MONTREAL, Jan. 21, 2013 /CNW/ - ProjetJ, the independent journalism and media watchdog, welcomes Jean-Philippe Cipriani as its new editor-in-chief.

Cipriani started his journalism career at Le Soleil. He went on to work as a journalist for Radio-Canada across online, radio and television for more than ten years. As part of his duties to the public network, he directed teams for special coverage of events such as the Olympics and election nights. In February 2012, he helped launch Huffington Post Quebec, where he held the position of news editor.

With his experience in the field and his knowledge of the logistics of a newsroom, Cipriani said he was honoured to join ProjetJ. "The shift to digital platforms particularly appeals to me, as well as the growing place of opinion in the news," he said.

Cipriani will be supported throughout the transition by Anne Caroline Desplanques, the former editor-in-chief of ProjetJ. Now a reporter for Journal de Montreal , Desplanques will continue to serve on the editorial board of ProjetJ alongside Marc-François Bernier, Colette Brin, Chantal Francoeur, Renaud Carbasse, Annie Labrecque and Michel Munger.

During this year of transition, which was announced at the end of 2012, Cipriani will contribute to the restructuring of ProjetJ and its English counterpart J-Source.

Launched in 2007 under the leadership of Ivor Shapiro, now chair of the School of Journalism at Ryerson University, and Colette Brin, a professor in the Department of Information and Communication at Laval University, ProjetJ and J-Source are initiatives of The Canadian Journalism Foundation in collaboration with Canadian universities and partner organizations. The sites aim to promote journalistic excellence by providing a space for critical reflection and tools for development. They discuss-- among other things--training, ethics and research in journalism. They also provide forums for discussion and debate among journalists, teachers and students on current issues and the future of the profession.

J-Source and ProjetJ are the recipients of the Canadian Association of Journalists President's Award 2012, which recognizes an exemplary contribution to Canadian journalism and is given only under circumstances of exceptional merit.

SOURCE Canadian Journalism Foundation