-part series aired, a number of local municipalities announced decisions to withdraw from the recycling project and the plan was rejected.
The award was presented during a ceremony held at Rideau Hall, Ottawa. on April 25, 1991.
The judging for the Michener Award goes beyond journalistic merit to consider what the project has accomplished, the absence of self-serving journalistic interest, and the resources available to entrants so that larger and smaller competitors are on a more equal basis.