Macy Gray, William Prince and Aiza perform on World News Day

Newsmakers and journalists on virtual stage include Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, Maria Ressa and Brian Stelter

TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Grammy award-winner Macy Gray and Canadians William Prince and Aiza will lend their voices to celebrate journalism at the World News Day virtual event on September 28 at 7 p.m. ET.

World News Day, presented by the Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) and the World Editors Forum (part of WAN-IFRA, the World Association of News Publishers), is dedicated to highlighting the value of journalism in an age of misinformation.

In addition to her R&B and soul music career, Macy Gray this year founded MyGood, an organization providing support to families who have lost loved ones due to police violence. William Prince is a Juno Award-winning folk and country singer-songwriter while Aiza is an R&B and Afro rhythms singer-songwriter.

Newsmakers and journalists featured on the virtual stage include Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaking about COVID-19 and Maria Ressa, the embattled co-founder and executive editor of the Filipino news site Rappler, speaking about press freedom. Brian Stelter, chief media correspondent for CNN Worldwide, host of the weekly Reliable Sources and author of Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth, will host the webcast.

Now in its third year, World News Day celebrates the stories, the people, the reporting and the professional news organizations that are dedicated to improving lives, challenging the status quo, holding those in power to account and supporting freedom and democracy.

Additional World News Day speakers on the program include:

• Omar Jimenez, Chicago-based CNN correspondent, with CBC News senior correspondent Susan Ormiston, on media, police and protests;
• John Sanders, a protester, with Jon Swaine, investigative reporter with the Washington Post, on how he was partially blinded by police while protesting the death of George Floyd;
• Mary Cain, professional runner, with Adam B. Ellick, director and executive producer of Opinion Video with The New York Times, on the Emmy-nominated "Equal Play" series that highlights the issues preventing the advancement of female athletes and coaches;
• Juan Pardinas, general editor director of Mexican newspaper Reforma, with Sara Mojtehedzadeh, Toronto Star work and wealth reporter, on issues facing Mexico's migrant workers;
• John Sudworth, Beijing correspondent for the BBC, and Nathan VanderKlippe, Beijing-based Asia correspondent for The Globe and Mail, on  China's minority Uyghur population and a rare glimpse inside a detention camp;
• Tanya Talaga, author and Globe and Mail columnist, with Autumn Peltier, chief water commissioner for the Anishinabek Nation on clean water issues in Indigenous communities;
• Indira Lakshmanan, senior executive editor, and Robert Kunzig, senior environment editor, both of National Geographic, on urgency and agency in covering the climate crisis;
• Andrew Cotter, sports broadcaster for the BBC, with Anne-Marie Mediwake, host of CTV's Your Morning, on the ultimate pandemic pivot from commentating on sports to pet dogs;
• Richard Gingras, Google's vice-president of news, on local news, misinformation and  the pressure points facing big tech; and
• Kris Reyes, reporter for ABC News, who interviews Maria Ressa.

Donations are being accepted to support the work of The Canadian Journalism Foundation, including a new CJF-CBC Black Journalism Fellowship that aims to foster Black voices and improve coverage of Black issues in the media.

In addition to the virtual event, World News Day also consists of a global campaign to secure the participation of more than 100 newsrooms from around the globe to draw attention to the vital work of professional journalists and newsrooms, and the impact they have in the communities they serve.

Visit www.worldnewsday.org to find out more about the global campaign, make a donation and sign up to watch the virtual show.

The CJF thanks the support of the Google News Initiative and in-kind supporters The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and CISION. 

#WorldNewsDay #JournalismMatters
Twitter: @WND2020
Facebook: @WorldNewsDay2020
Instagram: @worldnewsday2020

About The Canadian Journalism Foundation
Established in 1990, The Canadian Journalism Foundation promotes, celebrates, and facilitates excellence in journalism.  The foundation runs a prestigious annual awards and fellowships program featuring an industry gala where news leaders, journalists and corporate Canada gather to celebrate outstanding journalistic achievement and the value of professional journalism. Through monthly J-Talks, a public speakers' series, the CJF facilitates dialogue among journalists, business people, academics and students about the role of the media in Canadian society and its ongoing challenges in the digital era. The foundation also fosters opportunities for journalism education, training and research.

About the World Editors Forum
WEF is the leading global network for editors of news organisations. It is built on a commitment to defend press freedom and promote editorial excellence. It was established around two decades ago and focuses on building the capacity of newsrooms through training, innovative practices, conferences and sharing of experiences. It is part of the World Association of News Publishers - the global organization of the world's press. Read More

SOURCE Canadian Journalism Foundation

Related Links

http://www.cjf-fjc.ca