By John Iaboni, Sports Media Canada
TORONTO, December 27, 2010 – It was a fitting Gold-Medal finish for the Vancouver Olympics when the spectacular event that united the country was voted the top Canadian news story of the year in the annual poll of newsrooms across Canada by The Canadian Press agency.
The Olympics were recognized as more than a sports story and favored as No.1 news story by 46 per cent of newspaper editors, news directors at radio and TV stations and editors at the prominent news web sites in Canada.
In addition, the first Canadian Press-Yahoo! Canada people’s choice poll saw 42 per cent give the Vancouver Olympics the nod as the 2010 story of the year. Meanwhile, a survey by The Canadian Press-Harris Decima taken in the second week of December had eight of 10 Canadians still feeling a sense of pride from those Games while in excess of seven of 10 agreed the Vancouver Olympics left a positive impact on Canada’s reputation in the world.
That latter response came on the heels of Canada being named tops for the first time as the most sought-after destination in a ranking from New York-based FutureBrand.
John Furlong, Sports Media Canada Sports Executive of the Year
During a recent interview for aips Magazine and Sports Media Canada, John Furlong, the Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, said: “The Canada that we have today is a little different than the one that went into the Games.”
That feeling resonates strongly as the world bids adieu to 2010 – and it will continue to inspire generations of Canadians.
