(Quebec) The journalism prize announced by François Legault creates discomfort for the Professional Federation of Journalists of Quebec (FPJQ), which considers the exit of the Prime Minister awkward in a context of misinformation on social media.
Posted at 1:28 p.m.
“The fact that it was done in a pre-election period, the fact that it was the Prime Minister who announced it in a speech, there is certainly a clumsiness,” said Michaël Nguyen, president of the non-profit organization which brings together around 1,600 journalists in more than 250 print and electronic media, interviewing The Press tuesday.
On Monday, Mr. Legault announced the creation of the René-Lévesque prize. “It will become the highest distinction awarded by the Government of Quebec for a remarkable contribution in the field of journalism. It’s a great way to immortalize René Lévesque’s contribution to Quebec journalism”, he said during a speech given as part of the launch of “L’année Lévesque”, a series of events organized to highlight the 100e birthday of the founder of the Parti Québécois.
This prize will be awarded by the Government of Quebec to a journalist who has “significantly contributed to increasing the influence of information or greatly enriched the quality of information or the journalistic profession in Quebec,” he explained.
Appearance
The FPJQ is not opposed to a prize awarded by the government. For example, the Prix Guy-Mauffette is the highest distinction awarded to a person for his remarkable contribution to the excellence of radio, television or the written press in Quebec or to that of digital media, and is awarded by Quebec Awards.
Mr. Nguyen, court reporter for The Journal of Montreal, makes this analogy. “There is justice, and the appearance of justice. […] Journalism in a truly crucial period, attacked from all sides. Announcing it like that, appearances are not excellent, ”he says.
In this “time of disinformation”, Mr. Nguyen must constantly defend the fact that the media receive state aid – “like many other industries”, he specifies. He hopes to quickly know the details of the announcement, in particular the selection criteria and the composition of the jury. “Who will they be? elected officials? Political aides? An independent committee? There are a lot of details that we don’t know, it doesn’t help appearances, ”he explained.
He also points out that the René-Lévesque Foundation already awards a journalism prize, the René-Lévesque Prize, which recognizes “excellence and talent in the student press”. The FJPQ itself awards prizes to reward the best written and electronic reports from the Quebec press, the Judith-Jasmin awards.
Inspired
The Prime Minister’s Office argues that the timing was right. “If we can’t announce the René-Lévesque prize at the time of the commemorations of its centenary, when could we do it? “says the Prime Minister’s press secretary, Ewan Sauves, in an email.
“In this era of disinformation and the proliferation of questionable sources of information, this award is a reminder of the importance of journalistic work and the need for democracy to be able to count on the presence of credible, rigorous and independent media”, he added.
He is convinced that the prize announced by Mr. Legault “will inspire many journalists, current and future”.