Station Manager Al Mackay accepts the 1988 Michener Honourable Mention award from Governor General Jeanne Sauvé on behalf of CJOH-TV.
The Ottawa television station was given honourable mention for initiating, producing, and assembling a gripping program called ‘Second Chance’ aimed at increasing public awareness of the vital need for organ transplants. It attracted 152,000 viewers in Ottawa, far more than the station’s normal audience in the early evening time slot in which it was shown.
The award was presented during a ceremony held at Rideau Hall on November 16th, 1989.
Launched in 1970 under the auspices of Canada’s third Canadian governor general, the late Roland Michener, the award focuses on the degree of public benefit generated by media projects, both large and small, in print and broadcast. The annual award is open to daily and weekly newspapers, news agencies, radio and television stations and networks, as well as periodicals. The winners are chosen on the basis of hard-hitting impact, journalistic professionalism, and the resources available for the project.