2012 bnc awards booklet

O C N A I S D E D I C AT E D T O E N A B L I N G C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R S T O P R O S P E R

2012BETTER NEWSPAPERS COMPETITION

AWARDSAWARDSAWARDSAWARDSAWARDSAWARDSResults

Booklet Design & Layout by:

Sylvie Tremblay

President’s Message ............................................p 5 General Excellence Awards ................................p 6General Excellence - circ 1,999 & under ...........p 7General Excellence - circ 2,000 - 3,499 ............p 8General Excellence - circ 3,500 - 6,499 ............p 9General Excellence - circ 6,500 - 12,499 ..........p 10General Excellence - circ 12,500 - 22,499 ........p 11General Excellence - circ 22,500 - 44,999 ........p 12General Excellence - circ 45,000 & over ...........p 13General Excellence - College & University ........p 14Premier Awards ..................................................p 15Arts & Entertainment ..........................................p 16Best Business & Finance Story ............................p 17Best Editorial 10,000+ ........................................p 18Best Editorial -9,999 ...........................................p 19Education Writing ...............................................p 20Environment Ontario ..........................................p 21Feature Writing 10,000+ ....................................p 22Feature Writing -9,999 .......................................p 23Health & Wellness ..............................................p 24Heritage ..............................................................p 25Best Investigative News Story .............................p 26Best News Story 10,000+ ...................................p 27Best News Story -9,999 ......................................p 28Best Rural Story 10,000+ ....................................p 29Best Rural Story -9,999 .......................................p 30Best Feature/News Series 10,000+ .....................p 31Best Feature/News Series -9,999 ........................p 32Sports & Recreation Story ...................................p 33Humour Columnist of the Year ...........................p 34Columnist of the Year .........................................p 35Stephen Shaw Award for Reporter of the Year ....p 36Editor of the Year.................................................p 37Best Feature Photo 10,000+ ...............................p 38Best Feature Photo -9,999 ..................................p 39

Best Photo Layout ...............................................p 40Best Sports Photo ................................................p 41Best Spot News Photo ........................................p 42Best News Photo ................................................p 43Photographer of the Year ....................................p 44Cartoonist of the Year ........................................p 45Community Service ............................................p 46Best Vertical Product ..........................................p 47Best Front Page 10,000+ .....................................p 48Best Front Page -9,999 ........................................p 49Best Sports Section .............................................p 50Special Section 10,000+ ....................................p 51Special Section -9,999 ........................................p 52Best Creative Ad .................................................p 53In House Promotion ...........................................p 54Local Retail Layout .............................................p 55Original Ad Idea 10,000+ ..................................p 56Original Ad Idea -9,999 .....................................p 57Use of Process Colour ........................................p 58Best Community Website/Webportal 10,000+...p 59Best Community Website/Webportal -9,999 ......p 60Online Special Project/Event/Breaking News Coverage .........................................................p 61Surfer’s Selection 10,000+ ..................................p 62Surfer’s Selection -9,999 .....................................p 63College & University Awards ..............................p 64Student Feature Writing ......................................p 65Student News Writing ........................................p 66Student Photography ..........................................p 67Best College/University Newspaper Website .....p 682012 Mary Knowles Award ................................p 69Judging Grid .......................................................p 70Judging Grid .......................................................p 71OPG ...................................................................p 72Sponsor Acknowledgements ..............................p 73

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of ContentsBetter Newspapers Competition 2012 Results

With each passing year, the Better Newspapers Competition allows us to honour the great work of Ontario’s weekly community newspapers. This year, without exception, we are able to do just that. The competition provides the members of OCNA an opportunity to showcase their accomplishments, highlighting the hard work which goes into each and every edition of their newspaper. We, as always, would like to extend our appreciation to the volunteer judges who spend countless hours reading and re-reading your entries. And this after they have spent a full day (or more) putting their own newspapers to bed. Without their time & dedication to this competition, it would not exist. A huge thank you to all of you! We must not forget our sponsors, who make this competition possible through their generous donations. Thank you for allowing OCNA to highlight the accomplishments of our members! One final thank you to the staff of Ontario’s weekly community newspapers. Your dedication to holding our newspapers to the highest standards feed our communities knowledge, and allows them to flourish. OCNA received an amazing 2,014 entries for the 2012 competition, all of which deserve recognition.

Congratulations to all our finalists for a job well done!

Mike MountOCNA President 2012/13

President’s Message

2012 BNC Awards Results 5

GENERAL EXCELLENCECLASSES 1 - 8

General Excellence – Class 1 CIRCULATION1,999 & UNDER

Rob VogtEditor,Claresholm Local Press, Claresholm, Alberta

JUDGES

GRAVENHURST BANNERThe front page of the Gravenhurst Banner demands attention. Above the fold, the reader is not only drawn to a large, well-played spot news photo, taken at nighttime, but a story about an interim CAO’s questionable salary that would surely raise more than a few eyebrows. The paper had a good arrangement of photos throughout the newspaper, making it very eye appealing. Nice local features. It was also refreshing to see such a lively editorial page, one that had a signed editorial, letters to the editor, and columns. It’s obvious this paper is well-regarded in the community.

First PlaceNumber of entries: 14

Second PlaceBARRY’S BAY, THE VALLEY

GAZETTEThose designing the Valley Gazette’s

Remembrance Day edition held nothing back as they went for a colourful front page collage. While collages can be hit and miss,

this one was OK, and defi nitely eye-catching. The headline of the story below the fold made

readers want to know what the ‘disturbing results’ were. Great production quality – it is

nice to see so much colour on every page. One area where this paper could easily

improve upon is not jumping the front page stories to the back of the paper. Nice layout of ads and good ad design. The paper looks

clean and organized.

MINDEN TIMESThe front pages of the Minden Times

were simple yet effective. They weren’t afraid to run a large front page photo, and the side-

bar index serves to further draw the reader in. They utilize it well with advertising – by

the looks of it, it is a money maker. One area where this paper can improve is to cut back

on excessive white space.

Third Place

Laura BlackwellPublisher,Lakes District News, Burns Lake, BC

Carole MorrisUnderhillEditor,Hants Journal,Windsor, Nova Scotia

GENERAL COMMENTThe top papers in this category had active front pages, ones with dominant photos and headlines that pulled the readers in. The layout of the papers were uncomplicated and easy to navigate, with sections clearly labelled. One of the areas in which this entire class of newspapers can improve upon relatively easily in is the photography department. A lot of the photos were static shots; nothing more than simple grip-and-grins. There were very few spot news photos, and very few action shots that were in focus. You don’t have to have an expensive camera these days to take a decent shot. A few well-thought-out photos would drastically improve some of these papers. Many of the papers in this category either had too few photos, or far too many crammed on a page. There needs to be a balance.


WINCHESTER PRESSThe Winchester Press emerged as our consensus choice, and it was largely due to the old adage: fi rst impressions matter. The front carried the Press above its peers, as did a strong collection of news. Good design for the ad department was evident. Greater attention to modular design and appropriate use of photos would have led to an easier selection as the best in this circulation category, but the news content alone was suffi cient to boost the Press to its fi rst-place standing.

First Place

Second PlaceKINCARDINE

INDEPENDENTThe Kincardine Independent had, in our

mind, one of the best ad ideas of the batch, with its easter-egg colouring contest. The pictures in the Independent were above

the standard of this class, which aided in the second-place selection. A better use of

dividers for standalones, along with a better placement of photos in general (so that a man

cooking pasta isn’t dropped beside a pair of unrelated obituaries, for example)

is strongly suggested.

BURKS FALLS ALMAGUIN NEWSThe Burks Falls Almaguin News offering gained

a consistent rating from the judges, which is a plus – and also sign for growth. We felt staff had a sense of news, but tried to force-feed a buffet of news on

the reader, resulting in baffl ing and haphazard turns, rather than enticing the reader into the paper with

one solid main dish, and limiting turns to one, maybe two, into easily-found, modular holes, on p. 2 or 3.

We noted a more modular layout to the March issue. A more coherent photo selection policy and better-

framed photos will help improve the paper’s standing – as will losing the Impact typeface!

Third Place

CIRCULATION 2,000 - 3,499

General Excellence – Class 2Number of entries: 10

Vern FaulknerEditor,Saint Croix Courier/Courier Weekend,St. Croix, New Brunswick

JUDGES

Keith McNiellEditor,Clearwater Times,Clearwater, BC

John ArendtEditor,Summerland Review, Summerland, BC

GENERAL COMMENTIt is the united opinion of the judges that all the offerings presented this year featured basic fl aws in layout such as non-modular design, questionable photo selection and placement, excessive turns, and similar. Sports sections cried out for action photos, and many entries stacked ads against the spine of left-side pages, thus isolating news copy and making the paper hard to read. The judges, all of whom oversee similar-sized publications and thus understand the challenges of small-circulation products, strongly suggest greater training for young and/or small-market editors, and hopefully publishers will recognize the value in the resulting easier-to-read, easier-to-sell products.

WINCHESTER PRESSThe the old adage: fi rst impressions matter. The front carried the as did a strong collection of news. Good design for the ad department was evident. Greater attention to modular design and appropriate use of photos would have led to an easier selection as the best in this circulation category, but the news content alone was suffi cient to boost the

First Place

8 2012 BNC Awards Results

General Excellence – Class 3 CIRCULATION 3,500 - 6,499

Frank McTigheEditor & Publisher,The Macleod Gazette, Fort Macleod, Alberta

JUDGES

EGANVILLE LEADERThe Eganville Leader embodies what a good community newspaper should be. There’s unfl inching coverage of hard news, a commitment to provide in-depth coverage to local issues and the occasional feature to provide insight and context. As one of the few independents left, kudos to publisher/owner Gerald Tracey for investing in beautiful paper stock which helps make the photos pop off the page. A solid effort throughout, from a strong front page to extensive quality coverage inside, supported with great ads.

First PlaceNumber of entries: 8

Second PlaceHUNSTVILLE FORESTER

The Huntsville Forester holds up a huge mirror to its community. The paper is chock-ablock full of news, providing

a great service to readers who want to know what’s going on and community groups who want to share information about their events. The layout could be

updated. Strong writing and photography, combined with numerous attractive

ads make it an outstanding paper that provides readers with a quality product

while doing a great job covering the community.

NUNAVUT NEWS/NORTHSpanning a few time zones in its

coverage area, Nunavut News/North does an absolutely stellar job in challenging

conditions. It has an excellent mix of hard news and feature stories supported by

attractive, effective advertising. The paper should be proud of the quality of its writing.

Casey Lessard’s coverage of a tragic fi re is both wide in scope and sensitively done.

Bravo to the paper for printing stories in two languages. A commendable investment!

Third Place

Martha PerkinsEditor,WE Vancouver,Vancouver, BC

Joyce CarlsonPublisher,The Powell River Peak, Powell River, BC

GENERAL COMMENTIt was a pleasure to judge the newspapers in this category. Communities in Ontario are well served by these newspapers, each of which is doing an exemplary job of holding a mirror to their communities. Each paper produced an interesting mix of hard news, features, photos and opinion, packaged with display and classifi ed advertising. Without exception, the papers in this category deliver to their readers a strong newspaper. However, it’s also important to keep in mind the needs of readers who, while needing that information, also turn to their community newspaper to provide insight and new perspectives. A few more features would be welcome! The papers that rose to the top of the competition exhibited a commitment to quality throughout the newspaper, beginning with strong, newsy front pages and continuing with extensive news and feature reporting, engaging opinion sections and interesting sports sections.


General Excellence – Class 4 CIRCULATION6,500 - 12,499

John MorashPublisher,Prince Albert Herald, Prince Albert,Saskatchewan

JUDGES

OTTAWA HILL TIMESThe Hill Times has solid design, making the most of a compact tabloid. Top points were awarded to this publication because of its impressive front pages, clean masthead, great looking info boxes, strong quality photos, innovative cropping and overall presentation. There is a diversity of political opinions represented within the publication, as well as some lighter entertainment offered on the Party Central pages. Room for improvement: too many turns on the front page (readers hate turns), and in my opinion, too many opinion pieces.

First Place

Number of entries: 15

Second PlaceNIAGARA THIS WEEK,

THE LEADERNiagara This Week, The Leader is

community focused with loads of local content and a strong sports section.

Masthead is a little cluttered, but the front page is clean looking with a layout

that is reader friendly. Strong editorial, op-ed pages and lots of community news

round the paper out nicely. The Leader is impressively thick with advertising,

special features and classifi eds.

NIAGARA THIS WEEK, TOWN CRIER

Niagara This Week, Town Crier is awell-balanced community news publication

that scored high in all categories. It has a good looking front page, strong info box.

Like The Leader, lots of letters on the strong editorial and op-ed pages. Points were

deducted because of stories without bylines along with the very high advertising content.

Third Place

Lisa JoyMulti-media Editor,Lacombe Globe,Lacombe, Alberta

Carol FarnallsPublisher,Barrhead Leader, Barrhead, Alberta

GENERAL COMMENTIt was a pleasure to review so many strong publications that embody their communities so admirably. However, this made the competition very diffi cult to judge as there were many great newspapers to pick from. It’s obvious that a great deal of hard work goes into these publications and most do an excellent job providing community news to their readers, many with a small staff to carry out those duties. One of our main concerns were the many stories in a lot of papers which were not attributed (no bylines on copy). Stories need attribution and photos need captions. It’s that simple. But the biggest thing was having to cut points to some outstanding publications for a lack of a sports section.

10 2012 BNC Awards Results Sponsored by METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS

ELMIRA-WOOLWICH OBSERVERThe Elmira-Woolwich Observer offers a strong front page which stands out from the crowd. Excellent coverage of community news and a solid sports section with good photos round out the publichation nicely. It’s outstanding local features and an honest-to-god Arts section raises this paper above all others.

First Place

Second PlaceDUNDAS STAR NEWS

The excellent writing and tight editing of the Dundas Star News isn’t often

seen in papers of this size. A nice, clean modular design, easy to read with good

use of colour throughout. Recycled editorial from a sister paper on a pretty

motherhood-and-apple-pie subject, but the letters to the editor section refl ects a

very intelligent and engaged community that the paper is obviously serving well.

Nice local features. One downfall –too many grip-and-grins and cheque

presentation photos.

RENFREW MERCURY EMCThe Renfrew Mercury EMC has

a great great editorial package, with editorial on local business that goes way

beyond puffery. A nice front page, among the best layouts in the category, with a

fabulous selection of local news. Could use tighter writing and editing. With a

great sports section, catchy headlines and lots of colour throughout. This is a lovely

paper all around.

Third Place

CIRCULATION 12,500 - 22,499


Carol PicardFounder & Former Editor,Rocky Mountain Outlook, Canmore, Alberta

JUDGES

Kevin WeedmarkEditor & Publisher,The World-Spectator, Moosomin, Saskatchewan

John BarlowAssociate Publisher/Editor,Okotoks Western Wheel, Okotoks, Alberta

GENERAL COMMENTA strong category, and really all of the papers appear to be serving their com-munities well. Continue to have issues with the number of cheque presentation and grip-and-grin photos throughout all, and the lack of creativity this speaks of to the readers.

Kevin WeedmarkEditor & Publisher,The World-Spectator, Moosomin, Saskatchewan

ELMIRA-WOOLWICH OBSERVERThefrom the crowd. Excellent coverage of community news and a solid sports section with good photos round out the publichation nicely. It’s outstanding local features and an honest-to-god Arts section raises this paper above all others.

First Place


General Excellence – Class 6 CIRCULATION 22,500 - 44,999

Bill PhillipsManaging Editor,Prince George Free Press, Prince George, BC

JUDGES

WHAT’S UP MUSKOKAFirst place goes to What’s Up Muskoka. Being printed on glossy paper cer-tainly makes a difference as it scores high in production quality, photography, and the overall look and feel of the paper. However, while the photos popped on the glossy paper, the layout was lacking and without a classifi ed ad section, lost points there.

First Place


Second PlaceSTONEY CREEK NEWS

The Stoney Creek News is an excellent paper that delivers its content in a well-organized package that is clean, sharp and easy to read. The paper provides a well-rounded mix of community news

and strong features topped off with fi rst-class editorial and op-ed pages.

WHITBY THIS WEEKWhitby This Week covers the

community of Whitby in extensive detail. It is a well laid-out paper with a great deal of important information for Whitby residents. Photography was sharp, and general layout,

editorial page and advertising all scored strongly. Overall, it fulfi ls a good community

newspaper’s mandate.

Third Place

Frank BucholtzEditor, The Langley Times,Langley, BC

Alistair TaylorEditor,Campbell River Mirror, Campbell River, BC

GENERAL COMMENTThere was no one newspaper that immediately rose to the top this year and none that were immediately dismissible. The newspapers in this class are quite similar. All are larger-circulation papers with broad audiences. Almost all of them have devoted considerable resources to their products. This attention to detail shows, as the news writing, advertising, photography, printing quality and general layout of almost all of them is at a very high level. Judging this category was not easy because so many of them set high standards. Overall, this is a credit to the Ontario community newspaper industry and shows that this industry, despite the doom and gloom coming from many observers, is in excellent shape to meet the challenges of the future.

Sponsored by NORTHERN NEWS SERVICES12 2012 BNC Awards Results

BRANT NEWSThe Brant News included good visuals on the front page. Kudos to your photographer for strong shots that manage to stand out and catch the eye. Photography is quite strong throughout the paper. It includes good community news content and a strong sports section, with an excellent mix of hard and soft news. The design is clean and easy to read. Overall a wonderful community newspaper.

First Place

Second PlaceBURLINGTON POST

The Burlington Post is chocked full of what’s happening in the community.

An easy to read front page, clear and concise headline writing, good

photography, and an active classifi ed section.

NEWMARKET ERA/ AURORA BANNER

It was heartening to see an elegantly styled broadsheet still fi ghting the good fi ght as a community newspaper. And

succeeding, too, by the looks of its four sections and healthy ad book in the

Newmarket Era/Aurora Banner.

Third Place

CIRCULATION 45,000 & OVER


John KendleManaging Editor,Canstar Community News, Winnipeg, Manitoba

John KendleManaging Editor,Canstar Community NewWinnipeg, Manitoba

JUDGES

Marlyn GrazianoPublisher,The Now Newspaper, Surrey, North Delta and White Rock, BC

Peter McCullyPublisher,Parksville Qualicum Beach News,Parksville, BC

GENERAL COMMENTTo review the papers in this category was to realize that every editor and publisher strives to be as community-minded and local as possible, regardless of the pressures of space and resources. Community News is alive and well. It was quite obvious that papers are actively covering a wide range of community events in their area, and actively promoting interaction with readers.

BRANT NEWSThe photographer for strong shots that manage to stand out and catch the eye. Photography is quite strong throughout the paper. It includes good community news content and a strong sports section, with an excellent mix of hard and soft news. The design is clean and easy to read. Overall a wonderful community newspaper.

First Place


General Excellence – Class 8 COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY

Lois PerryLois Perry is the General Manager of the Temiskaming Speaker and Weekender in New Liskeard. Her background is in graphic design and business and she will tell you that she has had, “ink in her veins” for about 28 years. Lois has contributed to all areas of the newspaper industry at one time or another but her passion continues to be, “coming up with unique and profi table new ideas”. She has won many awards for her community service, ad designs, front page layouts and special sections. Lois believes that if a newspaper team is staffed with people that take ownership and care about their community, it is evident when the paper rolls off the press.Assisting her with the judging of this category:*Gord Brock – Editor with 35 years service to the industry.*Steve Laroque – Photographer and Sports Reporter with 18 years service to the industry*Ralph Edes – Press Operator with 45 years of service *Kelly Adams – Graphic Design for 14 years

JUDGE

ALGONQUIN COLLEGE – ALGONQUIN TIMESWhat a pleasure! Clean, easy to read with a good mix of advertisements. Best over-all sports quality and coverage (Watch the punctuation) Well balanced mix of news and features made a huge impact on us. Lost marks due to lack of copy. Great targeted advertiser choices and market specifi c layouts. Well done!

First Place


Second PlaceNIAGARA COLLEGE

– NIAGARA NEWSThe Niagara News is an “easy to read” paper from the front page layout to the last page. The lack

of advertisements and sports hurt the marks. It is evident that a lot of

thought and creativity goes intoputting this paper to bed.

RYERSON UNIVERSITY– RYERSONIAN

Overall a nice job! Good features and local copy. Photography needs some work and layout could use a bit of

creativity. (Try playing with some of your headlines).

Third Place


PREMIERAWARDS

NEW HAMBURG INDEPENDENTDoug Coxson’s entry has it all: good story, good photos and good graphics. It is obvious that the entire news staff valued this piece. This two-page advance splash made this reader keen to see the production. Bravo!

HONOURABLE MENTIONBurlington Post – The front page placement of this story says a lot. This is more than an arts story because of the doggedness of this young male dancer. Kudos to him & to the Burlington Post.

First Place

Second PlaceNORTH BAY NIPISSING NEWS

Laurel Campbell’s story covers one angle on a veryimportant national issue: cuts to arts programs. We

felt the pain of the student interviewed, but there was also balance to the piece. Well done!

MANITOULIN EXPOSITORAbsolutely loved the irony of the photos in this

colorful spread. Most interesting partnerships going on between countries and a darned good read to

boot. Well done Michael Erskine.

Third Place

ARTS &ENTERTAINMENT

Premier Award – WritingNumber of entries: 79

Wendy ElliottArts & entertainment judge Wendy Elliott is a reporter and columnist with the Kings County Advertiser in Nova Scotia. In her over 30 years as a journalist, she has won awards at both the regional and national level.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTWow! What an amazing galaxy of arts and entertainment entries. So much to display, to set on stage and be proud of. Community newspapers are called upon each week to herald the achievements of multiple arts organizations. Some do it, in the midst of greater news gathering, with a photo and a single voice story. Others manage to fi nd the time and ingenuity to literally proclaim the arts with multiple voices and images. It is those newspapers, the exceptions who set a higher value on culture, that we salute.

NEW HAMBURG INDEPENDENTDoug Coxson’s entry hastory, good photos and good graphics. It is obvious that the entire news staff valued this piece. This two-page advance splash made this reader keen to see the production. Bravo!

First Place

Second Place


Second PlaceNEW HAMBURG

INDEPENDENTWhen it came to pure writing, Doug Coxson put on a master

class. Tight, muscular prose helped readers seamlessly navigate through

a story that chronicled the demise of a treasured local bookstore.

MARKHAM ECONOMIST & SUN

Solid writing and research put L.H. Tiffany Hsieth’s “Condos

cash in on cell antennas” entry into third place. Objective reporting

on a controversial subject left the question of whether condo

owners should take the money or be more concerned about possible detrimental health effects fi rmly up

to the reader to answer.

Third Place


Ken GoudswaardKen has been in the ink trade for more than 25 years as a reporter, editor, publisher and newspaper owner. He is currently editor of the twice-weekly Chilliwack Times in beautiful British Columbia. Ken has won numerous international, national and provincial awards during his newspaper career.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTMany entries in this category contained solid writing, but weak presentation. Just because it’s a business story, doesn’t mean there isn’t art to be found that can entice a reader. Too many entries also bordered on being glorifi ed “advertorials.”

BEST BUSINESS ANDFINANCE STORY

GRAVENHURST BANNERAllyson Snelling’s “Downtown ... but not out?” was the total package. Quality writing, extensive research and a compelling layout gave this entry the edge. A good business story isn’t just about the numbers. Allyson does a great job conveying the effect a crumbling downtown has on the people that rely upon it to make their living. Probably the best lede of all the entries.

First Place


MISSISSAUGA NEWSGerry Timbers took a stand and stuck with his opinion. Quality of writing was impeccable.

HONOURABLE MENTIONBrant News

First Place

Second PlaceUXBRIDGE

TIMES-JOURNALJudi Bobbitt satisfi ed all the

judging components. Found the article to be of interest to a wide range of readers. Strong writing

skills.

OSHAWA EXPRESSThe writer commented on a

sensitive issue and took a strong stand on the issue. An extremely

relevant and important subject matter to the community and the

province.

Third Place

BEST EDITORIALCIRC. 10,000+


Andrea NichollAndrea’s roots are set deep in Barrie, Ontario where she spent the majority of her life. Though the winds of change planted her in Saskatchewan, she still calls Ontario home. She spent two years studying print journalism through Sheridan College, and went on to secure an internship at the Barrie Examiner. A subsequent reporter position at the Lloydminster Source was followed by an opportunity in Grenfell, Saskatchewan. She currently works as the managing editor for their weekly publication, the Grenfell Sun/Broadview Express.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThe entries were great overall. There was good content and great variety.

MISSISSAUGA NEWSGerry Timwas impeccable.

First Place


HONOURABLE MENTIONAlexandria Glengarry News – Fresh, witty approach to a quick decision. Nice touch.

Second PlaceSIOUX LOOKOUT WAWATAY NEWS

A reasoned and thoughtful approach to the outcome of a story

that should be of concern to all residents of this community and

beyond. Well done to Shawn Bell.

BURKS FALLS ALMAGUIN NEWS

Humour and creativity allowed this motherhood piece by Rob Learn

to claim a top mark. Who says editorials can’t be fun and thought-

provoking at the same time?

Third Place


Glenn MitchellGlenn Mitchell is the managing editor of The Morning Star newspaper in Vernon, B.C. and has worked at Black Press newspapers since 1986. He is a former director of the B.C. Press Council.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTGenerally well-written editorials from small-circulation papers that are serving their communities well. Many brave stances on topics from teacher strikes to community Christmas trees to controversial court decisions. Well done and keep making a difference in your respective communities.


BEST EDITORIALCIRC. -9,999

NUNAVUT NEWS/NORTHTim Edwards has a well-presented, well-written and a forceful, realistic approach to a serious problem for the communities residents. Top marks for honesty and readability.

First Place


TORONTO FOREST HILL TOWN CRIERThe writing is crisp and brings the reader into the classroom in the fi rst sentence. Shawn Star takes a subject often dismissed as dull – math – and makes it interesting in humanizing fascinating learning techniques.

HONOURABLE MENTIONCobden Sun – A heck of a lot of good information with respect to a serious issue. The story on teen suicide and mental illness does a great job in relaying one teen’s tale while also imparting crucial lessons for all of us. Well done.

First Place

Second PlaceCALEDON ENTERPRISEAndrew Livingstone and Robyn

Wilkinson use very good imagery to open this story. A decision to use

quotes that have impact brings a story reported by many to a higher level.

SIOUX LOOKOUTWAWATAY NEWS

In this annoying age of iPhones, iPads and perpetually crooked necks directing

eyes to stare into cellphones, it was refreshing to read a tale of a community

leading the way in introducing native youth to their traditions. Lenny Carpenter used

effective quotes and told an interesting tale.

Third Place

EDUCATIONWRITING


Chris FouldsChristopher Foulds is editor of Kamloops This Week, which is like being a horse and carriage operator as Henry Ford is opening his fi rst factory down the street. Foulds has a Facebook and Twitter account, but prefers ink on his fi ngers. If not for the grounding employed by his kids and the B.C. Lions, he shudders to think of what this business would have done to his fragile mind.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTI was impressed with the entries and had a damn diffi cult decision once I pared them down to my top 15 or so. I like the diversity of the entries (I really liked the story on the kids and the frogs and the teacher who uses her family ties to teach about the war). Some really good work. I especially like that reporters went out and spoke to kids in many, if not all, of these pieces. That sounds like a no-brainer, but there are far too many stories that simply quote the powers-that-be.

TORONTO FOREST HILL TOWN CRIERThe writing is crisp and brings the reader into the classroom in the fi rst sentence. Shawn Star takes a subject often dismissed as dull – math – and makes it interesting in humanizing fascinating learning techniques.

First Place

20 2012 BNC Awards Results Sponsored by ONTARIO JOURNALISM EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

Second PlaceWHAT’S UP MUSKOKA

A close second. Corey Wilkinson gives us a story of how tightly linked we

are to our environment. A seemingly harmless storage of railway ties begins,

almost immediately, to affect the health of local residents. A connection is made and the source of the problem

is removed. How great is that for a story making a difference? I would

have liked to see a reference to some research; nevertheless, the local

population drove home the message.

HAMILTON MOUNTAIN NEWS

Something was foul with this story right from the start, and that is just the

point. This story by Richard Leitner had everything from politics, homeowners, illegal sewage hook-ups to the blame game. A great headline and the quick reference to e-coli near the end drove

home the point. A little more input from local research groups would have solidifi ed the story. It isn’t a story local

residents will soon forget.

Third Place


Richard TardifA graduate of environmental science and journalism at Concordia University, Richard began a freelance reporting and editing career in 1994 and continued his career at The Eastern Door in Kahnawake, Quebec in 2006, covering municipal politics, community sports and writing investigative environmental features. An award winning journalist, beat reporter, and photographer he is also Executive Director of the Quebec Community Newspapers Association.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTMany stories need more research, but aside from that, the writing was sharp and the list of environmental concerns, both on a local and global level, was what made these stories important and a pleasure to read.

ENVIRONMENTONTARIO

VANKLEEK HILL REVIEWA very complex and complicated environmental issue but with some solid research, good writing, and factual information Justin Bromberg was able to keep the reader’s interest in what could have been a rather dry read. The local impact of road salt usage was certainly the base of this story, and it left me asking the next question; what is being done about this environmental problem? Great job.

First Place


OTTAWA HILL TIMESWhat appears at fi rst to be a straight news profi le is much more. Jessica Bruno takes us through the compelling legal and personal twists of a professional bureaucrat’s legal fi ght with her former government employer. Bruno lets the story unfold in a way that does justice to the battle’s time frame and her subject’s efforts and frustrations without bogging down in the details. The insights drawn are all the more powerful come the excellent conclusion.

HONOURABLE MENTIONElmira-Woolwich Observer – This is a well-written account of a family coming to grips with their mother’s death in the Haitian earthquake. It revisits both the disaster and the death of a community member while exploring the connection and grief shared by two communities a world apart. It’s interesting and colourful, if a little long and a bit shy on insight. Tidy, attractive layout with plenty of photos to support the narrative.

First Place

Second PlaceCLARINGTON THIS WEEK

Jennifer O’Meara takes solid initiative in getting ahead of an evolving community

issue. Her sharply written and well-researched examination of the effects of a wind turbine farm on a neighbouring

community is full of valuable insight of her own. Solid, informative sidebars provide context, but the design of the

piece is underwhelming.

NORTH BAYNIPISSING NEWS

Solid reporting as well as a strong, conversational voice grab the reader in

Laurel J. Campbell’s account of a pet store robbery and sexual assault. The journalist has done an admirable and

sensitive job of coaxing the story of the incident and its aftermath out of her

traumatized subjects.

Third Place

FEATURE WRITINGCIRC. 10,000+


Ian DoigThe current editor of Where Calgary, Essential Calgary and former editor of Fast Forward Weekly, Ian Doig’s feature writing has been published in numerous magazines and newspapers including The Globe and Mail, Calgary Herald, Canadian Geographic, Alberta Venture, Quill & Quire as well as online at OpenFile Calgary.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThe quality of entries in this category was uniformly high with a satisfying level of editorial polish. However, most took a very newsy approach. Great features dig into their subject matter and fi nd the real story and the local context, which provides true insight. They also simply tell a good story and get to know characters and issues in a way that news stories do not. Though their styles differ, the winning entries take this approach.

OTTAWA HILL TIMESWhat appears at fi rst to be a straight news profi le is much more. Jessica Bruno takes us through the compelling legal and personal twists of a professional bureaucrat’s legal fi ght with her former government employer. Bruno lets the story unfold in a way that does justice to the battle’s time frame and her subject’s efforts and frustrations without bogging down in the details. The insights drawn are all the more powerful come the excellent conclusion.

First Place

Sponsored by O’DONNELL, ROBERTSON & SANFILIPPO22 2012 BNC Awards Results

HONOURABLE MENTIONSioux Lookout Wawatay News – Great descriptive narrative presented alongside wonderful photographs that captured the mood of the journey. I felt like I was right in the back seat along for the ride. And that’s exactly what a well-written story should do.

Second PlaceNEW HAMBURG

INDEPENDENTExcellent piece. Informative, both

about the disorder and limited treatment options available to the community. Doug Coxson deftly incorporated the human

element to help demystify and de-stigmatize a mental illness. Great

use of visuals and quick facts in the sidebar.

NUNAVUT NEWS/NORTH

Very well-researched and comprehensive. Casey Lessard clearly illustrates the dire living conditions and housing crisis in

the north. Superbly written.

Third Place


Carmen Marie FabioA recovering high-tech employee, Carmen Marie Fabio made the leap to journalism in 2009 and has enjoyed every minute of it. An award-winning journalist and staunch advocate for the role of the community paper, she is now the editor and columnist at Your Local Journal in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThis was an incredibly diffi cult competition to judge – the calibre of the writing made it almost impossible to select only three winners of the 34 submissions. There clearly remains a readership for longer features and this is refl ected in the quality of the submissions. Bravo.


FEATURE WRITINGCIRC. -9,999

VANKLEEK HILL REVIEWA must-read for every parent of a teenager. This well-crafted article by Justin Bromberg presents a very telling look inside the machinations of the provincial police procedure as well as the potential pitfalls of social media. Well researched with a good narrative fl ow. Story is a stellar example of what community news does best.

First Place

Sponsored by O’DONNELL, ROBERTSON & SANFILIPPO 2012 BNC Awards Results 23

PETERBOROUGH THIS WEEKThis piece has everything. In-depth research into an extremely complicated issue, multiple sources that continued to drive the story further, clear, concise writing that was fi lled with colour, and photos that went beyond the garden variety pose, point and shoot. It laid out a dangerous mental health issue in relation to elderly parents, and you couldn’t help but feel for all parties involved, including the police. Only one minor criticism: I noticed a few errors that could have been caught, but they didn’t have signifi cant impact on the overall piece. The lead pulls you in and it only gets better after that. Great job from Sarah Frank! An easy choice for fi rst place!

HONOURABLE MENTIONVankleek Hill Review – I really liked this story. It was well written and fl owed well. It could have used more sources, however, which would have driven the score for this piece higher.

First Place

Second PlaceORLEANS EMC

A fi tting second place fi nish for a story by Brier Dodge that dug deeper into a dicey issue no one wants to talk

about: suicide. Getting a teen on board to talk really made you feel for those involved, and giving a bit of

background into two high profi le suicides was probably not received well by everyone in the community, but the

reporter was not swayed. The people drive the story but the sheer numbers are horrifying. The increase in mental health cases underline the need for more money to help

the youth, especially the way they responded, by reaching out for professional help in alarming numbers after the

suicides of a famous hockey player’s daughter and a city councillor’s son. A small criticism: Always introduce

abbreviated names (like CHEO), and don’t assume readers know. Even if they do know, it looks better.

BURKS FALLS ALMAGUIN NEWSAlthough the headline was off-putting with two

acronyms, the story is timely, well researched and intriguing to read. Kelly McShane combined a health problem – which is tough enough on its own – with

a political connection that outraged community members. It laid out a good lesson about health and

politics, and the frustration that comes when those two elements are combined. The sources ranged far and

wide and I was able to get a good picture of this issue as an outsider, which is the mark of a good reporter. A

solid piece on a pertinent local issue!

Third Place

HEALTH& WELLNESS


Steve BonspielSteve Bonspiel is an award-winning journalist from the Mohawk community of Kanesatake who purchased The Eastern Door newspaper in his sister community of Kahnawake in 2008. He is editor/publisher and sole owner of the paper. Major highlights of his career include a nomination for the paper in 2011 for the prestigious Michener Award, which pitted the small community newspaper against giants like CBC and the Vancouver Sun. Steve also won the 2011 and 2012 Canadian Association of Journalists’ top prize in community journalism.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTOverall, this category was extremely rewarding for me to judge; about the myriad of health problems faced in Ontario communities, and how they all tie into each other in so many ways. Politics, money and access (or lack thereof) to proper health care were common. Frustration with wait times, and feeling alone and helpless, were also paramount in the entries. Some entries were discounted early because they were missing a key element: A personal journey, a tale of woe. The pieces that placed and won had multiple sources, an urgent issue, and they weren’t afraid to talk about topics that can be taboo at the best of times. I learned a lot from the 77 entries and I came away from it more informed. And that is primarily what we strive to do as good reporters serving our communities.

PETERBOROUGH THIS WEEKThis piece has everything. In-depth research into an extremely complicated issue, multiple sources that continued to drive the story further, clear, concise writing that was fi lled with colour, and photos that went beyond the garden variety pose, point and shoot. It laid out a dangerous mental health issue in relation to elderly parents, and you couldn’t help but feel for all parties involved, including the police. Only one minor criticism: I noticed a few errors that could have been caught, but they didn’t have signifi cant impact on the overall piece. The lead pulls you in and it only gets better after that. Great job from Sarah Frank! An easy choice for fi rst place!

First Place


HONOURABLE MENTIONHaliburton County Echo – Wonderful lead, clever writing tools and visual descriptions put this story in the front running for Honourable Mention.

Second PlacePRESCOTT JOURNALA beautifully-told, somewhat

chilling story by Jeff Morris, that shows the impact the loss of

one life can have on the world. Good supporting images, and

solid reporting.

BRAMPTON GUARDIAN

This story precisely charts the history of a once-

beloved building that has been painstakingly restored, in a way

that the reader can sense the love that local history buffs have

for the building.

Third Place


Jessica PetersJessica has been the editor of the Agassiz-Harrison Observer for the past four years, as the newspaper’s sole photographer, writer and web manager. The Observer is a frequent award recipient, including Ma Murray General Excellence and Great Ideas Awards. She began her career with Black Press in 1999, shortly after graduating from Kwantlen University. As a mother of three young children, she is an avid community volunteer. Jessica also speaks to students at the elementary school and university level as a way to increase interest in journalism and literacy.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTOntario’s rich heritage provided for an impressive array of topics, spanning from personal stories of loss to those demonstrating impressive community spirit. It is clear that the drive to save the province’s heritage is alive within Ontario newsrooms. Heritage writing gives us the chance to delve into our community’s past, while relating an issue to the present. The winning entries were selected for their ability to do both. The winners here prove that through strong storytelling, solid research and evocative images, any subject can have new life breathed into it.

HERITAGE

ELMIRA-WOOLWICH OBSERVERCongratulations to Colin Dewar on creating a story that was both memorable and refreshing, simply by bringing a small stage back to life. Well-researched and artfully crafted, the story and its supporting graphics are both informative and entertaining. The treatment of the piece, specifi cally through fonts and graphics, showcase the work well.

First Place

2012 BNC Awards Results 25Sponsored by FORT FRANCES TIMES

CALEDON ENTERPRISEAndrew Livingstone and Robyn Wilkinston rose to the top for uncovering proof that dog attacks in their community were being poorly or incompetently reported by offi cials, understating the risk to the community at large.

HONOURABLE MENTIONBracebridge Examiner – Louis Tam deserves credit for bringing a poverty-stricken couple at risk of losing their trailer home to the community’s attention, and shining a light on the blight of rural economic misfortune.

First Place

Second PlaceWATERLOO CHRONICLE

Paige Desmond did well by fi nding out why 10 school children were suspended despite the school board’s privacy policy which suppresses the sometimes bizarre

reasons justifying them.

GRAVENHURST BANNER

Neil Etienne did stalwart duty by laying bare the myth that there are no

homeless in rural towns, despite the usual suspects attempting to suppress

such information.

Third Place

BEST INVESTIGATIVENEWS STORY


Joe BanksJoe Banks has been an Ontario community newspaper reporter, editor and publisher for 25 years. He now coordinates, and is a professor for the journalism program at Algonquin College.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTSmaller reporting staffs and the “doing more with less” work ethic may have resulted in a sharp decrease in entries and quality of entries this year. That’s why this year’s winners deserve extra credit for fi nding a way to tell important community stories using investigative techniques. First some general comments: Reporting on law suits can’t be considered an investigative story if all the reporter did was get a copy of a statement of claim. Nor can a “he said, she said”, one-dimensional story. The winners in this category went to the trouble and expense in two cases of fi ling Freedom of Information requests to obtain documents that prove facts, then interviewing the principles behind those documents. Each of the three winners did immensely detailed, multi-page reports that, combined, showed a determination to SHOW, rather than tell, readers what is at the center of the controversies they covered.

CALEDON ENTERPRISEAndrew Livingstone and Robyn Wilkinston rose to the top for uncovering proof that dog attacks in their community were being poorly or incompetently reported by offi cials, understating the risk to the community at large.

First Place


HONOURABLE MENTIONNiagara this Week, Niagara Falls – A well-written piece from Richard Hutton going inside the mind of a woman who tried to save an accident victim. Just an average citizen trying to help out, but this certainly was not an average story. Well done.

Second PlaceTORONTO FOREST HILL

TOWN CRIERReporter Omar Mosleh, with Shadi

Raoufi , does it again with a great story on a possible casino coming

to this community. Again, well researched and the layout and

front page graphics really draw the reader in, so extra kudos for that.

SCARBOROUGH MIRROR

Reporter Andrew Palamarchuk was very close in this category with his well-written article on

this neighbourhood shooting that touched the whole country when it

made national news. Good art work and placement of the story. Just lost a few points on the writing from the

other two in this category.

Third Place


Ian JacquesIan Jacques has been the editor of the Coast Reporter on the Sunshine Coast of B.C. since 2003. Coast Reporter is an award-winning community newspaper based in Sechelt serving the community of the Sunshine Coast from Langdale to Saltery Bay and all points in between. Coast Reporter has been named top newspaper in Canada in its circulation class twice in the past 10 years and top newspaper in its circulation class in the B.C. three out of the last four years. It has also won numerous awards for photography, ad design and special publications work the past several years at the provincial level.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTOverall, this was a very diffi cult category to judge, evident of all the close scores among many of the newspapers. Lots of great stories from several fi re scenes, robberies, shootings and stories of loss, anger and frustration with labour disputes, there was certainly lots to choose from. Why some scored better than others was the overall quality of writing, story placement and treatment of headlines, artwork and page turns. In some instances, the whole story could have been placed on a front page with great artwork and that could have meant the difference for some. For others, they turned the story to several pages without artwork and that lost marks. Overall though, some outstanding work by the reporters, editors and graphics people.

BEST NEWS STORYCIRC. 10,000+

TORONTO TODAYGreat work by writer Omar Mosleh who had several top notch stories in this category from Toronto-area newspapers. This one stands-out for it’s in-depth look at this issue, strong layout and a great read from start to fi nish.

First Place

2012 BNC Awards Results 27Sponsored by HYDRO ONE NETWORKS INC.

NUNAVUT NEWS/NORTHA disaster of the fi rst order here. Two killed and 85 left homeless. The fact that reporter Casey Lessard went beyond to get the former fi re marshal’s opinion was good as it suggested this disaster was just a matter of time. Photos helped with telling the story. Casey did well in being on scene and getting interviews.

HONOURABLE MENTIONCobden Sun – A heart tugger of friends and family left behind in the aftermath of a crash. Good front page play with photos and quotes from family and friends.

First Place

Second PlacePARRY SOUND NORTH STAR

A good team effort here on copy and photos. Good work on getting quotes on scene and from fi re and weather experts.

A good selection of photos assisted in telling the story.

WEST CARLETONREVIEW EMC

This one’s a heartstring tugger by Theresa Fritz. This story paints quite

the picture of two sides of a St. Patty’s party – a drinker drives away, while a

couple walks away. The tragedy.

Third Place

BEST NEWS STORYCIRC. -9,999


Dave Whitfi eldDave Whitfi eld is editor of the Rocky Mountain Outlook weekly newspaper. The Outlook covers Banff, Canmore and the Bow Valley in Alberta. Whitfi eld has spent more than 20 years in journalism, with weekly community newspapers, an alternative entertainment weekly and a professional rodeo monthly, as well as dabbling in freelance work.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTFatalities were quite prominent in this category, unfortunately, and reporters should be commended for taking on the diffi cult task of interviewing those left behind. For the most part copy was quite well rounded and balanced and often, decent photography was incorporated to help tell the story.

NUNAVUT NEWS/NORTHA disaster of the fi rst order here. Two killed and 85 left homeless. The fact that reporter Casey Lessard went beyond to get the former fi re marshal’s opinion was good as it suggested this disaster was just a matter of time. Photos helped with telling the story. Casey did well in being on scene and getting interviews.

First Place

Sponsored by HYDRO ONE NETWORKS INC.28 2012 BNC Awards Results

HONOURABLE MENTIONPeterborough This Week – For a community newspaper reporter in an area where almost ‘everyone knows everyone,’ it can be tempting to just go with the fl ow of prevailing local opinion on a controversial subject. But while reporter Joel Wiebe lets angry locals have their say against wind turbines, he also takes care to research and present the other side of the issue. The package is enhanced with dramatic photography by Lance Anderson and a layout organized with sub-heads and a fact-box. Well-done.

Second PlaceWHAT’S UP MUSKOKA

Municipal governance and related matters – taxation systems, the

budgeting process, relations between levels of government – can be daunting for readers and

reporters, but Chris Occhiuzzi tackles a serious local controversy

coalescing around them with comprehensive research,

conversational writing and balance between the two sides. Readers are

well-served.

NEWMARKET ERA / AURORA BANNER

This was one of a half-dozen entries – all well-done – about

withering weather and its dramatic effect on fruit-growers and other

farmers. Reporters L.H. Tiffany Hsieh and Simon Martin and

photographer Sjoerd Witteveen get the nod for their version of this important story by quoting a wide

variety of sources with varying experiences and views, and by

presenting their information with attractive simplicity.

Third Place


Stephen CoganStephen Cogan is a proud alumnus of community newspapers in the Upper Ottawa Valley. He’s also been a writer and editor at the Kingston Whig-Standard, CBC News in Toronto and NBC News in New York. He co-manages the journalism programs at Centennial College in Toronto.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTAs usual, judging a category in the OCNA competition is ‘the best of times, the worst of times.’ The quality of submissions is consistently high, and that’s very gratifying. But it means I have to go back... and back... over them to eventually arrive at my top four! But the other entrants in this group should know that I was impressed across the board. Congratulations to all.

BEST RURAL STORYCIRC. 10,000+

OTTAWA HILL TIMESThis story combines some the best elements not only of community newspapering, but of journalism, period: social injustice, addressed through thorough reporting, clear writing, striking presentation... and even a touch of zeal. Yes, the news around Attawapiskat has certainly progressed since this story was written in December, 2011 – and so, to some extent, the events accounted for here are moot. But the fundamental issue being so well-addressed in this story is as critical now as it was then. Congratulations to reporter Bea Vongdouangchanh.

First Place

Sponsored by ONTARIO FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE 2012 BNC Awards Results 29

MANOTICK MESSENGERReporter Jeff Morris wrote an exhaustive news feature about the effect changes to Ontario provincial government slot machine policy were going to have on horse racing tracks; this wasn’t the only entry to approach this issue. Morris’ article was packed with facts, excellent quotes and some nice photography. Morris’ greatest achievement here was showing, not telling, what effect the changes were going to have on people, families and businesses. Bravo Jeff.

HONOURABLE MENTIONGravenhurst Banner – Neil Etienne’s feature about a woman forced by circumstance to live in her car in an affl uent community may come as a shock to some. But homelessness is an issue across the country, and not just in metropolitan areas. Rural areas face it too. Etienne’s story really gave a name and face to homelessness, and it shows the human cost of poverty.

First Place

Second PlaceMINTO EXPRESS

Shannon Burrows’ entry, part of a series on changing healthcare services in rural communities, is

going to seem more and more relevant as the next fi ve to 10

years pass. As the Baby Boomers retire and require more and more

healthcare resources, younger generations are going to ask, “How

are we going to pay for this?” The answer may be a new breed of

healthcare professional. All rural communities across the country should be looking at this issue.

WEST CARLETON REVIEW EMC

Reporter Derek Dunn’s great little story about a beloved

community bingo had great impact. Since the Sixties, community

members enjoy this outdoor bingo, but the provincial government cracked down, noting bingo is

gambling and no children allowed. The story certainly deserves

some follow up, and it would be interesting to see if provincially

elected representatives could press for changes to allow children to

attend bingo. Obviously, children in this community want to do just that.

Third Place

BEST RURAL STORYCIRC. -9,999


Stewart SalkeldStewart Salkeld grew up in a tiny farming community located in the east-central region of Alberta, so he is no stranger to rural communities. Graduating from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in 1991 with a diploma in Journalism, Salkeld has spent his entire newspaper career as a reporter or editor with community newspapers. The papers he’s worked for include the Oyen Echo, the Arrow Lakes News, the Macleod Gazette and the Rocky Mountain House Mountaineer. Salkeld has been at The Mountaineer since 2001, starting as a reporter/photographer and becoming editor after the sudden passing of Brian Mazza in 2007.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThis was a tough category to judge, as the majority of entries were deserving of a top three fi nish. In order to identify and recognize the top three stories, I added an invisible judging criteria, “Creativity/Initiative.” With this, three stories and one very worthy honourable mention rose to the top. The top three plus the honourable mention have excellent writing, illustrative photography and solid factual information, but also are creative or show great initiative from the reporters, photographers and other staff involved. All three illustrate issues which rural communities across the country are facing: government cutbacks, the quality of rural healthcare and government mendacity. The honourable mention brings to the forefront an issue growing in many rural communities: homelessness. Once again, a very diffi cult category to judge: easily, two-thirds of the entries could have been top three fi nishers.

30 2012 BNC Awards Results Sponsored by ONTARIO FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE

HONOURABLE MENTIONLondon Community News – This series is great. Simple things are used in a very effi cient manner to get points across. The reader is not led in any way, but is instead offered the opportunity to come to their own conclusion, which is great and too few series allow the reader that chance. Photos that are just subtle enough, such as the one with the security fence, have strong impact. The series takes a natural progression and covers the questions that readers are asking. The only reason it did not fi nish in the top three is because of a few layout issues that are distracting to audiences. The gap that separated this story from being in the top three, though, was very small.

Second Place

Third Place


Ben ProulxBen Proulx is the editor of the Fort Saskatchewan Record in Alberta. Prior to taking over as editor in Fort Saskatchewan, Ben was a senior reporter at the Sherwood Park News, also in Alberta, where he made a name for himself through investigative reporting and in-depth news series, as well as through take-to-task opinion columns. Ben has also created layout style guides that are now being used across four markets.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTI would say that the majority of the pieces entered in this competition were very well put together. They were effective pieces. One of the areas that can use improvement across the board is layout. The top three selections had solid layout, while some others that weren’t selected did not. There were a lot of papers where layout was simply too tight; there was no an effective use of photos, graphs or pull quotes; and other visual issues were distracting. Another area that is cause for concern is that there were some series entered to the competition that had copyediting errors. These errors are noticeable, and they are, again, distracting to readers. Still, in general, these series were great. Some became a bit redundant, because there are some topics that are continuously touched upon. At the end of the day, it’s the series that can do something very different, or put a new spin on an old story, that will be remembered.

BEST FEATURE/NEWS SERIES CIRC. 10,000+

THUNDER BAY SOURCEThis series is very well done. It handles a tragic event tactfully, and conveys the emotion of the community. Very well done on the writing, and there is an effective use of photos. It’s rare that a photo without people in it can be as effective as the highway photo in this series is. Very well done. The simplicity of this entry is really what sets it apart from the others. It’s a hugely complex story to put together, and to get it down to such a human level, where the emotion is key, is not an easy task.

First Place

BRIGHTON / EAST NORTHUMBERLAND INDEPENDENTAll stories included in this series are well written, and John Campbell has clear fl ow from story to story. Photos are well used to draw the reader’s attention, and headline writing is used effectively to do the same. By the last story written, the reader is invested in the ongoing coverage. This is a very well-written series. A lot of times, planned series can become dry. In this case, the issue arose, and what could have been written as two stories was then turned into a series. Very well done. This piece is a second-place winner because of its adaptation to everything that is happening. It doesn’t step on its own toes with what was already written, and it effectively conveys the struggles being felt in this situation.

OSHAWA THIS WEEKThis is a great series.

All the reader’s questions are answered, and it brings forward something that is of high interest to all readers, and a topic that many may not be aware of. Layout is well done, with blocks of texts effi ciently broken up, as well. The use of the fundraising breakdown chart, too, is a great way to pull a potentially uninterested reader in, and I can only assume that would be enough to then make them read the stories. Great job. This is a story that’s been done before in other markets, but never quite in this way, that I’ve seen. Any time a reporter can take something and make it his own – while putting an entirely new perspective on what’s happening – that’s worthy of placement.


NUNAVUT NEWS/NORTHCasey Lessard’s “Feeding Nunavut” series required numerous interviews and in-depth research to put the spotlight on a huge and pervasive problem. Along with fl awless writing, it also made good use of fact fi les and data comparisons.

HONOURABLE MENTIONSioux Lookout Wawatay News – Stephanie Wesley’s two stories and a column on a serious community problem had real impact.

First Place

Second PlaceMEAFORD EXPRESS

Scott Woodhouse’s series is a perfect example of content that

readers want: personal, informative, funny and beautifully laid out.

Use of Facebook status updates, an accompanying Movember

moustache saga and terminology boxes were all part of the package.

GRAVENHURST BANNER

We’ve all seen a number of these “emergency services in

focus” pieces, but Louis Tam’s made for great reading from start to fi nish without sliding into the

volunteer hero worship trap.

Third Place

BEST FEATURE/NEWSSERIES CIRC. -9,999


Gail SjubergGail Sjuberg has been the editor of the award-winning Gulf Islands Driftwood newspaper in B.C. since 2003 and in the community newspaper business for more than 20 years. She is also the editor of Driftwood Publishing Ltd.’s magazine called Aqua-Gulf Islands Living and the Gulf Islander tourist guide, and has been a judge for numerous community newspaper competitions.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTEntries in this category prove that Ontario’s smaller community paper staff are continuing to invest time and talent into covering important and/or compelling topics in depth. Bravo. While the top-three winners all earned the highest marks for quality of writing, Casey Lessard’s Nunavut News/North series on poverty and the exorbitant cost of food in Nunavut narrowly beat out Scott Woodhouse’s fantastic fi rst-person series on his experience with prostate cancer simply because “relevance to community” is such a signifi cant judging criterion.

NUNAVUT NEWS/NORTHCasey Lessard’s “Feeding Nunavut” series required numerous interviews and in-depth research to put the spotlight on a huge and pervasive problem. Along with fl awless writing, it also made good use of fact fi les and data comparisons.

First Place


HONOURABLE MENTIONPrescott Journal – Jeff Morris tells a touching story about a community’s support for a young man overcoming challenges to play hockey. The entry would have scored higher with editing to tighten the writing.

Second Place

Third Place


Andrew HolotaAndrew Holota is the editor of the Abbotsford News, a twice-weekly community newspaper that is part of the Black Press chain. He is also the regional editorial manager for Black Press Lower Mainland, overseeing editorial standards, and coordinating training and mentoring programs for multi-media journalists. Andrew’s journalism career began more than 35 years ago, as a photographer. He moved into reporting, and has been an editor since 1984 at various Valley and Lower Mainland community newspapers. Throughout his career, he has won numerous provincial, national and continental awards.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThe top contenders in this category emerged quite quickly, as they combined strong writing, compelling subject matter, and came closest to meeting the judging criteria, namely, to raise community awareness of sports and recreation opportunities, or address related problems. Unfortunately, the majority of the 70-plus entries in this category missed that mark, with standard sports reporting on individuals or events. Mediocre photography and layout also took down the marks of many entries. Great stories deserve great art and presentation!

SPORT & RECREATIONSTORY

ANCASTER NEWSA compelling tale about one man’s commitment to his sport despite daunting odds. In turn, he’s an inspiration to others in his community to follow suit. The presentation of this piece would have benefi ted from more creative photography and layout. Nevertheless, a solid winner by Mike Pearson.

First Place

BURLINGTON POSTA well-written and researched story by Herb Garbutt about a local individual instrumental in the creation of the Special

Olympics. This detailed piece gives the community a deep

understanding of the effort involved in bringing disabled people into the sports world.

NEWMARKET ERA / AURORA BANNER

John Cudmore writes an extensive piece on an important

issue in sports – the imbalance of female coaches versus male.

Hopefully, it raised awareness and encouraged female athletes to

pursue coaching opportunities.


WATERLOO CHRONICLE – BOB VRBANACBob Vrbanac’s kooky sense of humour is on full display as he writes about life with his three sons. Whether he’s exploring how brutally honest kids can be or recounting a trip to the emergency room with his young son, his ideas are fresh and fun.

HONOURABLE MENTIONElmira-Woolwich Observer – Steve Galea – Steve Galea’s great use of dialogue and well-chosen anecdotes mean his columns are reliably entertaining. Although his humour is slightly off-the-wall, he also manages to be familiar too.

First Place

Second PlaceLINDSAY POST

– PEGGY ARMSTRONGIf you want to chuckle over a column that blends research,

reporting and commentary with wit and lovely writing, you’ll want to

check out Peggy Armstrong’s work in the Lindsay Post.

ORILLIA TODAY – FRANK MATYS

Readers of Orillia Today are lucky to have Frank Matys’ zany but relatable humour coming at

them on a regular basis. In telling the story of one family’s unexpected

and, er, non-PG movie night, for example, he displays a good sense

of informed fun.

Third Place

HUMOUR COLUMNISTOF THE YEAR


Julie McCannJulie McCann is a full-time journalism professor at Algonquin College. Prior to that, she was a staff writer at National Post Business magazine and a contributor to Chatelaine, Canadian Geographic, Applied Arts, the Montreal Gazette and the Ottawa Citizen. Previously she was the managing editor at Canadian in-fl ight magazine and a staff writer at Marketing Magazine. She holds a B.A.A. in journalism (magazine) from Ryerson University and an M.J. from Carleton University. She makes her home in Ottawa.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThe entire fi eld of competitors for this year’s Humour Columnist of the Year category displayed a great knack of fi nding the funny in everyday life. Whether they used their own stories as fodder for commentary or poked fun at current events, neighbours or general human foibles, these writers did it thoughtfully, respectfully and - luckily for readers - entertainingly.

WATERLOO CHRONICLE – BOB VRBANACBob Vrbanac’s kooky sense of humour is on full display as he writes about life with his three sonor recounting a trip to the emergency room with his young son, his ideas are fresh and fun.

First Place


Second Place

Third Place


Sheena ReadSheena Read has worked in communications for what she horrifyingly realizes is more than a quarter of a century. She has been a freelance photojournalist for newspapers and magazines across Canada, and is currently the multi-media editor of the Nanton News, her hometown paper.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTI scored people very hard - with 44 competitors, it was extremely diffi cult to separate some of the talent. The writers I chose for the top four all had different styles, different subject matter, but all had exceptional articles. Well done!

COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR

TORONTO BEACH-RIVERDALE-EAST YORK TOWN CRIER – SANDRA BUSSINThese articles show strong knowledge and history with the subject matter. I learned a lot about a topic we’re only getting sound bytes on here in western Canada.

First Place

BROCK CITIZEN– NEIL CRONE

Shows humour and enjoyment of writing!

WHITBY THIS WEEK– BRIAN MCNAIR

We don’t get enough opportunities to humanize our

subject matter these days. These articles did just that.


OAKVILLE BEAVER – DAVID LEAThis piece did a remarkable job of handling and detailing a very sensitive topic. I loved the interviews and found the sidebar information to be a tremendous addition. This is the sort of work to which every journalist should aspire.

HONOURABLE MENTIONWaterdown Flamborough Review – Catherine O’Hara – As a BC resident I was completely unaware of this issue. I found the attention to detail and the story’s overall impact made for a compelling read.

First Place

Second PlaceLINDSAY POST– LISA GERVAIS

Such an unexpected and thorough handling of a story

angle that most reporters wouldn’t think of. Excellent

job of handling the facts and presenting different viewpoints.

Very fair-minded.

OSHAWA EXPRESS – GEOFF ZOCHODNE

Tremendous job of researching a topic of local and

national interest. Well organized and thoughtful.

Third Place

STEPHEN SHAW AWARD FOR REPORTER OF THE YEAR


Lorne EckersleyLorne Eckersley has been involved with newspapers since he edited his Grade 6 class paper. In his 34-year professional career he has worked as a reporter, photographer, advertising manager, columnist and publisher. He has lived in Creston BC for the entire period, having relocated there after completing the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology journalism program in 1979.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTHaving read each of these articles several times I am impressed by the quality of each. Community newspaper journalism is clearly thriving in Ontario and readers are the clear winners. There wasn’t a single entry in this category that didn’t do credit to its writer, newspaper, community and subject. It’s a shame that not all can receive an award other than the well-earned satisfaction of a job well done.

OAKVILLE BEAVER – DAVID LEAThis piece did a remarkable job of handling and detailing a very sensitive topic. I loved the interviews and found the sidebar information to be a tremendous addition. This is the sort of work to which every journalist should aspire.

First Place

Sponsored by ONTARIO POWER GENERATION36 2012 BNC Awards Results

Second Place

Third Place


Paul MacNeillPaul MacNeill is Publisher of Island Press Limited based in Montague, PEI. He has won several dozen awards on a regional, national and international basis for his editorials and investigative reporting. He is Chairman of the Newspapers Canada Board of Directors.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTWhile the number of entries is relatively small their overall quality refl ects a wonderful cross-section of high level editorial leadership. All entries displayed the type of initiative we expect from editors in tune with their communities. The daily reality of entrants varied signifi cantly from large, multiple title newsrooms where management is paramount to small newsrooms where the editor is an active participant in generating copy. It made for a diffi cult competition to judge. On some levels the established criterion demands comparing apples to oranges. Ultimately, however, a clear winner emerged in Joanne Burghardt of Oshawa This Week.


EDITOR OFTHE YEAR

OSHAWA THIS WEEK – JOANNE BURGHARDTIt is hard to argue against the immense leadership shown by Joanne Burghardt in 2012. She oversaw an award-winning 35-member newsroom. She organized two international “stretch” projects including coverage of the Summer Olympics that saw publication of 597 Olympic articles plus video, pictures, photo galleries and athlete profi les. In addition she coordinated Night and Day 2012: A 24-Hour Medical Journey, a 100 page book that delivered a rare behind the scenes look into our health care system. Her papers produce consistently high quality work, and Joanne still fi nds time to give back to her community and industry. Her dedication and leadership is second to none.

First Place

OTTAWA HILL TIMES– KATE MALLOY

There is a reason The Hill Times is one of the smartest, best-written newspapers in the country, Kate

Malloy. Weekly this jack-of-all trades editor delivers a product that is used as primary source material for larger

media outlets. She writes compelling features and insightful editorials. Her editing is crisp, delivering thoughtful,

insightful content.

WATERDOWN FLAMBOROUGH REVIEW – BRENDA JEFFERIES

Brenda Jeffries is a small paper editor making a big impact. She oversees two reporters

who produce 40 to 56 pages a week for the Waterdown Flamborough Review. Her job

description should simply say ‘Do it all’ including assignment editor, copy editor, paginator,

writer, photographer. She balances signifi cant community involvement with powerful editorials,

not an easy task in small towns.


WHITBY THIS WEEKSabrina Byrnes’ pic for Whitby This Week has outstanding impact in addition to being crisp, well-composed and used.

HONOURABLE MENTIONClarington This Week – Ron Pietroniro may have captured the most dangerous through-the-legs shot ever. Courageous and cool, and the photo is used well.

First Place

Second PlaceUXBRIDGE TIMES-JOURNAL

Ce Klemenz captured a touching moment of remembrance and observance. This

photo should, however, have been used much larger.

SARNIA/LAMBTON THIS WEEK

Heather Wright froze an image of education and understanding at a school

assembly. As with the second-place entry, I would have used this pic larger.

Third Place

BEST FEATURE PHOTOCIRC. 10,000+

Premier Award – PhotographyNumber of entries: 50

Richard Dal MonteRichard Dal Monte is editor of The Tri-City News, a twice-weekly community newspaper serving the cities of Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody, BC, who has worked as a journalist for more than 26 years.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTPlenty of originality and imagination was on display in the entries in this category. The photographers are to be commended for challenging themselves to come up with fresh takes on old tropes. One note – a very nice photo was overwhelmed and ruined by huge yellow type on the pic.

WHITBY THIS WEEKSabrina Byrnes’ pic foroutstanding impact in addition to being crisp, well-composed and used.

First Place

Second Place


HONOURABLE MENTIONGravenhurst Banner – Bev McMullen’s photo captures a striking moment on a blue-sky day. Good use of negative space is somewhat hurt, however, by placement of the cutline in that space. My advice: Don’t mess with a good pic.

Second Place

Third Place


Richard Dal MonteRichard Dal Monte is editor of The Tri-City News, a twice-weekly community newspaper serving the cities of Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody, BC, who has worked as a journalist for more than 26 years.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThe winners in this category are head and shoulders above the majority of the entries. The defi nition of a feature pic isn’t just that it’s not a news photo. One additional note: I can’t decide whether the photo of a teacher duct-taped to a school gym wall is a) the most egregious use of a cutout I’ve ever seen or b) kind of cool.


BEST FEATURE PHOTOCIRC. -9,999

HALIBURTON COUNTY ECHOSimple, strong and striking, Darren Lum’s entry is a lovely portrait of a young athlete that gives the Echo’s front page outstanding impact.

First Place

NIAGARA THIS WEEK, TOWN CRIER

Excellent composition: Gord Downey’s face, the darkening sky

and the Hip’s dedicated fans – Steve Henschel captured it all. I could have

done without the large head and cutline within the photo.

KINCARDINE INDEPENDENT

Less is more in Josh Howald’s caber toss pic: the effort and the

disappearing caber. I would have liked to see the photo played bigger

to maximize its impact (I would have run it top to bottom and adjusted

everything else around it).


CLARINGTON THIS WEEKA couple of things make this the winner. Ron Pietroniro does an excellent job not only of shooting the action but also of varying the looks. The shots alternate between tight and from a distance. The layout also shines by varying picture sizes and making terrifi c use of the space.

HONOURABLE MENTIONUxbridge Times-Journal – I like the strong use of main art and the choice and placement of the other photos. The tiny picture above the copy was a great idea.

First Place

Second PlaceELMIRA-WOOLWICH OBSERVER

It’s easy to overuse cutouts in layout but I thought they were very effective here. Colin Dewar and Leanne Boron use a wide variety of photos that give an excellent

taste of what went on.

BARRY’S BAY, THE VALLEY GAZETTE

Gregory Zawidzki has one of those deceptively simple ideas that, in the right

hands, comes alive. The choice of the black background with the cutout of the

butterfl y at the bottom right is genius.

Third Place

BEST PHOTO LAYOUT


Perry BergsonPerry Bergson is the managing editor of the Prince Albert Daily Herald, Saskatchewan’s third largest daily. The Portage la Prairie, Man., native has 25 years of experience in newspapers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and will always be thankful for the two years spent at a weekly that launched his career. He has two decades of experience working on the news desk, often doing the sort of design found in this competition.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTFor these pages to pop, you need a photographer with an eye for long and short views and a desker who fi nds their own graphic vision in the art. The winners all had elements of both. There was a lot of beautiful work to choose from; congratulations to all who entered.

Second Place

CLARINGTON THIS WEEKA couple of things mexcellent job not only of shooting the action but also of varying the looks. The shots alternate between tight and from a distance. The layout also shines by varying picture sizes and making terrifi c use of the space.

First Place


HONOURABLE MENTIONToronto Beach/Riverdale Mirror – Excellent photograph, it was a very tough choice to leave this out of the top three. Dan Pearce did a great job capturing the action. Excellent.

Second Place

Third Place


Andrea RondeauAndrea Rondeau is the editor of the Cowichan Valley Citizen newspaper in Duncan, British Columbia. She began her journalism career with a degree from the University of King’s College in Halifax, N.S., then went to work at the Yarmouth Vanguard newspaper. A move to B.C. in 2004 saw her land on Vancouver Island at the Citizen, where she started out fi lling in for a maternity leave. She hasn’t left since. From reporter/photographer she made the jump to the editor’s chair at the end of 2007.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThis was an outstanding set of photographs to judge. It made my job both more fun and more diffi cult. Some of the characteristics shared by the top scoring photos were good, sharp focus, capturing a moment in time, and stopping the action – this is sports, after all.


BEST SPORTSPHOTO

MISSISSAUGA NEWSThe excellence of this photo by Fred Loek won out. It has everything – movement, expression, crispness. Everywhere you look in the photo there is something interesting to see, yet the focus is clear. This is what a sports photo is all about – catching the unexpected drama as it happens. However, a warning that this entry only squeaked out the win, due to the extreme over-busyness of the layout. I would have liked to see the photo played bigger. These factors almost – almost – knocked it out of contention. In the end, I decided that the excellence of the photograph itself managed to overcome its environment suffi ciently to put it on top.

First Place

AJAX/PICKERING NEWS ADVERTISER

This is an outstanding technical photo. From the angle to the crispness of it, Ron Pietroniro did a superb job. It’s

interesting that in the background of the photo you can see other photographers trying to capture the same subject, but at a more traditional angle that would

put the sun on the jumper’s face, rather than what was done so effectively here,

using the shadows. A great example of what you can do when you think

outside the box. The clean layout that highlighted the photograph is also

greatly appreciated.

BURLINGTON POSTThere were a couple of great celebration

shots entered, but this one really stood out. Eric Riehl has captured the emotion of the moment.

The three distinct elements in the photo, the group of girls standing, the girl on the ground,

and the girl with the crutches, combine to make this a great sports photo. Well done.


WHITBY THIS WEEKRon Pietroniro took fi rst place because from the moment I saw the photograph I was drawn into what was happening and I wanted to know more. It isn’t your typical fi re coverage photograph, but it captures the essence of spot news photography in showing the elements of what’s happening, as well as the impact of the situation on those involved – in this case the fi refi ghters battling not only the heat of a fi re but that of Mother Nature. The fi refi ghter in the background makes the photograph award-winning as much as the main subjects. Great photo.

First Place

Second PlaceSUDBURY

NORTHERN LIFEIt was very diffi cult to place this photograph in second place, as it too is outstanding, meeting all

the important criteria in what one would be looking for in a great spot

news photo. Darren MacDonald captured the seriousness of what

was taking place in the faces of the law enforcement offi cers, as well

as the emotion of one of the people involved.

PETERBOROUGHTHIS WEEK

Third place is a photo that also caught my eye from the fi rst time I saw it, as it

shows emotion on two levels in a moment that probably only lasted a little while.

A minute or two earlier or later probably would not have given photographer Lance

Anderson the same image.

Third Place

BEST SPOTNEWS PHOTO


Kevin HigginsDuring his 19-year community newspaper career, Kevin Higgins has been a reporter, editor, community newspaper business manager, and community newspaper offi ce manager. Since 2007, he has been the editor of The Beacon in Gander, NL, which is one of the largest community newspapers in the province. Throughout these years, he has won numerous Atlantic Canada and national awards for reporting, editorial writing, photography and page design.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThe key element that makes a great spot news photo, and what is also the biggest challenge, is being ‘on the spot.’ Accomplishing this allows the photographer to capture the two most valuable components of outstanding photographs, no matter if the photographs are of the spot news, sports or feature variety – what’s happening and human impact. Unfortunately, not all entries in this category came close to meeting these two elements, and even more disappointing it could easily be seen several photographs were ‘set-up’ or staged. Others were taken well after the ‘action,’ thus losing the adrenaline rush of the event and the human emotion connected to what was happening. All that being said, the photographs overall, whether good spot news photographs or not, were of good quality in terms of contrast, focus and composition.

WHITBY THIS WEEKRon Pietroniro took fi rst place bephotograph I was drawn into what was happening and I wanted to know more. It isn’t your typical fi re coverage photograph, but it captures the essence of spot news photography in showing the elements of what’s happening, as well as the impact of the situation on those involved – in this case the fi refi ghters battling not only the heat of a fi re but that of Mother Nature. The fi refi ghter in the background makes the photograph award-winning as much as the main subjects. Great photo.

First Place


Second Place

Third Place


Darryl HolykDarryl Holyk began working at The Minnedosa Tribune, in Minnedosa, MB as a reporter/photographer in 2001. Five years later, he was promoted to Editor and in 2008 purchased the historic newspaper becoming the ninth publisher since it was founded in 1883. Since 2009, Darryl has served as a director on the Manitoba Community Newspapers Association (MCNA) Board of Directors. Holyk’s photo of the arson of the Minnedosa United Church appeared in publications and other news media across the country and earned him a First Place Best Spot News Photo from MCNA in 2007.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTJudging this class was a very diffi cult task. I was overwhelmed with many great entries and it was extremely diffi cult to narrow it down to just a few. This class proved that there are many talented photographers working for newspapers and each one should be commended for a job well done. There were many great shots and I wish everyone could be honoured with an award. Keep up the great work!

BEST NEWSPHOTO

TORONTO BLOOR WEST VILLAGERThis photograph really grabs the viewer’s attention. There are so many emotions featured in the shot – the danger and destruction of the playground structure is obvious as is the confusion and sadness on the child’s face. This shot speaks volumes exhibiting the many emotions present from the aftermath of an arson/vandalism incident. Excellent work Ian Kelso!

First Place

RAINY RIVER RECORDKen Johnston takes a wonderful

photo capturing a horrifi c and destructive news event that will forever be part of

the community’s history. The fi refi ghters look so small and

powerless as they do their best to battle this huge, destructive

monster. “Fighting a losing battle” really sums it up.

BRANT NEWSThis is a powerful, yet fun

photo by Mike Machado, that I imagine would make viewers

feel the refreshing impact of cool water during a summer heat wave. The expression on the boy’s face is priceless as he fi nds a great way to

beat the heat.


NORTHUMBERLAND NEWS – KAREN LONGWELLDramatic spot news and sports action images combined with a creative photo illustration distinguished Karen Longwell’s submission as a clear winner.

HONOURABLE MENTIONLondon Community News – Mike Maloney – Solid technique, a sense of the moment and creative story-telling distinguished the London Community News submission.

First Place

Second PlaceBURLINGTON POST

– ERIC RIEHLImpressive story-telling

photographs and a strong sensitivity to everyday

community events distinguished the Burlington Post submission

and secured second place.

OSHAWA THIS WEEK– SABRINA BYRNES

A sense of the moment combined with a strong graphic

sense of composition secured third place for the Oshawa This Week

submission.

Third Place

PHOTOGRAPHEROF THE YEAR


Joe CallahanJoe Callahan teaches photography and is coordinator of the Journalism-Online, Print and Broadcast program at Loyalist College of Applied Arts and Technology in Belleville, Ontario. With the support of the OCNA, he completed a Master’s degree in June 2010 focusing on journalism standards and accreditation. His research paper, Newsroom Practices at Ontario Newspapers - A Focus on Accuracy was published by Athabasca University.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTDramatic spot news and sports action submissions were most impressive this year. Some entrants fell short on their technically enhanced submissions and there was a conspicuous absence of pictures with a strong sense of humanity or the human condition. Overall, submissions this year represented strong technical achievement.

NORTHUMBERLAND NEWS – KAREN LONGWELLDramatic spot newphoto illustration distinguished Karen Longwell’s submission as a clear winner.

First Place


HONOURABLE MENTIONScugog Standard – Walt Radda – Almost there, keep it up!

Second Place

Third Place

Premier Award – CartoonNumber of entries: 10

Lawrence WoodallLawrence Woodall is a wilderness/bear guide that spends six months of the year in the mountains and coastal regions of BC, hunting with cameras. He shares his knowledge of the wilderness through columns in the North Island Gazette and guest appearances in other papers. His time away from humanity gives him a fresh perspective in the creation of editorial cartoons, ignoring political correctness.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThe most diffi cult component I fi nd personally is judging the impact when you compare a paper from a larger center such as Ottawa to small town papers where the issues are minor in comparison. It’s tempting to look past the size of the issue and focus on how the cartoonist is able to communicate the impact of the issue. With the voting this year there were 3 entries that I battled with in their placement. Extremely tough, all winners.

CARTOONISTOF THE YEAR

OSHAWA EXPRESS – JIM BRADFORDCall it as he see’s it, no bars hold, gut wrench impact, modern day version of French revolution grapeshot.

First Place

OTTAWA HILL TIMES– MICHAEL DEADDER

Tough call between fi rst and second place selection, love the art work, good impact with few

words.

BRANT NEWS– DAVE MCCREARYCan defi nitely relate to one

coffee a day.


WHAT’S UP MUSKOKAThe Muskoka Awards – A wonderful campaign highlighting the achievements of those who contribute to the success of the local area. This is especially evident in the space provided to honour each nominee, not just the winners. One really gets the sense this newspaper takes great pride in being an active and integral part of the community.

First Place

Second PlaceOAKVILLE BEAVER

Sheridan College Celebrating Success – This joint project with a local college provided an excellent opportunity for the newspaper to engage many sectors of the community while helping mentor the leaders of tomorrow. It also clearly showed the newspaper’s ties and

commitment to the local area.

SCUGOG STANDARD Chrome by the Lake Classic

Car Show and Shine – An all-around enjoyable showcase of this newspaper’s

commitment and service to the local area. The editorial copy and advertising

engaged and entertained – and the event itself looks to have been quite lively and well-received by the entire community.

Third Place

COMMUNITYSERVICE

Premier Award – LayoutNumber of entries: 6

Christopher VaughanChristopher Vaughan is editor-manager of The Georgian community newspaper in Stephenville, NL. He was promoted to his current role in early 2012 after working as The Georgian’s reporter and editor. He earned a B.A. from Memorial University and a B.J. from the University of King’s College.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTAll of the entries proved community newspapers have an important role to play in the achievements and well-being of the people they serve. These newspapers don’t just inform and entertain, but they engage and make a positive difference in their readers’ lives. Congratulations to all of the nominees.

WHAT’S UP MUSKOKAThe Muskoka Awards – A wonderful camthose who contribute to the success of the local area. This is especially evident in the space provided to honour each nominee, not just the winners. One really gets the sense this newspaper takes great pride in being an active and integral part of the community.

First Place

46 2012 BNC Awards Results Sponsored by YOUNG DRIVERS OF CANADA

Second Place

Third Place

Premier Award – LayoutNumber of entries: 36

Ted BrewerTed Brewer has been involved in sales and marketing for some of Canada’s largest corporations for over 20 years and most of that time has been spent in a National Accounts sales environment. He has a BA from the University of Guelph and has earned many sales and marketing accreditations over the years to grow and foster his professional development. He is always willing to think outside the box. Since joining AdReach as a National Accounts Manager six years ago, Ted has sold hundreds of thousands of advertising into Ontario’s Community Newspapers and has become an invaluable resource to clients, agencies and publishers alike.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTVery competitive category. Half of the entries were within fi ve points of each other in total score, with many identical totals. In fact there was a six way tie for fourth place. With such a broad spectrum in subject matter, it was very diffi cult to pick favorites since many appealed to me personally for different reasons. I had to stick to the judging criteria as close as possible and just see where things ended up.


BEST VERTICALPRODUCT

FORT FRANCES TIMESDiscover Fort Frances and Rainy River District – Attractive layout, engaging subject matter, to the point and direct. Geared to people unfamiliar with the area and immediately useful. Mapping with locations and insets layed out with local photography gave a very natural fl ow.

First Place

BRACEBRIDGE EXAMINER

Cottage Under Construction – Attractive and uncluttered

layout, very useful subject matter. Stayed on topic and remained immediately useful. Plenty of gorgeous display ads that did

not crowd or chop up editorial. Remained local, and on topic

with consistent quality.

BARRY’S BAY,THE VALLEY GAZETTE

Madawaska Valley & Neighbours – Interesting vignettes of each

community. Topical photography for each region, but not too much

repetition. Great format for a guide to bring along on adventures. Plenty of

advertising revenue, but kept a decent balance with editorial.


BURLINGTON POSTThe front page of the this paper provides a dramatic and unforgettable story with great photographs. The page draws in the readers and gives enough pertinent information on the story but still makes them want to delve deeper into the paper. Good balance between the visual and the written story. The Burlington Post poses questions while reporting on what is known and doesn’t overly dramatize with “accident” photos. A great layout overall, which leads me to believe the entire paper has the same care and attention.

HONOURABLE MENTIONNiagara this Week, Niagara Falls

First Place

Second PlaceNIAGARA THIS WEEK,

WELLANDA pleasing layout with a great

photo. A picture really is worth a thousand words. The photo draws

the attention without being the entire focus of the front page. The

teasers do not over power and have enough interest to make you want to turn the pages. Interesting

above and below the fold. It was pleasing to see so many

community newspapers strive to engage their readers from the fi rst

page onwards.

PORT PERRY STARThis front page caught

my attention because of the untraditional take on

Rememberance Day. It is softly poignant and the photo speaks

for itself. The story and the photo relate making for a great front

page. Community newspapers are all about giving coverage to those

“local” stories and people who make the news in the community.

Third Place

BEST FRONT PAGECIRC. 10,000+

Premier Award – Front PageNumber of entries: 65

Pirjo RaitsFor the past 20 years, Pirjo Raits has worked in the community newspaper fraternity. She has seen the newspaper industry change from the cut and paste days to the advent of computers and an online presence. She believes in the importance of local newspapers and the role they play in forging communities, especially in this day and age of social media. She is an award-winning writer and photographer who has worked as a reporter and editor for community newspapers in British Columbia. She has been the editor of the Sooke News Mirror for the past eight years.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThe process of going through these entries was a good way to remind oneself of what a community newspaper is. In judging, I looked for a “traditional” layout which is comprised of great photos, local content and pleasing layout. Many of the entries had front pages which were laid out in a magazine style with little or no written copy so it was diffi cult to judge “writing.” Most had amazing photos and many had creative layout. I looked for “interest” below the fold and length of front page stories. Many newspapers carried all of the front pages stories to the inside, where I would have liked to see a complete story on the front page. Judging them all together was a diffi cult task but in the end the winners exemplifi ed “community” newspapers. It is gratifying to see that newspapers still exist and are dedicated to writing about the people and events in their community. Overall, excellent selections and job well done by all entrants. Only a few points, in many cases, separated the top three winners from the others.

BURLINGTON POSTThe front pgreat photographs. The page draws in the readers and gives enough pertinent information on the story but still makes them want to delve deeper into the paper. Good balance between the visual and the written story. The Burlington Post poses questions while reporting on what is known and doesn’t overly dramatize with “accident” photos. A great layout overall, which leads me to believe the entire paper has the same care and attention.

First Place

48 2012 BNC Awards Results Sponsored by LAURENTIAN PUBLISHING

HONOURABLE MENTIONWest Carleton Review EMC

Second Place

Third Place

Premier Award – Front PageNumber of entries: 31

Joyce WebsterJoyce Webster has been in the community newspaper business for 32 years, with 27 of those as the publisher/owner of the (Coronation, Ab.) East Central Alberta Review. Not having studied journalism, she has taken it upon herself throughout the 27 years to absorb as much as she can through courses on design, writing and photography and has won a substantial number of awards. Webster is a member of AWNA and CCNA and ISWNE (International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors) where she has received invaluable information in critiquing newspapers.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThis was a very diffi cult category to judge as all 31 were good, but to fl oat up to the top, a page had to be extra good. So it was the small things that gave extra points. Some had no news on front so it was diffi cult to give any points for ‘quality of writing’, so watch when choosing an entry that you know how the points are being distributed. Good use of headlines and variations of fonts and size but not so much use of ‘pull quotes’ which would have helped break up some of the long stories. White space is also valuable as well as balance in layout and design. Some front pages had the advertising over power the news. My biggest complaint was the carry over stories and many in mid sentence, even some in mid word. The most carry over stories on the front page should be one, in my opinion. Despite a great deal of time commitment, it was a pleasure to glimpse into the world of Ontario newspapers.

BEST FRONT PAGECIRC. -9,999

COBDEN SUNIt was a toss up between fi rst and second. This won out because only one of the three stories was carried over. Any more than one, in my opinion, loses the reader because some readers will never fl ip back and forth like they would have to if they had three stories carried over. I liked the placement and the positioning of photos at a slant for the On The Inside, as well as the listing of the other less important stories, but important in my opinion to draw readers to the inside, whether it be their favourite puzzle or columnists. The page lost some points because, although balanced, it was three vertical columns of news. With a little work, I think the design in layout could have been better.

First Place

FORT FRANCES TIMESContent and quality of writing were very

good and the page well balanced with good photos. However, in my opinion,

it lost reader appeal when it came to all three stories being carry overs and,

worse yet, they were all carried over in mid-sentence. Very good use of varying size and fonts in the headlines. On The Inside, I prefer to see the regular items

including columnists, puzzles and classifi eds get some attention on front

page to draw all types of readers to the inside pages.

NEW HAMBURG INDEPENDENT

The ‘ragged right’ in the news copy tended to give valuable white

space on front page and therefore easier for the reader. I like the On The

Inside layout however, some might miss the sports item. Putting the catch

words in red did help but maybe the CCNA Blue ribbon divided it

from the INSIDE title too much. As I previously mentioned in the fi rst two

winning entries, the value of the items including letters, classifi eds, kit’s corner being on front page adds value to the reader but a carry over in mid

sentence lost points.

Sponsored by LAURENTIAN PUBLISHING 2012 BNC Awards Results 49

BURLINGTON POSTA combination of dynamic writing, vibrant photography and exciting layout completes the triple-threat that makes this a winning sports section. Even a casual reader would feel the enthusiasm that Post reporters and photographers put into their work.

First Place

Second PlaceKINCARDINE

INDEPENDENTJosh Howald has solid reporting skills and is a capable photographer with a

deep understanding of a wide variety of sports that he pursues relentlessly. And

he writes a column, too, so nothing seems to slow him down.

BRACEBRIDGE EXAMINER

This newspaper really knows how to put the “community” into local sports reporting. It understands the

signifi cance of local sporting events, capitalizes on the area’s unique

activities and puts it all together in a pleasant package.

Third Place

BEST SPORTSSECTION

Premier Award – Section/SeriesNumber of entries: 39

Brian McAndrewBrian McAndrew began his newspaper career at the Tilbury Times in the mid-1970s before moving on to the Woodstock Sentinel-Review and The Windsor Star. He spent 27 years at the Toronto Star as a reporter, city assignment editor and associate sports editor. He is the co-author of two books --Soft Target: How the Indian Intelligence Service Penetrated Canada (1989) following the Air-India bombing in 1985 and Niagara Parks Butterfl ies (2000).

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThe 39 entries in the Best Sports Section category were a challenge to judge due to the largely overall degree of excellence found in each newspaper. This category included community newspapers both large and small. Some were blessed by being located where major amateur sports are played and others relied largely on high school and youth activities. It was gratifying to see the quality of reporting, writing, photography and presentation at all levels. The three newspapers selected in this category were nominated for entirely different reasons. Each offered great strengths in their own particular way. It would be worthwhile for every newspaper entered in this category to take a close look at what the nominees have done to get to the head of their class

BURLINGTON POSTA combination of dynamic writincompletes the triple-threat that makes this a winning sports section. Even a casual reader would feel the enthusiasm that Post reporters and photographers put into their work.

First Place

50 2012 BNC Awards Results Sponsored by METROLAND MEDIA GROUP LTD., SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO DIVISION

HONOURABLE MENTIONMuskoka, What’s Up Muskoka – Muskoka Antique & Classic Boating 2012 – Simply stunning visually!

Second Place

Third Place


Jackie JardineJackie Jardine is the editor of The Advocate, a weekly newspaper in Pictou, Nova Scotia that boasts a strong circulation base and loyal readership. The newspaper’s focus is local, people-focused news, which she believes to be cornerstones of community newspapers. In addition to The Advocate, she is also the editor for two monthly magazines – The Light, which focuses on the North Shore of Nova Scotia, and the Atlantic Fisherman magazine which is circulated throughout the Atlantic Provinces.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThis was a diffi cult category to judge because all of the entries submitted were creative, informative and incredibly well done. I enjoyed reading them all and each newspaper should be proud of their efforts to highlight their communities and community newspapers.

SPECIAL SECTIONCIRC. 10,000+

HUNTSVILLE FORESTERThe Huntsville Forester’s Tribute to Veterans stands out for several reasons: The advertising support was tremendous, a clear sign of the community’s support for veterans and for the project. The quality of editorial content was rich and varied, lots of people who had beautiful stories to tell, and they were all wonderfully written and presented. The special section was designed and laid out very nicely and was incredibly visually appealing.

First Place

BARRIE ADVANCEThe Barrie Advance’s special

section to Joe Anderson was a wonderful tribute to an individual

who clearly had an impact on the entire community. Advertising

support was spectacular and the editorial content was superb. The section was also visually

appealing and presented.

NIAGARA THIS WEEK,NIAGARA FALLS

Niagara This Week’s presentation of Nik Wallenda’s walk

across Niagara Falls was a wonderful combination of news, history

and education combined with advertising that is sure to be kept by

readers for many years to come.


COBDEN SUNThe Cobden Sun rose to the top of the category with its farming supplement “Get to know your neighbours.” The issue was a combination of excellent printing and presentation with lots of colour complementing interesting and diverse stories. Well supported by advertisers, thanks for raising the standard for us all.

HONOURABLE MENTIONAlexandria Glengarry News & New Hamburg Independent – Honourable mention should go to the Glengarry News for its creative editorial writing about attending the Glengarry Highland Games and the New Hamburg Independent’s Face of the Future issue, a novel way to include youth in the paper and the community.

First Place

Second PlaceEGANVILLE LEADERThe Eganville Leader with its

colourful St. Patrick’s Day edition including photos of the Emerald

Isle, stories of local Irish fans and activities for the leprechaun in all of us falls just short of the gold pot but nevertheless garners recognition for

second best in the category.


The Valley Gazette’s Christmas issue, for its strong presentation and layout, is third. The emotional story of a family overcoming tragedy was

an emotional and excellent read.

Third Place

SPECIAL SECTIONCIRC. - 9,999


Brian LazzuriBrian Lazzuri is managing editor of the Casket newspaper, Canada’s oldest weekly newspaper. Establishing in 1852, the Casket has a circulation of 4,000 and serves as the community newspaper for Antigonish, N.S. As managing editor he has helped launch the Quad County EXTRA, a total market vehicle reaching more than 20,000 homes in the Strait Area, instituted a redesign in the Casket and developed an on-line presence for the paper. In 2011 and 2012, the Casket was honoured by the Canadian Community Newspaper Association with blue ribbons, fi nishing second in class in the 2012 Better Newspaper Competition. The Atlantic Community Newspaper Association has recognized Lazzuri with for his editorial writing and the Casket and its employees for various categories. Brian and his wife Clare live in Ashdale with their fi ve children where he enjoys spending time with his family, reading, politics, sports and planting and growing a vegetable garden, just not weeding it.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThis year’s entrants celebrated everything from anniversaries to St. Patrick’s Day and illustrating the diversity of the cultures in the communities in which the newspapers serve.

COBDEN SUNThe to know your neighbours.” The issue was a combination of excellent printing and presentation with lots of colour complementing interesting and diverse stories. Well supported by advertisers, thanks for raising the standard for us all.

First Place


HONOURABLE MENTIONSudbury Northern Life – Interesting concept for the usage of QR codes.

Second Place

Third Place

Premier Award – AdvertisingNumber of entries: 42

George GuzmasGeorge Guzmas has been working in the media fi eld for the last 30 years including 8 years on Greek Radio and 12 years at his self produced Greek Television program. He is co-owner and co publisher with his partner George Bakoyannis of 4 newspapers in the Greater Island of Montreal all of them members of the QCNA. - The Laval News, The North Shore News, The Parc Extension News and The Greek Canadian News with a total circulation of over 70 000 every two weeks and a readership of 300 000 readers. Their newspapers have been awarded throughout the years with more than 40 awards in various editorial and content competitions. In 2008 and again in 2012, Mr. Guzmas received from Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor The Honourable David C. Onley the award of distinguished services to the Canadian society by the Media Council Of Canada. In 2012 he was also the recipient of the Queen Elisabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for his media career and his service to the Canadian society.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTToo much text diminishes the visual and creative impact of an ad.

BEST CREATIVE AD

MISSISSAUGA NEWSGreat creativity by Azam Baqa. Iceberg concept works and well thought out. Good use of colours.

First Place

BURLINGTON POSTEasy to read ad. Right to the

point.

ORILLIA TODAYArlene Blackwood has an

interesting use of golf balls to make the point.


CREEMORE ECHOReally nice creative adapt by Sara Hershoff. It is a simple idea that promotes the paper on your doorstep. Great job.

HONOURABLE MENTIONMarkham Economist & Sun – I would defi nitely stop and look at this page...and there’s a lot of fun here.

First Place

Second PlaceBRANT NEWS

I love that this is interactive and has a life beyond reading it on the page. Almost fi rst place...so close...

ELMIRA-WOOLWICH OBSERVER

Really effective. Pat Merlihan has a really well designed ad.

Third Place

IN HOUSEPROMOTION


Wayne AubertWayne Aubert is a Professor and the Program Coordinator for the Advertising Program at Mohawk College in Hamilton Ontario. He has over 25 years of advertising industry experience and is also a Program Director with the Institute of Communication Agencies (ICA) in Toronto.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThe winners listed really “stood above the crowd” in the category by either being very visually appealing or very interactive.

Second Place

CREEMORE ECHOReally nice creative apaper on your doorstep. Great job.

First Place


HONOURABLE MENTIONNunavut News/North – It can’t be easy having to do ads in both languages...but Petra Ehrke has done a nice job!

Second Place

Third Place


Wayne AubertWayne Aubert is a Professor and the Program Coordinator for the Advertising Program at Mohawk College in Hamilton Ontario. He has over 25 years of advertising industry experience and is also a Program Director with the Institute of Communication Agencies (ICA) in Toronto.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThis category felt “a little crowded” on submissions. The winning entries truly had some discretion on layout and created relatively clean ads compared to some of the other submissions which were a bit disappointing this year.

LOCAL RETAILLAYOUT

ORANGEVILLE BANNERThe group shot felt a little crowded (that’s a lot of people to fi t in!) but Jennifer Hannan took a lot of content and has done the layout quite nicely.

First Place

KAWARTHA LAKES/NORTH DURHAM CAPS COMMUNITY NEWS

Good choice on photography...made me pause to admire the shots.

MILTON CANADIAN CHAMPION

Tim Coles uses a very appealing choice of colours and images.

2012 BNC Awards Results 55Sponsored by METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS

WHAT’S UP MUSKOKAVery well put together product. Easy and attractive. Well done!

HONOURABLE MENTIONCollingwood/Wasaga Connection – What a wonderful concept. Well thought out campaign.

First Place

Second PlaceKAWARTHA LAKES/NORTH DURHAM

CAPS COMMUNITY NEWSPacks alot of punch for the advertisers. Great job.

WATERDOWN FLAMBOROUGH REVIEW

Alistair Murray has a very attractive page, great design and impact.

Third Place

ORIGINAL AD IDEACIRC. 10,000+


Mitzi MunroThe Prince Albert Daily Herald has been a pillar of the community for over 100 years. Mitzi started as an Advertising Sales Representative for the Daily Herald in 1980-83, left and had two children, and returned full time in April of 1996. She presently has two grandchildren and loves every minute of it! In January of 2011 she obtained the role of Advertising Director. Newspaper is something that is a passion of hers. Our newspaper is proud to be part of Transcontinental Media and has moved into the digital age offering many online products as well as mobile platforms. They pride themselves with being a multi-media outlet for their clients and advertisers. Mitzi manages a staff of eight and they are always seeking to create the ideal campaign for their clients. Thank you for the opportunity to judge these wonderful projects. Sharing of ideas creates great results for anyone involved in marketing.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTSeeing these projects and ad campaigns come together in print was a rewarding experience for me. The process was easy to follow and the shared ideas are wonderful. All of the entrants should be proud of a job well done. Each one had a variety of positives that I look for when creating an ad/campaign. Keep the ideas fl owing. They are a valuable tool for the rest of us!

WHAT’S UP MUSKOKAVery well put together product. Easy and attractive. Well done!

First Place

Second Place


Second Place

Third Place


Darlene GilesDarlene is the President of Dazzle Communications, a marketing communications company that provides online, print and broadcast marketing materials, media liaison, as well as business, PR and creative writing services. Prior to starting her consulting business, Darlene was Creative Director for SPAR Group and the former Wings & Ink. There she led the development of award-winning creative product for clients including Dun & Bradstreet, Honeywell, Xerox, Moneris Solutions, Rothmans, Benson & Hedges, Lotus/IBM, Second Cup, Chubb Security and many more. Before joining Wings & Ink, Darlene worked as Advertising Manager with Caterpillar and as Creative Associate for a leading Atlantic Canada advertising agency.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTVery creative! In many cases there was a lot of information to include, sponsors, etc., yet the designs weren’t sacrifi ced. Also some great copy lines that really relayed the message well.

ORIGINAL AD IDEACIRC. -9,999

BARRY’S BAY, THE VALLEY GAZETTEGregory Zawidzki has a beautiful visual. Great use of colour, simple, strong impact, good copy line. Very appetizing!

First Place

MANOTICK MESSENGER

Good headline and copy, nice image. Relayed the message

in an interesting way. Well put together overall.

WINGHAMADVANCE TIMES

Very clean layout for a lot of information. Liked the school bus background. Bright, cheerful and

easy to read.


ELMIRA-WOOLWICH OBSERVERBright colours refl ecting the seasonality. Leanne Boron’s choice of colours unifi es the message and makes the ad easy to navigate.

HONOURABLE MENTIONMidland/Penetanguishene Mirror – Krista Kiefer uses bright colours refl ecting the product and to attract the consumer eye.

First Place

Second PlaceCOBDEN SUN

Tara Yourth has a strong use of colour to pull together many

diverse messages.

OAKVILLE BEAVERStylish way to use colour to tell the story.

Third Place

USE OF PROCESSCOLOUR

Premier Award – ColourNumber of entries: 27

Leslie Kellow-HallLeslie Kellow-Hall is the VP of Production for Fuel Advertising in Toronto. Leslie has more than 30 years experience in the marketing communications industry in the production and operations areas. Leslie has managed interactive and print studios, production management and operation departments in several major and boutique agencies. Leslie’s experience spans the gamut of interactive, CRM and traditional mass advertising. Leslie is an instructor with the Institute of Communication Agencies and has taught the Certifi ed Print Production Practitioner’s course for 15 years. Leslie has sat on the Mohawk College Marketing Communication Advisory Board for fi ve years.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTMany great entries with strong design and original ideas on ways to utilize colour to break through and attract the consumer’s eye.

ELMIRA-WOOLWICH OBSERVERBright colours refl ectinLeanne Boron’s choice of colours unifi es the message and makes the ad easy to navigate.

First Place


Second Place

Third Place

Premier Award – OnlineNumber of entries: 18

Cheryl Wirch-RyckmanCheryl Wirch-Ryckman has over 20 years experience in publishing. Cheryl began agency-side before moving across the country to work with Black Press, fi rst on the print side and then moving to the Digital division as the company evolved their online strategy, moving from Director of Marketing to Director of Operations. Working closely with over 80 online publications, Cheryl was provided with a unique opportunity to grow the online audience from virtually the ground up and experienced fi rst-hand the exciting changes and challenges of online publishing. Cheryl is currently working with the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce on their websites and providing online guidance for their 1500 members.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThere were some outstanding examples of online papers in this category. Papers that clearly understand that building readership is key whether the paper in hand is on newsprint or a tablet/iPad. There were a surprising number of entries this year with great online foundations but sporting abandoned content areas, sporadic updates or broken links. Investing time and resources in your online product is an investment in your future and can’t be abandoned as belts are tightened. Be inspired by our fi nalists as they use tried and true tools - with an online twist – for building loyal readers for years to come.

BEST COMMUNITY WEBSITE/WEBPORTAL CIRC. +10,000

MISSISSAUGA NEWSThe Mississauga News delivers great content consistently on a clean and easy to navigate site. The news is provided through the medium that most effectively delivers the story providing a delightful variety of multi-media options throughout the site.

First Place

CALEDON ENTERPRISE

The positioning of the Community Contributions

buttons on the home page – embedded with top stories – sends a powerful

message about community involvement in the paper

which is borne out online.

THUNDER BAY SOURCEThe Source’s site effectively

blends a variety of online tools to deliver local news and events.

Reader engagement is high based on the astounding number of comments

on most articles.

2012 BNC Awards Results 59Sponsored by GIANT TIGER STORES LIMITED

MANITOULIN EXPOSITORThe Expositor’s commitment to interacting with its readers is a strong tool in building loyal readers. Contests and news polls allow for a more dynamic and immediate interaction. Great use of online functionality for classifi eds & employment.

First Place

Second PlaceSIOUX LOOKOUTWAWATAY NEWS

Great integration of all facets of media video, audio and articles both as stand

alone areas on the site as well as through multimedia articles. Impressive use of online technology to integrate multi-

lingual needs.

CREEMORE ECHOCohesive community tools like the

Creemore Echo’s community calendar are key to building a strong online

product.

Third Place

BEST COMMUNITY WEBSITE/WEBPORTAL CIRC. -9,999



JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThese community papers may deliver under 9,999 in print but their online goals aren’t restrained by their delivery zones. I was impressed by the imagination and innovative ideas that each paper developed in order to better provide outstanding community coverage. It is this kind of will to succeed, and sheer grit in some cases, that has built community papers across the province and efforts like this make it clear that we will continue to do so for years to come.

MANITOULIN EXPOSITORThe building loyal readers. Contests and news polls allow for a more dynamic and immediate interaction. Great use of online functionality for classifi eds & employment.

First Place

60 2012 BNC Awards Results Sponsored by GIANT TIGER STORES LIMITED

Second Place

Third Place



JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThis category presented an impressive selection of special issues and breaking news coverage where journalists were able to leverage a broad band of tools from online to print to social media to multi-media presentations in order to deliver their message into the waiting hands of their community.

ONLINE SPECIAL PROJECT/EVENT/BREAKING NEWS COVERAGE

OSHAWA THIS WEEKLondon 2012 Olympics – A spectacular example of good planning and great execution providing the perfect platform for delivering high quality stories and photos. Even more impressive – hitting their revenue targets.

First Place

THUNDER BAY SOURCE

Emergencies Declared – Great to see the integration of the community into delivering

the story. I was impressed at the on-the-spot decision making that resulted in the

paper rising to the challenge of providing key info as it

happened as it was needed to a struggling community.

MISSISSAUGA NEWSMississauga Judicial Inquiry –

Very impressed by the online tools used like CoverItLive and the manner in which the coverage was organized to create easy to understand timelines

and issues for a complicated story


TORONTO BEACH-RIVERDALE-EAST YORK TOWN CRIER

Second PlaceTORONTO TODAY ELMIRA-WOOLWICH

OBSERVER &THUNDER BAY SOURCE

Third Place

SURFER’S SELECTIONCIRC. 10,000+


OCNA MEMBERSJUDGES

TORONTO BEACH-RIVERDALE-EAST YORK TOWN CRIER

Each OCNA Member Newspaper was given a chance to vote for the Surfers Selection Award. They were instructed to choose a fi rst and second choice for the Best Website. Each First choice pick was given two points and each second choice pick was given one point.

NEWSPAPER WEBSITE 1ST CHOICE 2ND CHOICE TOTAL VOTES WEIGHTED TOTAL RANKToronto Beach-Riverdale- East York Town Crier www.mytowncrier.ca 4 0 4 8 1Toronto Today www.mytorontotoday.ca 1 5 6 7 2Elmira-Woolwich Observer www.observerxtra.com 2 2 4 6 3Thunder Bay Source www.tbnewswatch.com 2 2 4 6 3Burlington Post www.insidehalton.com 2 1 3 5 5Oshawa This Week www.durhamregion.com 2 1 3 5 5Ottawa Hill Times www.hilltimes.com 2 1 3 5 5Mississauga News www.mississauga.com 1 2 3 4 8Sudbury Northern Life www.northernlife.ca 1 2 3 4 9Vaughan Today www.VaughanToday.ca 1 2 3 4 10Kawartha Lakes This Week www.MyKawartha.com 1 1 2 3 11Brant News www.brantnews.com 0 0 0 0 12Kitchener Post www.kitchenerpost.ca 0 0 0 0 13Waterdown Flamborough Review www.fl amboroughreview.com 0 0 0 0 14

First Place

Third Place


MANITOULIN EXPOSITOR

Second PlaceCREEMORE ECHO


Third Place


OCNA MEMBERSJUDGES

MANITOULIN EXPOSITOR

Each OCNA Member Newspaper was given a chance to vote for the Surfers Selection Award. They were instructed to choose a fi rst and second choice for the Best Website. Each First choice pick was given two points and each second choice pick was given one point.

NEWSPAPER WEBSITE 1ST CHOICE 2ND CHOICE TOTAL VOTES WEIGHTED TOTAL RANK

Manitoulin Expositor www.manitoulin.ca 13 7 20 33 1

Creemore Echo www.thecreemoreecho.com 10 5 15 25 2

Barry’s Bay, The Valley Gazette www.thevalleygazette.ca 1 6 7 8 3

Kincardine Independent www.independent.on.ca 0 6 6 6 4

First Place

SURFER’S SELECTIONCIRC. -9,999


COLLEGE &COLLEGE &COLLEGE &COLLEGE &COLLEGE &COLLEGE &UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITYUNIVERSITY

AWARDSAWARDSAWARDS

HONOURABLE MENTIONHumber College – Michael Gregory – Some solid reporting about an important topic. Would have been stronger had Michael talked to some students affected by the grant situation.

First Place

Second PlaceHUMBER COLLEGE

– KATLYN FLEDDERUSSports writing is often a diffi cult place to fi nd new, interesting angles. Katlyn succeeded with this piece. Best layout

of the bunch as well.

RYERSON UNIVERSITY – KATHERINE ENGQVISTAn always important topic gained new poignancy with Katherine’s profi le of a

student who had come to terms with her depression.

Third Place

College / UniversityNumber of entries: 15

Brad HoldenBrad Holden is the editor of the Creemore Echo. He’s a past winner of six OCNA Better Newspaper Awards and one CCNA Better Newspaper Award.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTThe best stories in this category were the ones where it was clear the writers had done their homework. Some promising journalists here!

Third Place

First Place

STUDENT FEATUREWRITING

RYERSON UNIVERSITY – OTIENA ELLWANDThis entry stood out for its clear, concise writing, its quality reporting and its insight into a challenge faced by all modern post-secondary institutions.

2012 BNC Awards Results 65Sponsored by ONTARIO GENERAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

RYERSON UNIVERSITY – KATIA DMITRIEVABrilliantly written with a variety of sources. Through interviews with classmates and teachers, this story paints a vivid portrait of the deceased. Aided by strong photography.

HONOURABLE MENTIONLoyalist College – Sean Macey

First Place

Second PlaceHUMBER COLLEGE– ALEX CONSIGLIO

A very close second. Solid writing and photography.

RYERSON UNIVERSITY– SARAH ROBINSON

An in-depth look at the diffi culties students have accessing mental health

support. Variety of sources adds immensely.

Third Place


Scott HowardScott Howard is the editor of the Brock Citizen, a newspaper serving the residents of Brock Township – a community in the north end of Durham Region.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTOverall, was very impressed with a calibre of writing from all entrants.

RYERSON UNIVERSITY – KATIA DMITRIEVABrillianclassmates and teachers, this story paints a vivid portrait of the deceased. Aided by strong photography.

First Place

STUDENT NEWSWRITING

66 2012 BNC Awards Results Sponsored by ONTARIO JOURNALISM EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

HONOURABLE MENTIONNiagara College – Chris Funston – It was nice to see that this photographer took the time to turn a mundane headshot into something a little different. Well done.

First Place

Second PlaceLOYALIST COLLEGE

– KRISTEN HAVEMANNice photo from the annual polar

plunge. Good reaction and well executed.

LOYALIST COLLEGE– DAN PEARCE

Nice image. Had to look twice to see what was actually

happening in this photo. A cluttered background took away from the

main focus of the photo.

Third Place


Ron PietroniroRon recently began his 25th year in Metroland, all in the Durham Region. He is now serving as the Managing Editor of Multi Media after being a photographer for 22 years. Ron has been the recipient of over 20 awards for photographic excellence and covered the 2008 Beijing Olympics for Metroland. He helped to launch the award winning Night & Day book series in 2011 and 2012, a 24 hour one day book of photos and stories.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTOn a whole a rather poor crop of images. Some just did not belong in this competition. There were other images on the same page as the entries that were better examples of photography than those entered. The sports images in particular were very poorly executed. I feel that these young photographers have to push themselves a little more. I believe they are capable of much better work in the future.

Second PlaceSecond Place

First Place

STUDENTPHOTOGRAPHY

RYERSON UNIVERSITY – JOELLE TOMLINSONFirst place was an easy pick, a very nice image, with great contrast and colour. The photographer went out of their way to come back with a captivating photo. Well thought out and well planned.

Third Place


LOYALIST COLLEGE – QNET NEWSQNET News had consistent branding, colours and clear content hierarchy. The site had a nice slider on the homepage and featured many technical features such as RSS feeds, podcasts, videos and an online TV channel with newscasts. The addition of another advertising region could help improve their revenue streams. This site excelled in many aspects, making it the winner for this category.

HONOURABLE MENTIONNiagara College

First Place

Second PlaceRYERSON UNIVERSITY

– THE RYERSONIANThe Ryersonian had consistent

branding and their site was clean and easy to read. The site contains live

video and an online TV channel with newscasts. The addition of another

advertising region could help improve their revenue streams. The header

did not load in Internet Explorer which should be reviewed due to the browsers popularity. Certainly, a very

close second place fi nish.

HUMBER COLLEGE– ET CETERA

The Humber Et Cetera had good content hierarchy and a newsy feel.

There were several advertising regions with properly targeted advertisements

which will ensure proper revenue streams. The use of social feeds and

buttons combined with the homepage slider and video made this site a top

contender.

Third Place


Mathieu BeausolielMathieu Beausoleil is the Web & Digital Media Manager with Northern Life in Sudbury. He’s the past winner of the 2011 OCNA Best Community Website/Webportal award and the 2012 CCNA Best Website Circulation 12,500 and over.

JUDGE

GENERAL COMMENTAll of the sites offered great solutions and are very valuable to their post-secondary institutions. The inclusion of community involvement funnels combined with proper revenue streams results in a complete and successful web property. If adopted, all of these properties will be top notch!

LOYALIST COLLEGE – QNET NEWSQNET NewsThe site had a nice slider on the homepage and featured many technical features such as RSS feeds, podcasts, videos and an online TV channel with newscasts. The addition of another advertising region could help improve their revenue streams. This site excelled in many aspects, making it the winner for this category.

First Place

BEST COLLEGE / UNIVERSITYWEBSITE


Work for a cause – not for applause. Live life to express – not to impress. Don’t strive to make your presence noticed – just make your absence felt. These are the words written on a sign that hangs above Gerry Harvieux’s desk. Not only are they the words he lives by; they are also perfect words to represent who Gerry is as a person. Gerry is currently the editor of the Tilbury Times, a position he has held on and off for a combined total of 14 years. His career with the newspaper industry, however, began in 1985 when he was hired for his first reporter position at the Wallaceburg Courier Press. Later he was hired with the Tilbury Times and has served as editor three times, under four different owners. His name has become synonymous with the newspaper in the community. It’s evident that Gerry is as passionate for the newspaper as he is for his community, a place he has called home for more than 40 years. Gerry has been an active volunteer in his community for roughly 30 years. He has chaired various projects, lends a hand to others when necessary and is always willing to do whatever he can to make Tilbury the best it can be. One of Gerry’s most notable involvements includes the Tilbury Family Funfest. In 2009, when he first hopped on board, the long-standing event was dying. Over the years, Gerry has helped the event’s sponsorship grow from $5,000 to an amazing $40,000. An event that once drew 1,000 guests, now welcomes more than 5,000 over the course of three days. In 2011, while covering a Tilbury Chamber of Commerce meeting, Gerry was upset when he learned the group had no financial support to continue the annual Santa Claus Parade.

It was then that Gerry stepped forward and offered his time to organize the parade, promising he would find the funds to continue. Since then this event has grown and with the help of his constant promotion in the newspaper, groups who had not been involved for more than a decade, have begun to participate again. Despite all other commitments, Gerry is an active member of the Tilbury Rotary Club and works to promote their image and projects in the community. He helps provide poster and billboard designs and marketing advice to the Tilbury Drug Awareness Team. In the past he has served as a member of the Tilbury Optimist Club, the Tilbury Minor Hockey Association’s Executive Board and has volunteered with the Tilbury Youth Centre. Gerry has served as a volunteer judge for the OCNA Better Newspaper Competition and the OCNA Junior Citizen of the Year Awards. Gerry is always willing to help those in need. He is not one to turn the spotlight on himself. Instead, he prefers to downplay his efforts and focus the attention on those who helped him accomplish the various projects. The Mary Knowles Award is coordinated by the Ontario Community Newspapers Foundation. It wishes to recognize those in the community newspaper business who contribute their own time to the betterment of their communities. The award also recognizes the intimate connection community newspapers have with their communities.

Congratulations to Gerry and all of this year’s nominees for showing such leadership and dedication to your communities.

Gerry Harvieux,Editor of the Tilbury Times

2012 Community Award

in Memory of Mary Knowles


Class 4 (Circ 6,500 to 12,499) Front Community Ed. & Op. Presentation Photography Advertising Advertising Classifi ed Local Sports Production Total Rank Newspaper Page News Ed. Pages Content Design Advertising Features Quality

150 150 100 100 100 100 100 50 50 50 50 1000 Ottawa Hill Times 125 127 93 91 66 83 83 26 33 28 35 790 1Niagara this Week, The Leader 123 124 78 77 78 92 92 19 43 28 33 787 2Niagara This Week, Town Crier 101 113 83 68 79 95 91 30 38 38 41 777 3Sioux Lookout Wawatay News 132 137 86 89 81 77 79 18 27 9 39 774 4Stouffville Sun-Tribune 125 122 90 88 65 82 83 25 30 27 33 770 5Port Perry Star 122 124 78 71 78 91 89 18 41 27 30 769 6Ottawa Embassy 133 138 91 85 76 77 84 17 29 9 27 766 7Innisfi l Journal 115 108 72 87 83 90 88 26 32 17 40 758 8Arnprior Chronicle-Guide EMC 105 122 73 72 75 77 77 28 42 43 32 745 9Picton Gazette 100 107 73 72 75 87 83 28 37 30 32 723 10Uxbridge Times-Journal 103 103 70 72 77 85 85 26 37 28 35 721 11Manotick Messenger 107 110 67 73 73 83 85 23 30 33 36 721 12Wasaga Sun 102 95 82 73 72 80 85 23 38 28 35 712 13Scugog Standard 93 103 82 63 72 83 82 26 27 30 35 696 14Bradford West Gwillimbury Topic 103 95 77 63 73 77 77 27 33 22 28 675 15

Class 2 (Circ 2,000 to 3,499) Front Community Ed. & Op. Presentation Photography Advertising Advertising Classifi ed Local Sports Production Total Rank Newspaper Page News Ed. Pages Content Design Advertising Features Quality

150 150 100 100 100 100 100 50 50 50 50 1000

Winchester Press 123 94 58 65 64 71 64 21 29 42 39 670 1Kincardine Independent 106 101 59 63 68 75 75 23 26 38 34 668 2Burks Falls Almaguin News 114 125 71 53 54 78 71 24 30 14 31 665 3Parry Sound North Star 120 98 71 66 57 65 71 18 34 21 36 657 4New Hamburg Independent 99 100 63 60 55 77 75 17 34 32 33 645 5Bracebridge Examiner 100 117 64 58 49 69 65 17 26 31 33 631 6Haliburton County Echo 100 97 58 62 61 63 63 20 27 37 37 626 7St. Marys Journal Argus 102 82 57 57 53 58 58 18 27 38 37 588 8Mount Forest Confederate 90 92 61 58 61 58 62 18 22 32 33 586 9Exeter Times-Advocate 88 83 52 50 45 58 55 15 18 23 20 508 10

Class 3 (Circ 3,500 - 6,499) Front Community Ed. & Op. Presentation Photography Advertising Advertising Classifi ed Local Sports Production Total Rank Newspaper Page News Ed. Pages Content Design Advertising Features Quality

150 150 100 100 100 100 100 50 50 50 50 1000

Eganville Leader 135 136 82 78 83 82 85 29 32 39 44 825 1Huntsville Forester 125 135 79 79 75 83 82 27 36 40 40 800 2Nunavut News/North 107 142 75 88 71 78 76 27 42 41 41 787 3Fort Frances Times 127 130 80 77 79 76 75 26 28 42 42 782 4New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker 110 127 72 77 72 82 80 29 36 42 40 767 5Alexandria Glengarry News 110 122 72 73 71 72 70 31 36 43 40 740 6Parry Sound Beacon Star 115 115 62 70 67 67 67 18 31 31 37 679 7Brock Citizen 107 97 58 66 55 62 70 23 30 25 37 629 8


150 150 100 100 100 100 100 50 50 50 50 1000 Elmira-Woolwich Observer 135 130 83 82 77 78 77 26 37 42 38 804 1Dundas Star News 107 109 81 74 66 77 77 35 27 29 39 721 2Renfrew Mercury EMC 127 122 76 66 61 68 72 29 29 37 29 716 3Collingwood/Wasaga Connection 119 122 77 67 64 75 70 28 32 28 28 711 4Waterdown Flamborough Review 121 116 72 66 72 67 70 26 30 35 33 708 5

Class 1 (Circ 1,999 & Under) Front Community Ed. & Op. Presentation Photography Advertising Advertising Classifi ed Local Sports Production Total Rank Newspaper Page News Ed. Pages Content Design Advertising Features Quality

150 150 100 100 100 100 100 50 50 50 50 1000 Gravenhurst Banner 130 127 81 85 78 82 81 31 32 47 46 819 1Barry’s Bay, The Valley Gazette 123 124 62 82 75 78 79 25 41 37 48 774 2Minden Times 103 112 81 72 72 77 82 21 46 38 45 749 3Cobden Sun 113 116 80 82 77 73 76 16 31 36 47 747 4Stayner Sun 111 107 72 76 63 82 80 31 37 42 42 744 5Elmira Independent 101 109 76 78 75 77 77 22 32 38 37 722 6Prescott Journal 85 100 69 83 73 74 75 24 36 41 43 704 7Barrys Bay This Week 104 108 60 78 80 79 78 17 30 25 39 698 8Blue Mountains Courier- Herald 90 100 81 68 65 72 72 24 35 21 40 668 9Wingham Advance Times 77 83 65 64 63 82 77 28 33 38 41 653 10Meaford Express 90 96 76 69 57 76 76 26 25 15 38 644 11Deep River North Renfrew Times 97 98 69 72 75 63 61 17 23 25 39 639 12Arthur Enterprise News 70 92 48 54 45 77 72 25 27 27 35 571 13Rainy River Record 87 68 54 68 64 62 68 15 13 5 43 547 14


Class 7 (Circ. 45,000 & Over) Front Community Ed. & Op. Presentation Photography Advertising Advertising Classifi ed Local Sports Production Total Rank Newspaper Page News Ed. Pages Content Design Advertising Features Quality

150 150 100 100 100 100 100 50 50 50 50 1000

Brantford, Brant News 115 128 63 85 85 82 78 22 35 43 45 782 1Burlington Post 109 119 62 80 84 82 80 27 40 37 43 763 2Newmarket Era / Aurora Banner 128 116 81 80 81 75 75 21 35 31 36 759 3Barrie Advance 97 115 80 65 78 78 77 25 38 38 33 725 4Richmond Hill/Thornhill Liberal 120 117 77 73 78 75 72 22 20 23 35 712 5Niagara this Week, St. Catharines 102 123 67 80 68 73 63 27 22 40 35 700 6Mississauga News 110 113 73 68 70 72 65 28 23 38 37 698 7Oakville Beaver 109 99 63 55 60 77 70 25 37 40 35 670 8Peterborough This Week 113 98 65 55 78 68 63 23 32 35 37 668 9Brampton Guardian 94 105 68 60 78 67 67 28 23 38 35 664 10Hamilton Mountain News 90 107 78 68 65 67 65 27 22 38 35 662 11Vaughan Citizen 95 102 63 80 72 65 77 22 28 22 35 660 12Markham Economist & Sun 115 97 72 65 62 68 67 22 20 25 33 645 13Kitchener Post 55 108 73 67 65 67 65 22 23 30 33 608 14


150 150 100 100 100 100 100 50 50 50 50 1000 Muskoka, What’s Up Muskoka 127 114 75 77 83 77 77 2 41 38 49 760 1Stoney Creek News 110 113 79 76 68 76 72 16 37 40 42 728 2Whitby This Week 111 108 67 79 68 77 71 17 39 41 42 719 3Northumberland News 109 116 65 74 67 77 72 16 41 40 40 717 4Waterloo Chronicle 114 95 80 73 70 78 76 16 37 38 38 715 5Sudbury Northern Life 117 107 52 80 69 75 74 17 36 42 45 714 6Milton Canadian Champion 116 108 63 72 67 77 77 16 36 39 40 711 7Cambridge Times 109 102 76 72 68 77 72 17 36 37 42 707 8North Bay Nipissing News 120 121 69 65 72 63 70 12 43 34 34 702 9Clarington This Week 112 98 68 71 68 80 73 15 40 37 35 697 10Niagara this Week, Welland 106 113 65 65 69 81 72 13 38 37 37 696 11Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser 114 96 64 73 66 75 74 15 35 38 42 694 12Guelph Tribune 111 99 74 72 64 81 75 18 29 35 35 693 13Niagara this Week, Niagara Falls 102 114 65 64 68 81 72 13 38 39 37 693 14Niagara This Week, Grimsby 99 117 66 62 66 81 73 13 39 33 37 686 15Oshawa This Week 110 103 68 67 69 70 70 14 36 40 35 684 16Orillia Today 110 102 67 69 67 65 68 13 34 37 37 668 17Grimsby Lincoln News 104 96 66 64 66 80 73 14 31 36 32 661 18Oshawa Express 107 94 68 66 63 61 67 9 33 34 35 638 19Toronto Canadian Jewish News 102 103 71 67 53 65 67 13 32 27 37 638 20

Class 8 (College & University) Front Community Ed. & Op. Presentation Photography Advertising Advertising Local Sports Production Total Rank Newspaper Page News Ed. Pages Content Design Features Quality

150 150 100 100 100 100 100 50 50 50 950 Algonquin College 83 130 78 94 95 20 45 40 47 35 667 1Niagara College 131 138 72 98 80 3 20 42 25 30 639 2Ryerson University 129 118 76 85 40 13 40 44 30 40 615 3Durham College 129 124 79 87 20 15 25 44 40 25 588 4Humber College 128 98 72 82 65 7 15 32 40 30 569 5University of Waterloo 83 125 77 82 20 25 48 39 30 40 569 6Centennial College 132 99 72 90 25 0 0 35 20 45 518 7

Class 5... continued

Midland/Penetanguishene Mirror 102 102 70 72 70 70 70 28 30 38 37 688 6Orangeville Banner 108 102 65 70 63 70 72 29 27 33 32 671 7Kawartha Lakes This Week 117 100 73 72 73 67 60 30 17 17 35 660 8Niagara This Week, Fort Erie Post 90 108 75 62 53 70 70 30 32 32 35 657 9Ancaster News 98 100 77 68 55 72 72 27 27 23 30 648 10Lindsay Post 102 87 70 73 63 68 70 16 17 18 37 621 11Georgetown/Acton Independent & Free Press 93 95 67 70 53 67 65 28 17 27 32 613 12Caledon Enterprise 107 98 58 52 55 67 70 28 20 27 30 611 13Brighton/East Northumberland Independent 85 93 67 60 62 62 67 26 22 28 24 595 14Georgina Advocate 98 80 63 53 58 60 57 28 23 10 32 563 15Kawartha Lakes/North Durham CAPS Community News 83 73 23 47 43 62 62 8 20 0 32 453 16


OntariO POwer GeneratiOn cOnGratulates the winners Of the 2012 Ocna Better newsPaPer awards.

Young Astronomers Participate in OPG’s March Break Madness Program.

opg.com@ontariopowergen

We generate more than electricity. We also generate partnerships and opportunities to better the communities where we live and work. And we will continue to deliver safe, low-cost and reliable electricity for today and for the future.

we’re PrOud tO Be Part Of cOmmunities acrOss OntariO.

OP-3098 OCNA Program Ad 2.indd 1 2013-03-12 3:11 PM72 2012 BNC Awards Results

would like to thank all our award sponsors:Fort Frances Times

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Northern News Services

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Ontario Federation of Agriculture

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Young Drivers of Canada

2012 SPONSOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


New drop shadows on this one.

Congratulationsto all the

2012 BNC AwardWinners!

2012 bnc awards booklet

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