Publisher Bruce Penton accepts the 1988 Michener Citation of Merit award from Governor General Jeanne Sauvé on behalf of the Moosomin World-Spectator,
The newspaper received recognition for effectively alerting the public in this small southeastern Saskatchewan town to the Drug and Alcohol Abuse problem by initiating an open forum to deal with the issue and its impact on their community. The discussion on the topic involved participants from the church, RCMP and schools, among other organizations. The initiative called for a remarkable effort by the weekly community newspaper and its only reporter who organized the forum and prepared the text for a six-part series published in six consecutive issues.
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.