2014 Atlantic Journalism Awards Finalists
Attachments
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| Date Aired or Published | March 1, 2014 |
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| List awards, grants: | Canada Periodical Fund of the Dept. of Canadian Heritage |
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Short explanation of the story and how it developed: Author: I have a long, personal history of anti-war activism. This combination of sentiment and non-violent action goes back to the American invasion of Vietnam, and it was rekindled by the U.S. aggression in Iraq and by my own country’s involvement in Afghanistan. Consequently, when the Editor in Chief asked me to do a story that would require me to spend several days with a group of American and Canadian military veterans, a number of whom had been severely wounded in action, it gave me cause for serious reflection. The assignment involved visiting a high-end, salmon fishing lodge on the Restigouche River. The owner of the lodge - a vociferous, patriotic New Jersey, American - had generously arranged to host a group of wounded worriers for a week of respite on the river. My job was to write about the event. Given my under-enthusiastic disposition towards things military, I might have been excused had I declined to take the assignment. But, I accepted it immediately because I recognized the special journalistic challenge it presented. Only an hour or so after my arrival on location, the reality of this challenge came into sharp focus. The owner had launched into a long paean of praise for the Second Amendment to the American Constitution and he shored it up with assertions about the important contribution made to the cause of freedom by the National Rifle Association. When I pointed out that neither the American Constitution nor the NRA would be the focus of the article, he said: “Maybe the editor has sent the wrong guy to cover this story.” For me,the immediate challenge was to resist being drawn into fruitless debate with people whose personal history, outlook and culture were different from my own. I would tell the human story objectively, without infusing it with my own opinions. At the same time, I didn’t want the article to be seen as supportive of the political decisions that had sent these young men into harm’s way. It was a delicate balance. If the result turned out to be successful it is because, over the time we were together, we grew to respect, to like, yes even to love one another as human beings. |
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Resources of the newsroom (money and time) available to complete the story: The Atlantic Salmon Journal publication department is comprised of an editor, assistant editor, and art director. Editorial staff work together on sourcing, assigning, and layout ideas for stories and covers. The Atlantic Salmon Journal receives the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. It is the flagship publication of the Atlantic Salmon Federation and has a membership-based circulation. The magazine normally pays a freelance fee to writers. |
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