Prize honours journalist by Richard Duplain

by Richard Duplain

An essay contest in honour of the late journalist Dalton Camp will help improve the quality of news reporting, says noted journalist and broadcaster Knowlton Nash.

Speaking Thursday at St. Thomas University, Nash said the $5,000 Dalton Camp Award – which the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting are sponsoring – would explore how the media influence Canadian democracy. He said that might be one of the ways Camp would have wanted the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting to find ways to improve the quality of news.

News is intended to energize brain cells and not zap eyeballs, Nash told a packed audience.

"The fundamental job of journalists is to make people think and help them make informed judgements about issues and events and leaders and simply be better citizens," he said.

We need to make the important interesting and not make the merely interesting seem important. We do have our critics. Somebody once said that journalism is the last refuge of the vaguely talented. I hope not."
Nash said Camp was always young, no matter what his age.

"I think he always looked to the new generation for inspriation and put his faith in young people coming into the media business," he said.

"So, from my perspective, that's what this Dalton Camp Award is really all about, encouraging that new generation to link democratic values and journalism quality, for the health of a society depends on the quality of the information it receives."

Daniel O'Brien, president of STU, said the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting are known nationally for defending and enhancing the quality and quantity of Canadian programming.

"With this award, they will encourage young Canadians to thoughtfully consider how the media influence Canadian democracy."

O'Brien said Camp was the dean of political writing and commentary in Canada. He noted that STU recently launched the Dalton K. Camp Endowment in Journalism to honour the name of Dalton Camp by funding a number of activities within the journalism program at the university.

Camp's son, [Michael], said his father had a long, full life with no regrets.

"He was a true friend of the CBC and public broadcasting," he said. "He knew the value of (a journalist's) recognition, encouragement and the merit in winning an essay contest."

Deadline for entries for The Dalton Camp Award is March 31, 2003.

The winner will be announced next June during the Banff International Television Festival. More details can be obtained at www.daltoncampaward.ca.

© Fredericton Daily Gleaner