Class 1011 - Circulation up to 1,249

judge: jeff hurst

best all-round newspaper
first place
Sicamous (BC) Eagle Valley News

second place
Wainwright (AB) Star Chronicle

third place
Houston (BC) Houston Today

best editorial page
first place
Whitewood (SK) Herald

second place
Houston (BC) Houston Today

third place
Elk Point (AB) Elk Point Review

best front page
first place
Whitewood (SK) Herald

second place
Houston (BC) Houston Today

third place
Sicamous (BC) Eagle Valley News

blue ribbon
Houston (BC) Houston Today
Jasper (AB) Booster
Midland (ON) The Free Press
Sicamous (BC) Eagle Valley News
Vauxhall (AB) Vauxhall Advance
Wainwright (AB) Star Chronicle
Whitewood (SK) Herald

The Eagle Valley News was first for a variety of reasons. Photography was strong, but so was the quality. There were also very few set-up photos. Instead, photographers provided candid shots at organized events. It also had a nice clean, varied package of news, sports and features. The editorial and letters pages were informative.

It was a close second and third between Wainwright Star Chronicle and Houston Today. Both had solid, pleasing and colourful front pages, but came up short on the overall package. Some newspapers simply lacked enough hard news and relied on press release material too much. In more than one case, newspaper issues were 12 pages - simply too small for a readers time. Take a look at the overall package and see what can be tweaked to make a better newspaper. At least half-a-dozen newspapers were only a few points away from winning.

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Class 1012 - Circulation 1,250 to 1,999

judge: chuck brown

best all-round newspaper
first place
Fort Macleod (AB) The Macleod Gazette

second place
Digby (NS) The Digby Courier

third place
Happy Valley-Goose Bay (NL) The Labradorian

best editorial page
first place
Happy Valley-Goose Bay (NL) The Labradorian

second place
Fort Macleod (AB) The Macleod Gazette

third place
High Prairie (AB) South Peace News

best front page
first place
Fort Macleod (AB) The Macleod Gazette

second place
Digby (NS) The Digby Courier

third place
High Prairie (AB) South Peace News

blue ribbon
Digby (NS) The Digby Courier
Fort Macleod (AB) The Macleod Gazette
Happy Valley-Goose Bay (NL) The Labradorian
High Prairie (AB) South Peace News
Stephenville (NL) Georgian
 
The Macleod Gazette and Digby Courier stand out in this category for their professional, clean and modern design, clear and concise news writing, organization, ease of navigation, strong opinion pages, good sports coverage and effective use of photos and other art. Some of the weaker entries could improve greatly with a little organization and by recruiting some local columnists, enhancing sports coverage and brushing up on photography skills (there's plenty of free help available online). Also, reporters, keep your writing tight and lively, get some great quotes and don't forget to put the best stuff at the top. It was a pleasure to judge this category as each paper offered something unique.

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Class 1013 - Circulation 2,000 to 2,999

judge: rob vogt

best all-round newspaper
first place
Invermere (BC) The Valley Echo

second place
Grand Falls-Windsor (NL) Advertiser

third place
Taber (AB) Taber Times

best editorial page
first place
Hinton (AB) Parklander

second place
Gravenhurst (ON) Gravenhurst Banner

third place
Port Hardy (BC) North Island Gazette

best front page
first place
Invermere (BC) The Valley Echo

second place
Port Aux Basques (NL) The Gulf News

third place
Peace River (AB) Record-Gazette

blue ribbon
Elmira (ON) Independent
Fergus-Elora (ON) News Express
Grand Falls-Windsor (NL) Advertiser
Gravenhurst (ON) Gravenhurst Banner
Ingersoll (ON) Times
Invermere (BC) The Valley Echo
Ladysmith/Chemainus (BC) The Chronicle
Minden (ON) Times
Port Aux Basques (NL) The Gulf News
Taber (AB) Taber Times

As cliché as this may sound, all 34 entries in this category are winners for getting a product out every week and having the wherewithal to enter this competition. Therefore, I have a tough time giving a newspaper less than 60 out of 100. Overall, the most obvious challenge is photography. Most entries could improve the number of photos in each issue as well as their composition. Most photos were either posed or static. Although these are better than nothing, action photos or ones taken from a different angle or perspective enhance a newspaper immeasurably by breaking up all that grey text. The front pages were generally good, but too many were too busy with teaser boxes, index boxes, ads and other assorted items. The name of the newspaper should be big, bold and expressive. Too many nameplates were obscured by these other elements. There were also too many story turns, some in mid-sentence, which were hard to follow. Another common feature that could use improvement is the number of acronyms used in headlines and subheads. There is an old adage that newspapers should be produced as if someone each week is reading the product for the first time. In more than half the cases there was an unfamiliar acronym used that looked awkward. Headlines also could be stronger and bigger in many cases.

The winners stood out for several reasons. Invermere Valley Echo was a joy to read with a wide range of coverage, a clean and inviting layout, photos on virtually every page and innovative features such as the page two eleven minutes which is a creative index of what is inside the paper.

The Grand Falls-Windsor Advertiser was a great paper with a lot of good stories with excellent leads, plenty of photos and a clean layout.

The Taber Times was also a great read because it too has plenty of photos, good stories, and plenty of interesting weekly features such as Your Town, Fridge News, Crime and Punishment and the Sports Ticker.

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Class 1014 - Circulation 3,000 to 3,999

judge: joanne burghardt

best all-round newspaper
first place
Squamish (BC) The Chief

second place
Smithers (BC) The Interior News

third place
Woodstock (NB) Bugle Observer

best editorial page
first place
Squamish (BC) The Chief

second place
Salmon Arm (BC) Salmon Arm Observer

third place
Smithers (BC) The Interior News

best front page
first place
Woodstock (NB) Bugle Observer

second place
Squamish (BC) The Chief

third place
Smithers (BC) The Interior News

blue ribbon
Bonnyville (AB) Bonnyville Nouvelle
Haliburton (ON) County Echo
Moosomin (SK) World-Spectator
Pictou (NS) The Advocate
Salmon Arm (BC) Salmon Arm Observer
Smithers (BC) The Interior News
Squamish (BC) The Chief
St. Stephen (NB) The Saint Croix Courier
Weyburn (SK) Review
Woodstock (NB) Bugle Observer

The newspapers in this category form the gamut from the one-section, 16-page tab to the multi-section, multi-colour, multi-faceted 60-page plus broadsheet. Much emphasis in General Excellence is placed on range of coverage putting smaller newspapers at a disadvantage. That said, I was disappointed with the depth of reporting in some newspapers that had page after page of wide-open space but whose editors have failed to capitalize on it, offering little more than gavel-to-gavel meeting coverage and rewrites.

First place All-Round goes to The Chief. A tabloid, The Chief has a strong front page and is not afraid to play a great photo really big. Its clear a lot of time and effort has gone into typeface selection and consistent page layout - modular ads help a lot here - and The Chief has the widest range of coverage. Great reproduction and outstanding advertising design make this paper a pleasure to read.

A close second is The Interior News with strong front-page photos and a wide range of content. In third place the Bugle-Observer stands out in the crowd for crisp layout and a wide range of coverage. The excessive use of colour while eye-catching distracted this reader from the written word.

First place Front Page goes to the Bugle-Observer. Clean design with a lot of attention to typography showcased a variety of stories for the reader to choose from. My favourite story, about a couple who rescued a skunk that had found himself with a disposable cup wedged on his head, came from the Bugle-Observer. Like most papers in this category, stronger photography would make it even better. 1st place Editorial Page goes to The Chief. While the tabloid size means there are fewer items on the editorial page, the op-ed makes up for it. The Chief, like many of the papers in this category, provides a forum for a range of voices through strong editorials, columnists and lots of letters to the editor. Well done.

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Class 1015 - Circulation 4,000 to 6,499

judge: paul rudan

best all-round newspaper
first place
Salt Spring Island (BC) Gulf Islands Driftwood

second place
Banff (AB) Crag & Canyon

third place
Yarmouth (NS) Vanguard

best editorial page
first place
Salt Spring Island (BC) Gulf Islands Driftwood

second place
Powell River (BC) The Powell River Peak

third place
Banff (AB) Crag & Canyon

best front page
first place
Salt Spring Island (BC) Gulf Islands Driftwood

second place
Banff (AB) Crag & Canyon

third place
Powell River (BC) The Powell River Peak

blue ribbon
Banff (AB) Crag & Canyon
Huntsville (ON) Huntsville Forester
Kentville (NS) Kings County Register
Nunavut/Nunavik (NU) Nunatsiaq News
Powell River (BC) The Powell River Peak
Salt Spring Island (BC) Gulf Islands Driftwood
Sooke (BC) Sooke News
Sussex (NB) Kings County Record
Yellowknife (NT) Yellowknifer

There were many excellent newspapers in this class and a few outstanding ones found their way to the top. All the papers scored high in 'Range of Coverage.' There were no "shoppers" which made them all interesting reads. From the editorial side, what appeared to be lacking in most papers were in-depth features of news items or profiles. There was plenty of straight, hard news, but few follow-ups about the ramifications of events or decisions and how they affect people...your readers. On the advertising side, everything I saw and read was professionally done, with very few errors. Good job. It would be nice to see a few more "out of the box" ads that make you have a second look, or appear so different that they naturally "jump" off the page. Minor quibbles though.

Once again, the winner in this category is the Gulf Islands Driftwood. It's hard to pinpoint anything they do wrong, so I won't even try. It swept the categories and that speaks for itself. It's great to see photojournalism alive and well at the Banff Crag & Canyon. Most newspapers would do well to abide by the credo: A reader may not read every story or ad, but they sure will see every photo. Speaking of follow-ups and features, the Yarmouth Vanguard stood out from the rest. Well-written stories and nice photos too. The Powell River Peak was just edged out of the top three. It's a very lively and well-designed newspaper that was recognized in Best Front Page and Best Editorial Page.

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Class 1016 - Circulation 6,500 to 12,499

judge: mike behan

best all-round newspaper
first place
Whistler (BC) Question

second place
Canmore/Kananaskis/Banff/Lake Louise (AB) Rocky Mountain Outlook

third place
Oak Bay (BC) Oak Bay News

best editorial page
first place
Canmore/Kananaskis/Banff/Lake Louise (AB) Rocky Mountain Outlook

second place
Whistler (BC) Question

third place
Oak Bay (BC) Oak Bay News

best front page
first place
Canmore/Kananaskis/Banff/Lake Louise (AB) Rocky Mountain Outlook

second place
Canmore (AB) Leader

third place
Oak Bay (BC) Oak Bay News

blue ribbon
Bridgewater (NS) Bridgewater Bulletin
Canmore (AB) Leader
Canmore/Kananaskis/Banff/Lake Louise (AB) Rocky Mountain Outlook
Northwest Territories (NT) NWT News North
Oak Bay (BC) Oak Bay News
Port Perry (ON) Port Perry Star
Uxbridge (ON) Times-Journal
Whistler (BC) Question

It was easy to separate the top eight-10 from the rest of the entries after the first look through, but choosing the top three proved to be much more difficult. In the end, the Whistler Question and Rocky Mountain Outlook were the clear winners in terms of the volume and range of their coverage and impressive effort by their respective reporting staffs on a weekly basis. What ultimately put the Question over the top in 2008 was its ambitious 24 Hours in Whistler photo featurea great idea other community newspapers should try to attempt.

What the top three finishers, and the rest of the Blue Ribbon winners, all featured was balanced, in-depth reporting presented in a vibrant way through accompanying photographs and clean page design. It also was great to see so many hard-hitting editorials on contentious local topics. That is, after all, a key niche community newspapers can fill vis-a-vis a daily competitor or the local radio/TV station. Generally speaking, all the newspapers did a good job regarding advertising content, design, and use of colour (as an aside, there certainly was no indication of a recession in April and August of 2008). As a criticism, too many newspapers still rely on so-called execution at dawn photographs. Great photography is essential to hooking readers, which means action shots and taking posed pictures from unique angles. As well, many papers need to pay more attention to how their product looks. Nothing detracts more than sloppy layout and design. We want to invite readers in, not turn them away. All in all, however, community newspapers continue to do an excellent job serving their respective communities. Keep up the good work.

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Class 1017 - Circulation 12,500 to 24,999

judge: andrew franklin

best all-round newspaper
first place
St. Albert (AB) Gazette

second place
Milton (ON) Canadian Champion

third place
Niagara (ON) This Week - Grimsby Lincoln Edition

best editorial page
first place
Milton (ON) Canadian Champion

second place
Parksville/Qualicum Beach (BC) The News

third place
St. Albert (AB) Gazette

best front page
first place
Milton (ON) Canadian Champion

second place
Okotoks (AB) Western Wheel

third place
Delta (BC) Delta Optimist

blue ribbon
Calgary (AB) Fast Forward Weekly
Delta (BC) Delta Optimist
Duncan (BC) Cowichan News Leader Pictorial
Edmonton (AB) SEE Magazine
Georgetown/Acton (ON) Independent/Free Press
Orangeville (ON) Banner
Parksville/Qualicum Beach (BC) The News
Sherwood Park (AB) News
Sidney (BC) Peninsula News Review

It was a great priviledge to judge this class. The entries were extremely competitive and judging was a timely excercise. The newspapers that were ahead of the rest demonstrated what a community newsaper's objective is all about. Engaging readers with hyper-local content has always been the number one priority. In this era of web-news strategy first, local content is a pre-requisite with every community newspaper. Once again the objective of a community newspaper is to capture and engage the reader from the front page throughout the rest of the paper. The St. Albert Gazette does exactly that. The pages are clear and concise, easy to read and well paginated. The ad designs are great and the use of colour is excellent throughout the entire publication. Use of graphics are also a plus in this publication. The editorials are well written, and the topics are wide and varied giving readers quite a bit to pique their interest. Added features including; book reviews, and an extensive What's On section add further weight to this impressive newspaper. Finally the 14 page comprehensive classified section wraps up this leading community newspaper. I would like to congratulate the Gazette on behalf of CCNA for earning their First Place in the General Excellence category with an excellent community newspaper overall.

The Canadian Champion was a worthy competitor coming in at second place. Niagra This Week ran a close third. Congratulations to the Canadian Champion on winning first place for Best Front Page and first place for Best Editorial Page. Well done to all newspaper teams who took the time to enter. The level of quality seen in this category demonstrates that community newspapers are alive and well.

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Class 1018 - Circulation 25,000 and over

judge: dave whitfield

best all-round newspaper
first place
Kelowna (BC) Capital News

second place
Oshawa (ON) This Week

third place
Saanich (BC) Saanich News

best editorial page
first place
Stoney Creek (ON) Stoney Creek News

second place
Montreal (QC) The Suburban West Island

third place
Ajax/Pickering (ON) News Advertiser

best front page
first place
Oshawa (ON) This Week

second place
White Rock/South Surrey (BC) Peace Arch News

third place
North Vancouver/West Vancouver (BC) North Shore News

blue ribbon
Ajax/Pickering (ON) News Advertiser
Kelowna (BC) Capital News
Oshawa (ON) This Week
Montreal (QC) The Suburban
North and West Vancouver (BC) North Shore Outlook
North Vancouver/West Vancouver (BC) North Shore News
Saanich (BC) News
Stoney Creek (ON) Stoney Creek News
Victoria (BC) News
Whitby (ON) This Week
White Rock/South Surrey (BC) Peace Arch News

First place goes to Kelowna’s Capital News. Clean front page with impact photos. Index and index teasers don’t detract from overall look. The Capital News has a very good range of copy, from news to sports to entertainment. Good quality photos are used well with stories, particularly in the sports section. Small tabs--news, health, court--allow readers to focus on their interests. Good mix of columnists for those who read them, but overall the paper comes up a little short on words for editorials.

Second place for Best All-Round Newspaper goes to Oshawa This Week. Clean front pages with not too much intrusion of advertising. News stories on the front page have very good copy and picture combinations. Editorial page could use more delineation between the editorial and letters. Strong layout for section fronts. Excellent Beijing section included, which I hope was entered into the Best Special Section category. Good range of copy from news to sports and entertainment.

Third place goes to the Saanich News. The pictures on the front page are eye-catching. Catchy layout for “Killer Hunt” feature inside. Good use of photos to accompany the copy. Well-laid out editorial page, although the sports photos might suffer from lack of colour.

Sponsored by:

201 - Best News Story

Stephen Shaw Memorial Award

Sponsored By Metroland Media Group Ltd.

Class 2011

Judge: Jim Sinclair

Judging the submissions was an interesting and illuminating challenge. There was no shortage of commendable efforts. When the 59 entries had been pored over, Adam MacInnis of The Advocate stood slightly above the rest, in my opinion. With a strong lead, economical style and just a hint of humour, MacInnis related the details of some serious flooding in and around his town for the first-place honours.

A gripping account of a community in turmoil earned second-place designation for Curtis Haugen of the Peace River Gazette. Haugen did a good job of showcasing the viewpoint of a central character in this account focusing on social issues within the Metis community of Cadotte Lake.

Erin Hitchcock of the Williams Lake Tribune, for third-place, comprehensively described victim's character witness testimony from a coroner's inquest into the police shooting of an American camper.

Runners up: Morgan Ian Adams-Collingwood (ON) Enterprise Bulletin Roxanna Thompson- Fort Simpson (NWT) Deh Cho Drum Frank McTighe - Fort Macleod (AB) Gazette.

Class 2012

Judge: Marc Lalonde

The winners in this very competitive category displayed three very distinctive traits: each were emotional stories, more clear and displayed reporter enterprise. In Lisa Brown's first-place entry, she took on the story of a 12-year-old girl who had gone missing and was the subject of an intense search before her body was found in a local river. Her mother, who had sobbingly asked the child to return home in a press conference, was eventually charged and pled guilty to her daughter's murder. Anyone who has children or even knows a parent would be heartbroken by the story of a mother-daughter relationship gone horribly wrong. Lisa Brown's piece, coupled with the time-line sidebar, retraced the investigation's steps and brought the reader closer to the incident.

Paul MacNeill's second-place entrant is an emotional story because of its nature. MacNeill's story dealt with the Prince Edward Island deputy minister in charge of economic development's purchase of a new truck through back channels rather than through a local dealership. To turn up the paper trail and then follow it up is a pretty tall order for community reporters, but MacNeill does it with panache, and the result is a clear, concise piece that cuts though the red tape and lays the matter out for all to see.

Chris Hall's story about a murdered 13-year-old girl's funeral might seem unremarkable at first, but Hall's writing stood out; this story was so polished it could've come from the New York Times. Hall's observations lent the scene gravitas and made the story come alive at the same time. The entire category was very close in quality and it made judging this category a delightful challenge.

Class 2013

Judge: James Thom

With 61 entries to read through, competition was tough in this category. However, three stories stood out above the others. Jenn Marshalls story for the Nanaimo News Bulletin contrasting school rankings and actual student performance at Georgina Avenue Community School earns top honours for proving there is often more to a story than just the numbers. By spending time in the classroom and seeing the students perform, Marshall was able to add more colour to her piece. It was much more than a simple story about poor student performance at a Nanaimo school.

For showing a different side and story of the homeless, Marisa Babic of The Now in B.C. earns second place. In the story, Babics subjects help break the stereotypes about homelessness. The story offers a glimpse into a life that was great before deteriorating into chaos. It also provides hope. This was all delivered in a concise manner. My only complaint is the second and third homeless men deserved more space in the story or their own sidebar. I would have preferred reading more about them or not at all.

Jonathan Hutchings’ article for the Chilliwack Times about the last days of the Empress Hotel ranks third. Chronicling the lives of the residents, Hutchings is able to capture peoples stories in a way few of the other entrants were able to. Hutchings did an excellent job putting a face on the story and showing that while the hotel may have been an eye-sore to some, it was a valuable resource to others.

202 - Best Feature Story

Class 2021

Judge: Jim Zebeen

There were an impressive number of high quality entries in this category, despite the smaller size of most of the papers. Many of the features tell emotional stories that easily draw in the reader. What separated the winners from the rest of the best came down to the basic tenets of journalism: diligent research, accurate reporting and great writing. All three of these elements were present in Martha Perkins' story about Carl Dixon. Both the second and third place entries had exceptionally strong stories but would have benefited from a little more time with an editor. That's not easy to do in a small newsroom. In fact, the one critique of this class is that too many of the stories were allowed to meander and lose their focus. Still, it's reassuring to know just how good community journalism is at this level in this country.

Class 2022

Judge: Peter MacIntosh

"Little boy lost - Bringing Howard home" is a captivating tale of a boy lost at the age of six. Reporter Tina Comeau brings the heartache of a family and community to reality for the reader. She takes the reader back to the day Howard Newell was last seen walking home and places the outside observer on the vast search and later on the case with local police. Comeau wraps the tale of the lost son and brother up into a crisp, concise writing style. She does not complicate the issue with an overuse of facts, but walks the reader through the days, years, and decades after the disappearance. The writer also breaks up the lengthy feature into five tales; first recapping the details before moving onto the stories of Howards siblings and finally the story of Howard. And all of this coming from the updated fact of the family finding closure by placing a grave marker for Howard between the stones of his parents.

In second place, Patty Mintz takes a simple subject in Cold, colder, coldest and spins a comical tale from rural life. Most Canadians can relate to enduring freezing temperatures in order to watch hockey at the local barn. But to begin comparing the local rinks to discover which one is the coldest is genius and makes for an extremely interesting read. Mintz creates a strong, humourous feature with a fine mix of facts and opinion.

A story of family emotion is again found in the third-place entry A family in anguish by Pirjo Raits. The reporter tells the tale of a father dealing with his 15-year-old daughters bout with Lyme disease in a carrying and informative manner. While making strong accusations at how Lyme disease is dealt with in Canada, Raits does however fail to add voices backing the Canadian health care systems take on the subject.

Class 2023

Judge: Richard Mostyn

First the tough love. There were plenty of good feature ideas among the 75 submissions, but many were crippled in execution. The writing was often vague or clunky. Writers, remember you have to grab the reader, pull them in and hold them to the end. Its not easy, but thats your job. That said, there were several nicely rendered features in the mix. The best was the last on the pile.

Hannah Sutherland’s A Stolen Past explores the life of Linda Macdonald, a 71-year-old woman whos still grappling with the erasure of her memories in 1963 at the hands of a CIA-sponsored scientist. Sutherland’s storytelling grabs the reader immediately and carries them through to the end, thousands of words later. She profiles, in detail, a woman whose own memories are sketchy. In the process, she touches on a shameful time in Canadian history, when Ottawa allowed the CIA to study its citizens. Sutherland’s done a tremendous job.

The runner up is David Leas piece Sara Carlin: A Life Cut Way Too Short in the Oakville Beaver. Lea tracks Carlins all-too-short life, which ended in suicide because shed been prescribed a Paxil, an anti-depressant that Health Canada warns shouldnt be given to adolescents. The story is both tragic and pointed. Nice work.

The third-place winner is Mark Hasiuks investigation of the legal methadone racket in Vancouver. By walking the streets and talking to addicts, the Vancouver Courier delivered a fascinating feature on methadone and the ways pharmacies profit from the citys harm-reduction system. Its good journalism. Also worthy of note were Tom Zillich’s A Beautiful Smile, A Beautiful Dream in Surreys Now Newspaper and Paul Rudan’s profile of con Timothy Rennie.

203 - Best Feature Series

Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association Trophy

Sponsored by SWNA

Class 2031

Judge: Mario Bartel

There's a distinct difference between a series of stories that happen to be related and a feature series. The former might evolve from a single story through follow ups or additional stories. The latter often begins from a single idea and evolves through a number of stories that examine different aspects of that idea, or issues related to that idea. The top contenders for Feature Series immediately distinguished themselves by examining the various aspects of a single issue. An award-worthy feature series should show forethought and planning, a mapped-out route into and around an issue; it doesn't just happen by accident, by stringing together a bunch of similar stories about the same subject.

The winning entry, The Low Down on Local Food, by Cynthia Vukets of the Low Down to Hull & Back News, is a very timely look at local people trying to reduce their carbon footprint and eat healthier by subscribing to "the 100 mile diet." In her six-part series, Vukets introduces us to restauranteurs who try to source all their food locally, career farmers, and hobby farmers, and explores the issues of agricultural tourism and growing consumer demand for organic products. The sum result is an intimate portrait of sincere, hard-working people making a difference in their community and to the planet, and perhaps teaching us city-slickers a few lessons to keep in mind when we cruise the aisles at the grocery store.

Second place goes to Natalie Musseau, of The Gulf News, for her series of stories about the various ways people in her community cope with the limited job opportunities in the area. The stories are at once hopeful and heartbreaking. But the series could have benefited from a little context, some statistics to show the severity of joblessness in the area and perhaps independent comment about the extent and implications of migration to work elsewhere.

Jenn Watt's series on rural poverty in Haliburton County is a very solid third. In her exhaustive four part feature she sources numerous studies, reports, community activists and advocates to paint a sobering picture of a hardscrabble life hidden from the idyllic image of cottage country. But it was all just a little too sterile, bureaucratic; the series needed a few real life stories to give it some emotional depth.

Class 2032

Judge: Michelle Stewart

There was plenty of fantastic reading published in weekly newspapers across Canada last year and judging this competition has allowed me to experience solid proof of that. It was truly a task narrowing the submissions down to the six I felt that had a special shine. After that though, the process took on a new level of difficulty. Even when I finally was able to decide on the top three, prioritizing first, second and third was as equally challenging. I decided Wendy Elliott of Kings County Register merited top honours for her series Care to Wait? Elliot took the readers into the lives of families who describe strugglesnot only with serious illnesses but coping with far-too-lengthy wait times for treatments within the health care system. The writer also took initiative to expand the issue; including a story with the health minister on the subject. As well she included sidebars of facts and statistics, which loaned credibility to the personal accounts. It’s the kind of series, because of the overall package she delivered, that has the power to help correct flawed systems.

A very close second was Grand Bend Strips Casey Lessard. Wow, talk about a reporter taking a story idea and sinking his teeth in to the point where every possible angle has a bite mark. His series on wheelchair accessibility had touching personal stories of people confined to wheelchairs and their everyday struggles with limited access. Lessard accompanied his subjects in their everyday activities and spent time getting to know this issue through the eyes of those confined to wheelchairs. Not only did he visit businesses in town, he conducted his own survey where all businesses were scored and the results were published. This writer wasn’t satisfied to just report on an issue, he took time to live it and do his part to remedy it.

Laura Walz of Powell River Peak displayed great writing skills in her series on sexual exploitation. The stories were indeed gripping and powerful with a great flow right through. I am sure she had her readers waiting anxiously for each installment in this three-part series on survivors of sexual abuse.

Class 2033

Judge: Peter McCully

Anyone who thinks in-depth, quality reporting is lacking in Canada’s larger community newspapers would quickly change their mind after reading the 44 entries in this category. The overall quality and material being tackled was impressive. To determine the top three entries, I stuck to the judging criteria of approach, quality of writing, clarity of presentation and uniqueness. If importance to local community had been a fifth consideration, the outcome may have been different. But the top three winners were among the best of the writers (and presumably editors) and stole the spotlight in the other areas.

The Future of the Oilsands series by a team of Fast Forward Weekly staff members in Calgary was without question the first-place entry. This series had a clear plan and no weak links. The writing was compelling, whether the story subject was long-time residents of Fort McMurray, the technological details of the industry, the environmental debate or the boys with the toys. Congrats to Adrian Morrow, Angela Brunschot, Ian Doig and Trevor Howell, and Fast Forward for putting serious resources into a topic of interest to all Canadians.

Second place went to Kelly McManus North Shore Outlook series called The Collectors, which took readers inside the basements and psyches of men with a passion for Transformer figurines, military tanks, uniforms and memorabilia, and the Leafs hockey team.

The Burnaby Now Tough Jobs series by Alfie Lau takes third place. Although the subject a focus on people with not-so-glamourous occupations was less unique than the first and second-place winners or some other entries, Laus writing won me over. He was fun and insightful, direct and unpretentious, warm toward his subjects but not sentimental. All three winners were boosted by excellent photographs and lay-out treatment. If your stories are special, they should be treated that way! Its tragic when first-rate writing and research is given the same visual play as the monthly Legion branch report.

204 - Outstanding Columnist

George Cadogan Memorial Outstanding Columnist Award

Sponsored by Cadogan Foundation Inc.

Class 2041

Judge: Rick MacLean

There's nothing easy about being a fearless, and entertaining, columnist in a newspaper - of any size. But the fearless part grows increasingly difficult as the circulation of the paper decreases. Writing a pointed column about the behavior of a man who stole money from a hospital - and why the government should ensure he pays back every cent, with interest - is one thing. Doing it when you coached his kid in basketball, and she's a friend of your kids, is another. There's a price to be paid every day for that kind of leadrship. The winners here have found a way to make that happen. Be it poop in the sewage lagoon, jobs in Hazelton, or health-care salaries, the top three have done that difficult job successfully. They're a model for others to follow in serving their communities the way papers are supposed to do it, fairly and fearlessly.

205 - Outstanding Reporter Initiative

Class 2051

Judge: Bill Phillips

Hard-hitting investigative journalism is alive and well in Canada; of that there is no doubt. However, this category is for reporter initiative, so the focus of my judging was more on what the reporters did than what they revealed. There were some truly remarkable investigative pieces submitted in this category, all of which took initiative. But a few reporters went the extra mile (one literally) to get their stories.

First place: Sheri Monk of the Maple Creek News-Times. When a bunch of cattle mysteriously died at a nature conservancy site, Sheri took it upon herself to find out why. Sheri took the initiative to interview 50 people who had lightning-caused deaths on their farms, and to visit the site with a GPS system so she could cross-reference lightning-strike data she had obtained.

Second place: Autumn MacDonald of the Quesnel Cariboo Observer. After the Green Party parachuted a candidate into the Cariboo riding and then announced the candidate would not do interviews or visit constituents, Autumn decided to find out who the ghost candidate really was. She hopped in her car and drove 700 kilometres to Vancouver and Green Party headquarters in an attempt to track down the elusive candidate only to find the party would not divulge any information about the candidate.

Third place: Genesee Keevil of the Yukon News. Genesee wanted to do a story on the inmates at the Whitehorse jail. She was denied access to the inmates but was allowed to go on a tour. While on the tour she jotted down inmates’ names as the guards talked to them. Later, with the names she had recorded, she was able to set up visits with the inmates. She eventually found a woman who had been jailed indefinitely without charges.

Class 2052 

Judge: Gordon Brock

Of all the categories in the BNC, this one may be the toughest to judge. How can initiative and effort be determined? How does one distinguish good investigative journalism from outstanding reporter initiative? There are so many intangibles involved. Some years, this category produces a clear winner, but that was not the case this year. Virtually every entry submitted was well-written: all entrants should be proud of their submissions. Because most of the entries were well-written and the depth of research in a lot of cases seemed to be almost equal, judging came down to demonstrated local relevance and legacy.

First place: It could have begun and ended as a small notice in the Campbell River Mirror about an upcoming meeting. Instead reporter Paul Rudan, in the words of editor Alistair Taylor, turned this "into a compelling series of stories which helped change the attitude of city officials as well as the police towards the serious issues faced by Campbellton residents and business owners." This is a well-written, well-illustrated series on the efforts and success of a group of Campbellton business owners and residents who grew tired of crime, drug dealing and prostitution in their community.

Second place: Herb Garbutt of the Burlington Post produced a well-written series on Burlington's gay community looking at different aspects of challenges, hidden prejudices and hope.

Third Place: Monique Tamminga of the Langley Times became aware of a number of childhood cancer cases in the Walnut Grove area of Langley. Her in-depth story was picked up on by the local council and the entire issue is now being studied by the British Columbia Cancer Agency.

206 - Best National Editorial

Charles Hawkins Memorial Trophy

Sponsored by Manitoba Community Newspapers Association

Class 2061

Judge: Jerold LeBlanc

While community newspapers tend to concentrate on local coverage, we cannot turn a blind eye to national issues. Thankfully, the Canadian Community Newspapers Association recognizes the importance of national news. Judging this category was not an easy task. With 56 entries, the category represented a smorgasbord of topics, writing styles and emotions. Everything was offered up including hot-button topics like the seal hunt, aboriginal rights (or the lack thereof) and plenty on the coalition debate. Yet, many of the editorials failed to express any real solution to the issue being covered, except to ask more questions. An editorial should offer a possible solution to its readers. Whether it’s right or wrong, at least you are peering through one side of the fence, instead of getting splinters from sitting on it. The top three entries in the category did all of this and more.

The NorWester Newspaper from Springdale/Baie Verte, Nfld., finished on top for its informative editorial about veterans being able to ride VIA’s passenger rails for free during the month of July Class 2008. The only problem is: the railway stops in Halifax. William Clarke should be applauded for having his tongue firmly planted in his cheek while pointing out government shortcomings.

Second place: Sean Percy and Patrick Teskey of the Hay River, N.W.T., newspaper The Hub, for another informative, creative editorial pointing out the how archaic the Federal Fisheries Act is, after a 13-year-old Hay River Metis youth was asked to prove if he was one-quarter Indian to avoid facing over-fishing charges.

Third place: Steve Dills of the Sylvan Lake News in Sylvan Lake, Alta., proved that an editorial doesn’t need paragraph after paragraph to carry impact. Dills’s entry was one of numerous editorials based on the proposed Liberal-NDP coalition. While the majority took the ‘are-they-serious?’ line, Dills argued in favour of the coalition. He backed up his stance with informative points, and his editorial was a solid read from start to finish.

Class 2062

Judge: Jenn Watt

While there was no doubt that all of the entrants to this category served their readers well with concise, thought-provoking editorials, the ones that really stood out were those that localized big issues.

Carol Picard's winning entry on private schools in Alberta always receiving the best scores while creating a two-tiered education system did this best. Picard has a smooth, fiesty writing style that made reading the piece a pleasure. Along the way she managed to both inform the reader of the news behind the editorial and rail against a system that funds private schools with tax dollars.

Likewise, second-place winner Don Ford was able to take an international event, the Olympic Games in China, and make it local by invoking the injustice done to Burlington resident Huseyincan Celil. Ford's writing is clear and clever and he hits on historic atrocities as well as current events easily.

In Rose Sanchez's article on the Saskatchewan cabinet ministers and premier giving themselves big wage increases, she managed to introduce the subject in a unique way—as a letter to herself. She effectively makes the argument that more money doesn't mean more dedication, using reporters' poor pay as an example. It's quirky and fun, keeps you interested, and once you're in, it lays out the facts and arguments.

207 - Best Local Editorial

Sponsored by Glacier Media Group

Class 2071

Judge: Tim Kelly

A well-written, tight, local editorial that focuses on a problem and not only points out the pitfalls of the powerful but offers solutions can be a real service to your readers. Overall, this category yielded some fine work. Most writers tried to point out a problem and draw a logical solution from it. However, some writers would benefit by trying to cut back on length. For most readers, a mass of grey type is an ominous sight.

First place: Ken MacInnis of the Williams Lake Tribune in B.C. understands this very well. His relentless attack on the federal Green Party is logical and shows he is clearly in the reader's corner. He pounds the Greens for dropping a city slicker candidate into the rural riding in place of an already nominated local candidate who obviously knows local issues. His editorial is so devastating, it's no wonder the parachuted pol didn't bother to show up to pound the pavement or answer questions.

Second place: Todd Hamilton of the Smithers, B.C., Interior News, who won this category last year, has written another gem. This time, he's taken on his local municipality for stocking area store shelves with an overabundance of cheap fortified sherry. Smithers and surrounding area was a goldmine for cheap booze, a terrible health hazard. In part because of Todd's work, the municipality cut back on the cheap hooch, proving the power of the pen and the press.

Third place: Malcolm Baxter of the Kitimat, B.C., Northern Sentinel doesn't beat around the bush in his direct attack on local school trustees. He is straightforward and blunt in his defence of keeping the best school in his district open.

Class 2072

Judge: Mark Allan

Either there's more corruption, impunity and disregard for public safety up north, or the papers in Canada's Far North are particularly willing to expose it. It was difficult to narrow the excellent, hard-hitting editorial entries from just the North to the top three, let alone some compelling commentary from other parts of the country.

Richard Mostyn of the Yukon News earns first place by calling the Yukon Energy Corp. to account for an unacceptably high number of potentially fatal outages, considering the North's harsh climate. He skillfully, and relentlessly, criticizes YEC for not delivering a promised reduction in power bills and repeatedly ducking media inquires.

Jen Geens of The Yellowknifer takes second place for courageously taking a major local business to task for ignoring repeated warnings to remove potentially tainted baby food from its shelves.

Third place: Jim Bell of the Nunasiaq News vigourously censures the Nunavut government for showering pre-election goodies on voters, hoping they will ignore or forget a department he calls "a black hole of incompetence and mendacity" and other scandals.

Honourable mentions to the Nunavut News, Carol Picard of the Rocky Mountain Outlook, Brent Wesley of the Wawatay News, Lyle Stewart of The Nation, Casey Lessard of the Grand Bend Strip and Laura Walz of the Powell River Peak.

Class 2073

Judge: Douglas Gloin

Writing good local editorials is one of the most challenging aspects of community journalism. Local editorials must be well-contructed, concise, direct and dead accurate, and they must pull no punches. This requires special courage on the part of community journalists, who regularly run into the people they write about.

I chose John McKinley’s editorial in the Cowichan News Leader on Buckley the mini-horse as the first-prize winner because it not only contains all the right elements of a good story, is well told and highlights bureaucratic pettiness but also presents a reasoned solution to the dispute. It’s chock-full of puns, some of them genuine groaners, but it all works. McKinley deftly delivers a well-deserved skewering. He proves that editorials needn’t be stodgy to be effective.

Second prize went to Beryl P. Wajsman for his editorial in The Suburban on racism among the Montreal police. Wajsman explores the issue at levels well beyond the street. It is a hard-hitting, thorough and courageous piece of work.

Similarly, third-place winner Don Ford’s editorial for the Burlington Post ably takes on a hospital administrator who received massive pay hikes despite cutbacks and a growing deficit at the institution he serves. Well done!

208 - Best Historical Story

Class 2081

Judge: Virginia Beaton

These historical stories varied greatly in subjects, ranging from ghost stories to war reminiscences and museums receiving a collection of bizarre inventions. Some of the historical stories read more like news than features. I looked for readability but also more depth and detail than a regular news story can provide. The top three stories are each very different from the others.

First place: "Casavant organs are hidden treasures" by Jean Sarrazin. In this story, a good lead was supported by a strong narrative that kept my interest all the way to the end. The piece offered lots of technical information, but the writer handled it smoothly.

Second place: "Missing dad" by Michelle Stewart. This article describes a family whose husband and father has been missing for 18 years. A brisk pace and lots of first-person quotations from the bereaved family made this a poignant human-interest story.

Third place: "Athabascan boxed in 1936 Olympics" by Jeff D'Andrea. This is the story of Oliver Shank, who rode a cattle train 3,000 miles from Edmonton to Montreal, feeding and caring for the livestock, just so he could get to the Olympic trials. This is Canadian sports heritage, and a welcome reminder of our past as we look forward to the Class 2010 Olympics.

Class 2082

Judge: Don Descoteau

Solid writing in this category, but I finally settled on Aaron Beswick's piece about the patriarch of the Genge family on the Straits of Newfoundland and Labrador, William Genge. It produced for me a vivid picture of the hard existence that was sealing, fishing and living on the rugged shores of Anchor Point in the 1800s. The writer provided rich detail gleaned from period documentation, and described current resident Wallace Genge's search for his roots. In all, it was very readable and engaging.

The second- and third-place entries were impeccable, entertaining stories, even if they didn't meet the criteria as well as Beswick's piece did.

Second place: Robert Hirtle's tale of his distant relative of the same name kept me reading, wondering what would happen next. Starting with the summoning of the reporter by the historian about an interesting discovery, the story weaves its way logically through the trials and tribulations of the seafaring Robert Hirtle in his life after he left Halifax.

Third place: Fred Hatfield's tale of the Birdman of Yarmouth was a beautifully crafted, long post-mortem profile/obituary of Arthur Thurston. It detailed Thurston's obsession with the fine feathered friends that may have ultimately shortened his life, drawing on Hatfield's personal journal recounting his interactions with this unique individual.

Among the near-medallists, Michael Gates's entry about First Nations settlements near the Tatshenshini River from the Yukon News was clearly written and well-detailed. It often had the feel of a textbook, without references to individuals or families. Kings County Register (N.S.) reporter Sara Keddy's story about repatriating First World War medals offered a good combination of historical references and a recounting of work done by descendants to unearth details of a mysterious father and grandfather.

Class 2083

Judge: Jack Tynan

Several stories in this category very effectively highlighted historic anniversaries and milestones. They faced tough competition from journalists who proved investigative reporting doesn’t always have to be about corruption and boondoggles. It can address a community’s historic moments, too.

This year’s winner did both, marking the 50th anniversary of a horrific bridge collapse by putting us in the shoes of a victim and a hero who relive that tragic day as the anniversary approaches. North Shore News reporter James Weldon absorbs readers with this heart-wrenching trip back in time told in a narrative style through the eyes and ears of two men who experienced the deadly catastrophe. From bodies standing, weighed down by tool belts beneath the lake, to a failed attempt to free a man with inches of breathing space above the rising water, this story will leave any reader gasping for breath.

Tri-City News reporter Lara Gerrits gets all the important facts in, but doesn’t inundate readers with them, as she also uses the memories of people caught in a Fraser River flood 60 years ago to take us there.

The Canadian Champion reporter Stephannie Hounsel entertains and fascinates with her story about how resident P.L. Robertson’s invention, a screw, had a lasting impact on a manufacturing industry and a community.

209 - Best Headline Writing

Class 2091

Judge: Frank Bucholtz

There were 43 entries in the best headline-writing category. Most were excellent examples illustrating how a good headline can catch the attention of readers with more and more demands on their time. Some of the best entries came from some of the farthest reaches of the country: places like Carbonear, Nfld.; Inuvik, N.W.T. and Sidney, B.C., literally from Bonavista to Vancouver Island. This shows that editors and reporters take the craft of headline writing seriously, and many use considerable skill and talent in this element of their daily duties.

My top pick was the Saint Croix Courier of St. Stephen, New Brunswick. All three headlines submitted were masterful and others on the pages received for judging were equally interesting. How can a reader not want to read a story headed, "Kyle blows us off; Tropical storm goes from wild to mild" or "Honey, can you pass the zoning bylaw? Husband and wife campaigning with, or is it against, each other in St. George"?

The Coast Reporter of Sechelt/Gibsons, B.C., had three good entries, to place second. "A doe, a deer, a bylaw came near" was my personal favourite of the three, but all attracted attention to important stories that may otherwise have been overlooked by many readers.

The Yellowknifer of Yellowknife, N.W.T., has long been known as an innovative newspaper, but its headline "R U 4 REAL” about text messaging fees was certainly hard to ignore. Its three samples collectively placed third.

There were many other good entries which did not make the finalist list, primarily because one of the three headlines entered was weaker than the other two. Overall, the quality of entries was very good and demonstrated that the fine art of headline writing is alive and well across Canada. This shows that our industry is in good shape to continue to capture the attention of readers of both our print products and our web editions.

210 - Best Local Cartoon

Class 2101

Judge: Don Ford

With economic uncertainty resulting in ever-tightening budgets in our industry, it’s good to see value still being placed on the important and impactful work of the editorial cartoonist. This year’s crop of 22 cartoons was solid, with at least nine of the entries being strong contenders for a top-three placing. In the end, the combination of easily-understood commentary on important, locally-based issues and creative use of superior artistic skills won out. The difficulty I had choosing only three is a testament to the quality of the work entered.

First place: Wyatt Tremblay’s witty yet simple depiction of the Yukon Party’s failed attempt to bring to life the Yukon Children’s Act without reasonable stakeholder consultation and through a process described by its detractors as secretive, helped this entry soar above even the closest competition. Its combination of brilliant humour and clear message made it the winner.

Second place: Dennis Parker’s wry depiction of the pickle Salt Spring Islanders found themselves in when a state-of-the-art hospital operating room had to be shut down because a new surgeon could not be found, earned second place. The image of an old-timer veterinarian on horseback being summoned to assist a patient demonstrates this artist’s ability to find humour in a situation that had residents seeing red.

Third place: A standoff between a municipal government intent on preserving the natural beauty of Seguin Township and residents who didn’t like the Big Brother feel of a bylaw governing tree cutting in the cottage-country community provided Jonathan Mahood with the inspiration for another simple yet amusing cartoon. Mahood’s beaver suit-clad ratepayer finding a loophole in the pesky bylaw is enough to bring a smile to the face of sympathizers on both sides of this dispute.

Class 2102

Judge: Bruce Hickey

It is no easy task to find ways to laugh at the state of our economy, but first place winner Steve Nease of the Oakville Beaver managed to locate some levity against an ominous backdrop. The caption, 'Due to restricting I have to let you go,' almost isn't required, as the drawing alone goes a long way in delivering the message. Using the universally know image of Father Time, looking rather haggard, the cartoon instantly sums up the fiscal gloom of the news pages, but still allows us to smile—a tall order in this day and age.

With one big, bold statement, second place winner Tim Dolighan let readers know the outcome of the federal election in the riding of Peterborough. Putting subtlety aside, the cartoon plays on a key campaign issue regarding a rail plan. While the cartoon stands alone in its message, it was great to se it working hand-in-hand with the headline, making for a unique front page.

Third place winner Bob Castle's cartoon cleverly combines two local government hot-button topics, burning bylaws and water meters, into an instantly funny scene to which many readers would relate.

211 - Best Spot News Photo

» View the scoresheets for classes 2111 to 2113. 

Class 2111

Judge: Sean McCann

There were many fine entries in this class. It's encouraging to see the smaller-circulation newspapers publishing terrific news photos instead of the usual grip and grin. Picking a winner here was a challenge—especially among the first three.

In the end I opted for Donald Loveridge's picture of a woman trapped in her van during flooding, which appeared in The Pilot. It has real news value and drama and is a moment captured in time. Reproduction is also very good.
In close second was James Murray's picture of a baby rescue at a crash scene, which appeared in the Salmon Arm Observer. Once again, it has high drama and great news value.

Third place went to 100 Mile House Free Press's Chris Nickless for his picture of a protester holding a knife to his stomach, This one may have made first place but the reproduction was poor. Nevertheless, it is a great picture.

There were many other news pictures in this category that merit attention. However, because of reproduction (not, of course, the photographer's fault), they fell behind the first three. If I had any advice to offer the various papers in this class it would be please try to do something to improve your reproduction of pictures. Meanwhile, keep up the good work!

Class 2112

Judge: Michael Gennings

First place: An elderly man was hit by a garbage truck and killed, and photographer Pirjo Raits captured the tragedy for the Sooke News Mirror shortly after it happened. This entry epitomized spot news photography. The faces of the people in the photograph and the man’s crumpled body on the road easily convey the sadness of what happened. The photograph is well cropped, in focus and played well on the first page. There surely must have been some discussion in the newsroom about whether to run this picture.

Second place: Tina Comeau of the Yarmouth Vanguard learned that a fishing vessel had sunk in rough seas. Using the phone and her contacts she tracked down where the survivors would be arriving and got the shot: a survivor and his girlfriend embraced in a passionate kiss. The photograph is placed nicely and is very crisp, making the reader feel as if they witnessed the event first hand. Comeau is to be congratulated for her tenacity in getting this photograph. It’s a great example of how a reporter’s contacts and some hard work can pay off.

Third place: Tracy Pallister of the Strathmore Standard took this photograph of a mother holding her one-year-old daughter while the girl is checked out by a paramedic. The little girl had bear mace sprayed in her eyes during a robbery. Despite the sadness of what happened, this is a great shot. You can see the concern for the girl and, in her face, the confusion she feels about what happened. The picture is well composed, well cropped and well played. The photograph is a prime example of a great spot news photo.

Class 2113

Judge: Natalie Musseau

Photographers in this group generally displayed keen instincts and quick reflexes in capturing a moment and its emotion; it was a strong set of 47 entries.

The winning photo by Lance Anderson of Peterborough This Week hits the reader in the gut. Its depiction of the discovery of a body didn’t need gore for impact, and the framing of the shot using foliage added to the image instead of being a distraction.

James MacLellan of the St. Albert Gazette took second place with his photo of a spectacular fire. The perspective used, with a single firefighter in the middle ground, served to show the immensity of the flames.

Capital News of Kelowna photographer Sean Connor captured the third-place image. The photo of the raw emotional reaction of a girl to her home being consumed by flames proves that shooting the sidelines can provide some great images. A more informative caption would have helped some of the photos by allowing readers to understand the context of the image. Also, some of the photos would have been stronger if a single focal point had been chosen.

212 - Best Feature Photo

» View the scoresheets for classes 2121 to 2123. 

Class 2121

Judge: Erin Haluschak

This was a class with 64 very diverse entries. Overall, the entries were strong, although despite coming from all over Canada, there were many which overlapped in subject matter: firefighters with kids, Remembrance Day, and animals playing outdoors. Some photos seem to have been entered into the wrong category as they may have been better placed in spot news or sports.

The winning entry from Greg Hoekstra of The Haliburton Echo combines a great subject with strong composition, cropping and excellent use of colour. The photographer caught the young girl at the perfect moment to freeze her expression and excitement of chasing bubbles, and used an off-centre composition along with a shallow depth of field to eliminate any background distraction, making it a very strong image.

In second place is “Wild Ride!” by Frank McTighe of the The Macleod Gazette. The photo was snapped by McTighe at just the right moment as a student blasts down a home-made water slide. The expression of the student and tight cropping catches the viewer’s attention immediately.

The third place photo by Lindsay McPherson of The Valley Echo of a bagpiper photographed in silhouette at sunrise is an example of a creative way to capture a usual subject using a basic technique. It is a haunting image that received good placement on the page.

Overall, many of the entrants deserved being feature photos. It is important to keep in mind when photographing a subject that may seem commonplace, take a moment to examine the situation from every angle, and be creative with the basics: angle, depth of field, colour, composition, lighting and cropping. Don’t be afraid to try something different.

Class 2122

Judge: Richard Dal Monte

The winner, Craig Douce's photo of a girl whose face is illuminated by the glow of an Olympic gold medal, was the clear winner - and the look on the girl's face is delightful.

Aaron Paton's shot of firefighters was a welcome change from the standard shot of the backs of firefighters holding hoses.

And Derrick Lundy's third-place pic, while not terribly original, was certainly colourful and had impact. Of the other entries, the most common sin was a complete lack of originality. Another common problem was decent sports photos being entered in the wrong category.

Class 2123

Judge: Fred Hatfield

There is a simple way to determine if the photos you submit to photography contests are really deserving images. Take a magazine, preferably a news magazine that features images from many of the world’s top photographers (Macleans, Time and Newsweek come instantly to mind) and place your photo on one of the magazine’s pages. Does it look as if it belongs? Is it an eye-catching image that would make a reader stop and take notice or is it a picture that you wouldn’t expect to see alongside the (presumably) other great images the magazine has published. Most of us like most of the pictures we have published, but does that make them good pictures? We all understand exposure, composition and focus, so what makes a prize-winning image? Some of the entries in this year’s competition appeared to be of the “I have to send something in” variety. They quickly got dumped to the bottom of the pile. There were, however, a lot of images that were vying for top spots. Here are the top three from this years competition. (Each of them, by the way, passes the “would they fit in with the photos in other publications” test.)

In first place, Sean Connor’s photo of a heron gulping down a minnow was a clean uncluttered image, well composed and caught the gulp as the minnow became food. Good timing.

In second,  Jean Konda-Witte’s photo of an 89-year-old man making his way on a track while much younger and speedier runners race by was an eye-catcher in that it perfectly told the story.

In third place, Susie Kockerscheidt’s photo of a youngster releasing a butterfly was another well composed image that perfectly captured the moment.

213 - Best Sports Photo

» View the scoresheets for classes 2131 to 2133. 

Class 2131

Judge: Katherine Nadeau

For sports photographers¶Judge: often filling frame after frame as they work¶Judge: there is nothing quite as satisfying as knowing they nailed the shot they were aiming for.
There were several photos among this year's entries that no doubt evoked shooter gratification.

The winning entry by Roxanna Thompson captured that split second where the action is at its peak. Two basketball players suspended in mid-air each totally focused on his goal¶Judge: one to dislodge the ball and the other to sink it. The intensity of the moment shows in their faces. Many of this year's entries would have been better served with tighter cropping. Don't be afraid to narrow the focus¶Judge: crop out portions that distract the viewer and play the action big. Don't give the viewer the impression you aren't sure where the point of action is by using photos cluttered with random bodies.

In second place was a great quintessential football photo by Rod Oracheski, nicely lit and framed, with an intense autumn sky as backdrop. Although the players' faces aren't visible the body language compensates.

In third place was a surfing shot by Quinn Bender with a subject that just couldn't be any more mellow and had a nicely composed cutline. Many otherwise strong photos lost points for weak cutlines. Others were missing names¶Judge: some when there were only two subjects in the frame. Don't assume because you have the name of the player from your hometown team that no one will care who the other guy is. His grandmother may live just down the street from your paper. After putting in the time to get the lighting just right and positioning yourself to capture the action, don't sell the photo short by doing half the job.

Class 2132

Judge: Lance Peverley

It was no easy feat judging the Best Sports Photo in this circulation class. While the top photographs easily made their way up this list, the seven-way tie for fourth place on the scorecard gave me pause to consider whether the top three were indeed tops, and whether they were in the right order. After all, only a single point divided the four places. Additionally, I found it frustrating that some photos had high scores in two criteria, only to miss out in the third. Unfortunately, soft focus cost marks for some who had otherwise well-composed, well-timed shots. However, once the scores were tallied and the three winning photos were laid side by side, I felt the numbers told the right story.

First place goes to Mike Thomas of the Yukon News. Thomas (who last year impressed judge Scott Clouther, earning a second-place finish) managed to convey varying emotions in an action-filled fast pitch photo, with an angle that captured attention on two opposing players. And he did it with a black-and-white pic, to boot.

Second-place winner Tara Trigg found a dizzying angle to find the feeling of triumph in a non-competitive sport, rock climbing, for the Powell River Peak.

In third place, Craig Douce, of the Rocky Mountain Outlook captured three cross-country skiers nearing the finish line with his camera in a sharp, well-timed image. Coincidently, all three were played on their respective papers’ front pages. Don't forget to tip your editors.

Class 2133

Judge: Will Nicholls

As an editor, I am more used to looking at the words that make up a story, and I am guilty of forgetting how important a photo can mean both to the story and to the reader at times. I thought it would be easy to judge this category. I was wrong on so many levels. I looked at the originality of the photos, the quality, the focus and how they were presented. On those levels they were all outstanding. All that was left was the impact and how it related to and improved the story. How it made any reader want to read the story and what they expected after the seeing the photo. 

Even so, it was difficult, but after due consideration, first place goes to Jermey Broadfield of the St. Albert Gazette. The picture captured the moment. The spirit of the player was evident as well as the strain of her abilities taken to the limit. I was impressed with the emotion captured that so many readers could connect to.

Second place was well deserved by the Brampton Guardians George Beshiri. I wasn’t sure what was happening but wanted to find out. Was he safe or indeed was anyone in the photo safe? The leap and subsequent actions were of interest. I can see this photo on many of their relatives’ walls for years to come. It is a photo every photographer can be proud of and hopes happens more than just once.

Third place rightfully belongs to Ned Bekavac of the Guelph Tribune. The instant clarity of a victorious moment was enshrined in our minds by that photo. We have all seen the pain and striving of an athlete but rarely is the culmination of a joyous moment captured so well.

An honourable mention goes to James Clarke of Parksville and Qualicum Beach News. I wish there were more awards to give out. Being there and getting a photo like this is a combination of luck and a lot of skill. Many photographers never even have a chance to make this type of shot. It is proof of Clarke’s skill to be able to snap a photo, not only of this quality, but at the right time.

214 - Best Photo Essay

» View the scoresheets for classes 2141 to 2143. 

Class 2141

Judge: Jake Davies

The Provost News photographer Richard Holmes’ unique and interesting theme struck me immediately as I was going through the stack of entries. Generally speaking, entries in these divisions usually come from fairs, carnivals, events and special occasions. Not this one. Richard took a relatively common event dusk- and turned it into a beautiful and interesting photo essay. There was not one entry that didn’t revolve around a special event. Finding Light in the Dark gave me a sense that Provost comes alive when the sun goes down. While some of the photos were a little soft I chalked that up to the difficulty of the subject and could excuse those few instances because some of the other photos were so strong. I am not a fan of cutline format and think more effort could have been made to get more names for some of the people in the photos. Having said that, the essay was interesting, eye-catching and a subject only a photographer would have seen as a possibility for a photo essay.

Second place goes to The Hub’s Scott Clouthier. What else would you expect from the NWT than a photo essay on the Arctic Winter Games? The two-page spread makes great use of its anchor photos. I really like the huge size of the anchor photos and the quality. The fan looks super excited and the snowboarder is miles above the mountains. Excellent. All the other photos compliment the whole project. The winter photos are so effective the two indoor photos look out of place, despite being photos of events at the Arctic Winter Games. The layout is simple. I am old-school, preferring large and a large number of photos over effective use of white space.

James Murray’s submission is a small little photo essay but gets the best out of what it presents. In four photos we get a vivid taste of wrestling and its fans. Maybe influenced by the recent movie The Wrestler, the photos show how much passion the wrestlers and their fans have. Each photo has so much facial expression and action that they pop off the page. The photographer got up close and personal in his photos of the wrestling action, putting the reader practically in the ring with the subjects.

Class 2142

Judge: Michael Hall

As my former colleague Mario Bartel said last year when judging this category, a photo essay should tell a story. I saw few true narratives among this year's submissions. Many, if not most, were scrapbook collections of community events, cut and pasted pictures of parades, fairs and car shows. Mario Bartel also wrote that a photo essay should show readers something they haven't seen before, with a variety of photos in different sizes and a clean and simple presentation.

Chris Colbourne provided a compelling narrative in his winning submission, "Nation of mutilation," a five-page collection of black-and-white photos and feature story about landmine-ravaged Cambodia. It captured the devastation of those affected, and the innocence of the children living there now, despite the ever-pending danger. Of note, Mr. Colbourne is a freelance photographer, not a staff member of the newspaper.

Justin Nobel, a contributor for the Nunatsiaq News, had the good fortune of being on hand to capture a community butchering a bowhead whale- the first time one had been killed in the Hudson Strait coast in more than 100 years. That alone was good enough for second place. The narrative was self-explanatory; the images of the whale being carved into blocks of Lego, of a community at work, of 80-year-old Naalak Nappaaluk having a taste were captivating.

Allan Bock of the St.Anthony Northern Pen took third place for his essay on the Atlantic cross-country skiing championships, held on the Northern Peninsula for the first time. This photo essay covered all the basics¶Judge: full-page, colour layout, detailed cutlines, dominant image surrounded by secondary action and detail shots of varying sizes. The package could have used a more dominant lead shot, but the detailed image of Natalie Hughes with beads of ice on her eyelashes was most memorable.

Class 2143

Judge: Ian Cobb

Before starting to judge the 40 entries in this class, I thought I was going to see some cutting edge photojournalism, seeing as how many of the papers in this class have full-time shooters only on staff. What I saw was a mixture of everything on display in Canadian community newspapers, from all circulation class. The three winning newspapers provided the best blend of photojournalism and print journalism and told important, thought-provoking stories with their images and words.

Evan Seal and The Leader did a fine job with “RCMP Dream Team,” an expose on an elite weapons and tactical unit in training. Seal and writer Ryan Starr teamed up to present a fascinating glimpse at this unit. However, it was Seal’s nice variety of strong images that served the piece the best.

Simone Ponne's "Sadie and the River" was a wonderful good news story that wouldn’t have worked if only told in photos or just as a story. Kudos to all involved in who did such a good job presenting this feel-good item. This can be held as an example that newspapers and the media don’t just hang on bad news and tragedy.

Sharon Bamfords and the Barrie Advance’s Police focus on Brandon’s gaming clan was another nice mixture of photos and story. There was a solid mixture of images but the written material didn’t stack up as well as the top two winners. Overall, there was some excellent work contained in the submissions, with runner-up nods going to the Red Deer Express and Abbotsford/Mission Times.

215 - Best Photo Illustration

» View the scoresheets for 2151. 

George Holmes Memorial Trophy

Sponsored by The Holmes Family, Alberta

Class 2151

Judge: James Murray

In first place is the Woolich Observer. Well done. The photo illustration has good impact. It gives the viewer/reader a sense of achieving air time.

Second place- The Morning Star: The illustration is simple and straight forward. It makes a political statement in itself. Well placed on page. Good impact.

Third place- The Era-Banner: It’s a great idea, but it could have been better with a different selection of faces. It still has good impact, though.

216 - Best In-House Ad Campaign

Metro Creative Graphics Trophy

Sponsored by Metro Creative Graphics

Class 2161

Judge: Tracy McCall

There were a number of entries in this class that stood out from the crowd. Although there were some good campaigns engaging readers with originality, humour, great photography and professional layout, the Powell River Peak stood head and shoulders above the rest. The Peak’s website campaign not only got top marks for attractive, balanced clean ads, but also for the well-thought out content was an invitation to readers, highlighting why and how the Peak online is relative, useful and current.

The Creemore Echo presented a nice series of ads promoting their subscription drive. The ads had good presence running vertically, good flow, good use of reverse and nice big pictures of local people. And who better to sell your product than other subscribers? The testimonials really brought the whole community paper concept home, explaining why the paper is important to the individual and what it means for the community. One suggestion: some of the copy should be rethought.

The Grand Bend Strip campaign “Caught Stripping” was hilarious, very creative, eye- catching, racy and entertaining. The photos were excellent. The copy was a bit confusing and I would have liked to see something about why I should get a subscription.

The Gatineau Hills’ The Low Down to Hull & Back News created a folksy, charming and somewhat historical campaign, but I found the copy too long, and the headlines didn’t really draw me in. The Yarmouth Vanguard produced a nice campaign featuring their experience sales staff. The layout was great, the photos were great but the ads were too small to command the page, and there should have been more copy explaining why these reps are the folks to go to.

Class 2162

Judge: Karen Wells

The winning entry from The Embassy had great usage of images as well as clean, effective design. The full page format was attractive and informative. This was great use of the newspaper to profile upcoming features and uniting editorial and advertising to benefit the publication. The efforts of the Embassy go above and beyond what might be expected and is evident in the attention to detail in the final product.

Coming in a close second place is the Guelph Tribune. They used what they already had at their fingertips to promote the newspaper, their flyer distribution and third annual Guelph Community Guide. The ads were well though out and the design is appealing to the eye. The contact information for each of the products is well defined.

Coming in third was The Scugog Standard. Each ad or promotion submitted presented a different design idea. nice use of staff in photography on promotional ads. Two suggestions, contact information not provided on each ad which might be something to take into consideration. If promoting your sales and design team people should know how to reach them. Try to eliminate use of hyphens in ad copy.

217 - Best Ad Design

Class 2171

Judge: Pat Merlihan

The Parry Sound North Star was the clear winner with an ad honouring the memory of a community member with a free skate with the local hockey team. The paper’s entry included all the elements of effective ad design. The image of the old tattered skate in the background was a perfect, fitting image that married well to the text and colour palette. Unlike many of the submissions in this class, the North Star kept to minimal typeface usage which made it stand out from the pack as a clean, simple and easy-to-follow ad.  I’m sure this ad helped the event organizers get the word out and who wouldn’t want to come out to a free event with free hotdogs and pop for the kids? My only complaint is the treatment of the mess of sponsor logos at the bottom, including the one logo that runs into the border.

The Salmon Arm Observer won this class last year with a much simpler design. This year a garage sale featuring a distressed headline font and bold colour for a local outdoors shop got them a second place. The ad kept using minimal font families, and the stock product images used were effective. I’m not a huge fan of this particular headline font, but the fact that they incorporated the distressed feel to other elements of the ad led me to believe there was some thought put into the font choice rather than just choosing the “font-d’jour.”  I would have rather seen the brand names aligned horizontally across the ad at the bottom and perhaps a third image to the right of a bike feature because they were advertising “BEST PRICES ON ’08 BIKES EVER!!!!!!!” and no bike in the ad to be seen.

The Woodstock Bugle Observer provided a full-page, full-colour ad that got to the point right in the headline – Murray’s Esso will now be Murray’s Irving. A photo of their building, some trucks and the Irving logo follow with a few lines about expecting the same service. Something of a mundane ad with unsexy appeal, but it is simple; it kept within the colour palette of the Irving logo, and it provided an offer of gas savings at the bottom.  It was enough to garner the third-place position.

As ad designers, our job is not simply to take our advertisers’ barely legible handwritten notes and regurgitate those into a typeface (or five, or six, or more in some cases), add some clip art or a picture, throw in a couple of starbursts and sell that to the customer as good design. Too many of the submissions in this class lacked the elements of good design, or any kind of forethought into the process. I understand how the pressures of deadlines and receiving copy at the last minute can sometimes lead us to just throw the information together to get it done – it happens. But these submissions were considered the best and I was disappointed by the collective lack of basics in most of these entries.

Class 2172

Judge: Susann Britton

The Powell River Peak wins first place. This advertisement has enormous impact and pulling power. The red colour chosen as the background was effective with the yellow McDonald’s logo along with the white font. The photography was catchy and interesting and balanced well with the having the gymnast’s leg pointing straight up so that it balanced with the headline added value. In addition, the Powell River Peak used a local gymnast for the ad instead of just regular clipart, adding originality. The copy was simple and powerful at the same time, which delivered a clear message. This ad encompassed all the components of design. Congratulations to the Powell River Peak.

The Gulf Islands Driftwood composed a dramatic double-truck which commanded attention. Just enough copy was used to deliver the message and the headline was clear and concise, ensuring delivery of the message. The ad was well balanced and as well, the photography used in the ad provided extra visual value. The photos were strategically sized and placed making this ad even more interesting. Congratulations to the Gulf Islands Driftwood.

The Wainwright Edge delivered an extremely powerful ad. It caught attention with its effective use of colour, giving it a unique look. The layout and image were creative and made the ad all the more interesting. The message of the ad was effective and clear, and the white font stood out on the pink background. Accolades to the creator of this ad. The notion of using the jeans with the leather patch deserves special mention. This ad was definitely an eye-catcher!

Class 2173

Judge: Nicole Garner

The quality of entries in this class was outstanding, making it difficult to select just three for recognition.

The first-place winner was the Canadian Champion from Milton, ON. This ad stood out because of the clarity of the message it was trying to convey. There are a lot of different elements in the ad, but each adds to the theme and they don’t compete with each other. Thought was clearly put into maximizing the impact of the ad copy, photo choice and overall design.

The second place winner was The Now from Surrey/North Delta/White Rock. The Now combined a strong photograph with simple, but concise copy to produce an ad that is eye-catching and well-balanced.

Third place goes to the Lloydminster Source. From the headline to the picture of two seniors in a golf cart, every element of the ad made it clear what was being advertised. The use of colour in the background works well with the photo without overwhelming it. The copy flows nicely from start to finish and is reinforced by font size choices, which clearly show what the most important details are.

Several other entries came close to cracking the top three and easily could have taken top spot if one or two elements had been a little stronger.

218 - Best Newspaper Promotion

Class 2181

Judge: Brian Hahn

All the entries made very good efforts to promote their publications and to raise awareness of a service they were providing or to engage the readers in dynamic ways. The winners in this class stood out in many ways.

Real gem of first place goes to the Dryden Observer. In an effort to challenge there nearest competitor, radio, they developed a promotion that took their publication to new levels and made their publication the source for sports news in their community. They developed an online experience that provided live coverage of local sports and reader interaction that was encouraging to the athletes and created a fantastic venue for providing editorial content for newsprint. The residual benefits for the publication were increased advertising and the top spot for them as leaders in their community. Congratulations to the Dryden Observer for raising the bar for all of us!

The second-place winner The Agassiz-Harrison Observer took reader interaction to a new level with reality based content for newlyweds with the readers voting off couples as the weeks wore on. This promotion was not only fun it also provided advertisers a spot in their newspaper that drew attention to their businesses.

Third-place winner the Stephenville Georgian developed an advertising campaign in an effort to increase subscriptions, which also included a newspaper carrier contest. This engaged the readers and in an interactive way that complemented the subscription campaign.

Class 2182

Judge: Ian Murdoch

This year's winner, once again, goes to the Bridgewater Bulletin for their creative series "Just Another Day at Lighthouse Media Group.” Continuing with their cartoon theme, the series of self promotions targeted all aspects of their publication from subscriptions, to display advertising, community services, and thoughtfully included the delivery people. I was impressed with the imaginative use of photo manipulation to acquire the cartoon look, and the colourful layouts enhanced the impact on the page. Clever copy added to the themes each week and I can imagine that readers looked forward to seeing the next one.

Second place goes to The Packet for their series on “40 Years of Local News.” Promoting themselves throughout the year with snippets from the past gave the reader a true sense of how long this paper has served nearly 100 communities. The series led up to the town's annual civic holiday and concluded the series with a profitable looking supplement.

Third place goes to The Beacon for it's series on Golden Memories. The Beacon used their archives to take the reader back through 50 years of community support. They spread their 50th anniversary over 50 editions, each reliving the news, cartoons, sports and advertising of past editions.

Class 2183

Judge: Bill Duke

The entries in this class demonstrate a wide variety of promotional techniques, but some would likely have been a better fit in other categories, such as Feature Series or Special Section. The three winners were chosen because they promoted the newspaper creatively and effectively while engendering goodwill in the community.

The first-place recipient is the Vancouver Courier, who hit a home run in promoting their 100th anniversary. The festivities included a ceremony at City Hall, a block party, a commemorative issue and the addition of four beautiful murals to the exterior of their building. The party, which featured food, music and games, attracted approximately 1,000 people. Hosting such an event gives readers an opportunity to meet the papers staff, creating better advertising relationships and allowing for open dialogue between citizens and members of the news team. The advertisements that led up to the anniversary are not especially strong in terms of graphics, but are effective in getting the word out.

Second place goes to the Chilliwack Times for their “Remembering CFB Chilliwack” photo book and ad campaign. Calling on members of the community to submit photographs, the Times ultimately compiled enough to create a hardcover collection that they then sold to the public. The campaign created an onslaught of foot traffic and phone calls to the Times office. Unfortunately, their entry suffered because of some shoddy writing in the advertisements.

The third-place winner is the Guelph Tribune, who ran a contest inviting children to design masks for the goalies of the Guelph Storm. The idea is a simple one, but effective. Its too bad the photos of the winning entries are so dark that it makes the masks difficult to see.

219 - Outstanding Community Service

Class 2191

Judge: Dwight Irwin

Judging this category was a great experience. Canada's community newspapers are doing more than informing the public they're making life better for many, many people across this great land.

First place goes to the Port Hardy North Island Gazette. The paper organized its 27th successful Christmas Hamper food drive, raising $30,000 and delivering 521 hampers to residents in 13 communities in rural northern Vancouver Island. It’s a stunning achievement for the small community paper.

Second place goes to Houston Today, which through a series of stories in the five months leading up to the event, was an integral part of the community's inaugural Relay 4 Life, which far exceeded the expectations of raising $10,000. With the paper's involvement in promoting the event, it raised a staggering $100,000.

Third goes to the Drumheller Mail for its work in clarifying and explaining a plebiscite question, which had previously failed because of confusing wording and lack of knowledge on the subject. The paper took the lead role in explaining the ins and outs of the plebiscite, resulting in a 63% vote in favour of the question about where to build a new recreation centre.

Class 2192

Judge: Tina Hennigar

I have always been proud to work in community newspapers. After judging this category I am particularly proud. I was humbled by the great work newspapers are doing in their communities. I was especially inspired by Northern Life's Community Leaders. They honoured those who are in service to their community in a beautiful publication. You couldn't help but want to do more in your own life after reading it.

The Liberal Santa Fund campaign was truely outstanding. Through this program, they were able to help several organizations at a particularly difficult time of year. I especially loved the idea of having an E-bay on line auction to raise money. Well done.

Oshawa This Week Be a Webcaster campaign exemplifies what it means to engage our youth in newspapers by incorporating multi media. Though the partipants were only 9 and 10, this paper has fostered life long users of their website because they were asked to particiate in being a webcaster. The paper ought to be proud of creating confidence in once shy pre-teens.

There were no bad community service entries. All the communities should be proud of that their community newspaper put forth such tremendous effort.

220 - Best Holiday Edition

Black Press Trophy

Sponsored by Black Press

Class 2201

Judge: Simone Blais

The weather outside may have been frightful, but holiday editions produced by small-town papers were absolutely delightful. Showcasing the best of local journalism commitment to community, Canadian newspapers produced some impressive results- especially those published in the actual week of Christmas.

Those looking to improve should remember that, just like St. Nick gets tired of cookies and milk, reading letters to Santa quickly becomes tiresome. Entries that took risks definitely stand out in this category. Breaking out of the mold was the Haliburton County Echo, which produced a well-rounded holiday edition that balanced news, original features and a clean, yet festive layout. Martha Perkins feature “In praise of an old-fashioned Christmas cake”, which profiled local bakers who devote days to producing hundreds of fruitcakes with old-world methods, was an intriguing take on a seasonal staple most would rather avoid. Matt James front page photo captured one of those elusive moments with children counting down the days until Christmas, and the Seasons Greetings section was busting at the seams with unique local content. Bravo.

The Smithers Interior News was a refreshing break from the litany of standard holiday fare, earning second place with its bold play and graphics of the Officials prepare for midnight landing story, quoting NORADs team as they tracked a mysterious Christmas UFO. Boasting beautiful colour fronts on all three sections, the Interior News visually stood apart, and its continuity of stories, photos and opinion pieces showed a commitment to producing local holiday content.

Barry’s Bay This Week also published a solid edition that balanced news, a strong front page photo and full-colour greetings section with outstanding graphics and clean, appealing design. Acrostics by local children and a selection of older family Christmas photos from staff breathed new life into content.

Class 2202

Judge: Kelly Clemmer

Within all the entries, there were many different types of content used to fill their holiday editions, which we all know can be difficult with all of the Christmas greetings ads. Items such as Letters to Santa, holiday writing competitions for both adults and children, childrens drawing competitions and the classic, senior-looking-back-over-the-years story. The key to all of the top entries were using locally generated content, staying away from canned copy. Another key was not doing too much of the same thing. Many of the papers had page after page after page of the Letters to Santa.

First place: The Northern Pen had a good variety of content, good fiction competition and multiple sections with Christmas themes.

Second place: The Powell River Peak visually was excellent, with lots of colourful drawings done by children, great photos and submissions by the local church pastors.

Third place: The Yarmouth County Vanguard had plenty of letters, good photos and lots of variety to look at. Good job.

Class 2203

Judge: Gerald Tracey

First place goes to the White Rock/South Surrey Peace Arch News whose staff generated the features and photos rather than using canned material. All too many papers go for the free and easy material. The Arch News stories are both interesting and supported with strong photography. The full colour publication is attractively laid out and the ads are appealing. There is a nice ratio of ads to editorial content.

The Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News finishes a close second. Many of the stories and photos in its December 19 issue focused on the celebration of Christmas. These too were all generated by their own staff and focused on the volunteer groups that work to brighten Christmas for so many people. The News might consider running two sections in the future- separating Christmas stories from the regular news of the week.

The Courtney Comox Valley Record was judged third with its entry of the Cumberland Taiwanese Lantern Festival. The edition promotes the annual event in the Village Cumberland. The publication is nicely laid out, the ads are appealing and the reproduction is first class. Honourable mention goes to North Shore Outlook of North and West Vancouver with its festive holiday entry.

221 - Best Coverage of the Arts

Class 2211

Judge: Glenn Mitchell

The key to a good performance in the arts is often passion. And it's also often the key ingredient in a newspaper's coverage of the arts. Many of the papers in this class displayed their love of the arts with passion, but none did it better than the Yukon News from Whitehorse. From gripping leads, to creative full-page layouts, to telling photographs, this paper obviously cares about the arts and features it prominently in its coverage of the community. Well done.

The Minden Times also loves the arts and a pair of well-written features by Martha Perkins wonderfully displays the life-altering capacity of the pursuit of one's calling. A well-displayed and in-depth feature on a playwright also reveals the paper's delightful accent on the arts.

And the Grand Bend Strip knows a little bit of fun is sometimes the way to bring out the story when it comes to the arts. Grand Bend's Beach Babes features an experienced cast that remembers the good old days and is prominently displayed over three almost life-sized pages. The other pieces, including Rachel McAdam’s brief visit to Grand Bend, convey an appreciation of the arts that I'm sure is not lost on the residents of the community.

Honourable mentions should also go to the far reaches of the country as the Gulf Islands Driftwood, of Salt Spring Island, B.C. and The Packet, of Clarenville, Nfld, who capably and colourfully cover the arts communities in their respective cities. Generally a good job by all in this class that know a community paper owes its readers comprehensive and thoughtful coverage of the arts on a weekly basis.

Class 2212

Judge: Mike Bryant

It shouldn't be surprising that B.C. newspapers would dominate this category considering the numbers of submissions received from this province. Judging by the amount of ink and pages dedicated, readers in B.C. pay particular attention to the arts section of the paper.

Coquitlam Now makes the most of its non-coloured pages and thus is deserving of this year's first place finish. The photos are sharp and imaginative, the stories are diverse and entertaining, and the layout is good enough to keep the Now's hold on first place. We got a story accompanied by a great photo about an art exhibit; a good how-to story on a school songwriter's program; a hard news story a nice surprise coming from arts and my favourite, "Belly dancer shakes up seniors," accompanied with photos of the shuddering dancer and some red-faced nursing home residents. The broad range of stories from Now is what won me over.

Second place goes to Peninsula News Review. Strong graphics and interesting stories pushed this newspaper's art section into the final three. Photos for "Fired up" were great; the story was a little long though.

Oshawa's This Week was the only thing preventing B.C. from making a sweep in this category. The personal testimonials in "Memories of the regent" a collection of stories about the closing of an historic theatre house is what did for me.

There were a lot of strong contenders in this category. I liked the one's best, however, that focused on community events and people rather than the next show coming into town.

222 - Best Sports Coverage

Class 2221

Judge: Glenn Cook

Judging this category was a real team effort, as I enlisted the help of both my sports reporter, Sheri Lamb, and news reporter, Philip Woolgar. Together we sat down over two afternoons and hashed out what we liked and didn’t like about each of the entries. Perhaps one of the biggest differences between the top entries and those that didn’t make the cut was the size of the sports section and the range of sports covered in the issue. In fact, that was the primary factor in breaking the tie for second place between Taber and Squamish. Too often, we saw papers submit only one story for consideration, or sections that focused too heavily on one event.

Another glaring area was the quality of photos. Many papers were running action shots that were blurry or out of focus, while other simply ran photos of people linked up like firing squads. I can say from experience that is it absolutely worth it to invest in camera equipment upgrades, especially for the sports section. Great photos go a long way to drawing readers in.

As well, it pays to really pay attention to small details when laying out pages. Often we saw photos just slightly wider than text columns, creating awkward doglegs, jumbled photo pages or empty lines of text at the ends of stories, which really detracted from their overall score. Many papers also missed out on easy points by not having a statistics page at all. It doesnt have to be a whole page even just a column or two, but it provides readers with a lot of information and a place for the sort of community coverage they are looking for.

Class 2222

Judge: Jules S. Xavier

What's happening with community sports coverage across Canada? From the 21 submissions judged in this category, the top-five are keeping their readers informed about what's happening on the soccer pitch, school gym or arena. In most cases, many of the submissions scored low for the following reasons: weak photography and layout, and the actual sports coverage lacked scope or impact. Sports are about action and should reflect this with games being covered with the digital camera as much as the notepad. A blend of game coverage, features and even columns gave the winning entries an edge over those newspapers failing to make the grade.

The Carillon sports section easily came out on top among this year's entries thanks to a clean front page, excellent photography (use of colour scored bonus points), strong writing from Terry Frey, plus variety of coverage. Some publications seemed to fill the few pages they had with just hockey, ignoring the high school sports beat that affords any sports scribe with plenty to write about from September to June. If you picked The Carillon up to read, being a visitor to Steinbach, you quickly knew what's going on in the community when it comes to sports.

The Strathmore Standard's sports pages are clean, with solid writing and content from Cody Todd, plus action photos to illustrate the words, had a comfortable lead over the third-place Fort Frances Times, but not enough to surpass The Carillon. Again, a good mix of stories, excellent photography and catchy headline writing helped put the next two newspapers in the running for CCNA bragging rights.

The Times, with Mitch Calvert at the helm, just edged the New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker for the a top-three placing by two points. The difference was an excellent front page, with excellent stories and photos to draw the reader in.

Overall, the top-three newspapers serve the readers in their respective communities well. In future, papers that use action photos, and not a reliance on submitted team photos, to spruce up the sports pages, plus a blend of game reports that include quotes, and features stories, should score high with CCNA judges. And for those sports sections hockey-heavy when it comes to coverage, your high school sports scene is ripe with stories, from football and volleyball in the fall to track and field and soccer in the spring. The curling club and pool might also provide other story ideas and photo opportunities.

Class 2223

Judge: Kevin Higgins

The strength of The St. Albert Gazette is quite evident before even reading a single page; its photography was among the best of the 40 entries in this class. The variety of sports and the photographs gave a great perspective of what was happening on the local sports scene. My only suggestion would be to attempt to add a feature-type story. It would add a more personable element to the sports section, other than just being concentrated on results and expectations.

Second place went to the Sherwood Park News, which also provided readers with a diversified combination of sports coverage, quality photographs and easy to read statistics. The difference between first and second place came within the impact of the layout. The Gazette grabbed my attention a little more because of cropping of photos as well as photos that gave different views of the same sport. It was very difficult to choose between the two, as both have grasped the concept of community newspaper sports coverage very well, and the copy is well written.

In third place is the Victoria News, and its strength was also in the action photographs, quality of writing and statistics page. The downside was the sports coverage concentrated too much on the coverage of one sport (soccer), with other sports having basically a story and statistical coverage.

I found many of the other entries to lack quality action photographs, which really do bring life to sports pages. As well, some papers came up short in what I believe was a true representation of their sports coverage on one major event, and while, in most cases, the coverage of this event was solid, points were lost in the scope and editorial content category. Coverage should provide readers with at least a touch of the different sports within the newspaper coverage area. The more there is, even if it’s a little something, it is better than coverage of just one sport.

223 - Best Special Section

Transcontinental Media, Newspaper Group Trophy

Sponsored by Transcontinental Media, Newspaper Group

Class 2231

Judge: Graham Long

I was very happy with the overall quality of the entries in this category. Picking the three best from such an interesting mixture was not easy. There were at least a dozen entries which were of a very high standard indeed.

Taber Times’ The Oilpatch was easily the most visually attractive of all the entries. The front page art is one of those shots that look like they’re easy to take, but are actually anything but. The inside is packed with copy, mostly locally written, covering a wide range of issues relating to the oil and gas industry. This is a very impressive package to come out of a small newsroom. Its hard to see how it could be improved upon.

Second place goes to Norwich Gazette’s U-Knighted. This wasn’t the biggest or fanciest entry by any means. But it was the one I found myself drawn to when it came time to pick the winners. I love the idea of a small town newspaper leading the fight to save the community’s high school from closure. Its a piece of good old fashioned crusading journalism. This is a great example of why local newspapers matter to the towns and villages they serve in a way that the big city media can never hope to match.

Fergus/Elora News Express’ “Celebrating 175 years” comes in third place. There were several entries which marked milestone birthdays in the communities they serve. The entry from Fergus stood out from the rest thanks to its eye-catching design and its use of colour, along with a selection of well-written and well thought out stories.

Class 2232

Judge: Jeff Heuchert

First place- NWT News North The amount and depth of copy generated was incredible. Great use of graphics to accompany the photographs and copy. The paper had a clean, easy to follow layout.

Second place- Ottawa Hill Times Great analysis to go with the reporting. Great photos. The special section tackled all angles of the topic. My only comment is that colour, especially on the front page would have added more impact.

In third place is the Gulf Islands Driftwood. The design of the pages and the photos really stood out. The layout varied but it was easy to read.

Class 2233

Judge: Martha Perkins

Special sections offer a wonderful opportunity to give all departments in a newspaper to shine. An advertising idea is brought to life by the graphic designers, writers and photographers. When all four departments work together, the results can be extraordinary. The winners exemplify this. They pay attention to each component of the section, delivering a product that the newspaper and the community can be exceedingly proud of. A note to some of the other publications try not to replicate your newspaper design in your special section. Newspaper styles often lack the vitality and spark of good design elements.

First place goes to the Surrey Leader's Focus on education. Design is lively and attractive, blending interesting stories with easy-to-read fact bars. As well as being pleasing to the eye, the stories explore all aspects of a strong education system.

The design of the second-place winner from Whitby This Week, which profiles athletes competing in the Beijing Olympics, deserves special accolades. Excellent read, attractive, easy to read yet colourful. Printing could have been sharper.

Beautiful design reigns over Faces of the Future by the Scarborough Mirror. Crisp, clean, excellent photographs. Layout is very reader friendly. Community can be as proud of this supplement as it is of the young people highlighted. The newspaper does these high-achievers justice.

Honourable mention goes to the Abbotsford News for its section on a new regional hospital and cancer centre. Design is innovative and the information provided is very useful for readers. Serves all partners well.

224 - Best Web Site

Class 2241

Judge: Vicki Gilhula

What set the winners apart from the other entries was their use of interactive features and rich media such as video and news podcasts. The winning entries have added-value features such as photo galleries and videos. They also allow readers to be citizen journalists by inviting them to send in their own photos and videos, as well as comment on stories and vote on poll issues. In general, most of the web stories were too long. They should be shorter than print versions and written in traditional pyramid style. Web readers are scanners; they want the facts fast, and few will scale down several screens of a story to finish it.

First place- The use of videos/webcams gives the Parry Sound North Star’s website the edge over the competition. It is easy to navigate and search. The North Star embraced web technology earlier than many community newspapers. They got it right and continue to get better every year.

Second Place- Bugle Observer’s site looks good and was easy and convenient to navigate with lots of headlines and story choices on the homepage. This eliminates the need to go searching for information. The links to other media makes the reader feel plugged into the community and province. It’s really too bad that Woodstock didn’t have videos since it would deserve the number one spot if it did. It has a great web 2.0 feel and tons of options from articles to podcasts to get users involved in the site.

Third Place- The Review is not as slick as the Parry South North Star or Woodstock Bugle Observer but it has more heart. There is a folksy page on the history of the paper and pictures of staff. The audio podcast conversation between the editor and reporter is a nice touch. Someone is working very hard on loading this site with information!

Class 2242

Judge: David Little

Unavailable at press time.

Class 2243

Judge: Ron Ennis

Because of the complexity of judging such a category, two other judges were enlisted to assisted with the final results, two managers one whose responsibilities include IT and design; and, the second, manager of newspaper layout. The initial findings were interesting in as much as the same five sites were identified, however there were differences in terms of preferences for final placement on the score sheet. Identified were: Immediacy of impact on the observer; Attention to order of material, especially local content; Quality and uniqueness of the logos/images used; Use and placement of photographs; Attention to the size of nameplate; Headlines and flow of copy; Quality and placement of advertisements; Amount of pertinent information for viewer; Ease of reading, i.e. font size. The exercise of judging took place over a couple of weeks with each of the judging having to review their findings on a number of occasions. When the average of the final scores were tabulated, the results were as follows: www.durhamregion.com, 83.5 points; www.oakvillebeaver.com, 81 points; and www.abbynews,com, 77 points. Our sincere congratulations to the winners.

225 - Best Canadian Forces Base Paper

Class 2251

Judge: Rosaleen L. Dickson

first place
CFB Greenwood (NS) Aurora Newspaper

second place
CFB Esquimalt (BC) Lookout Newspaper

third place
CFB Halifax - Maritime Forces Atlantic (NS) Trident Military Newspaper

The front page of The Aurora is spectacular, with an almost 3D rendition of its people doing whatever is most significant at the moment. The back page is equally lively and colourful, and a busy classified ads section and fact-filled listing of coming events make this paper as useful as it is friendly. Managing editor Stephen Boates is supported by a good team and this paper’s casual acceptance of items in both official languages is delightful. With an emphasis on good health and well being, The Aurora makes good reading. It is uplifting, welcoming, newsy and provides great pictures of the local folks living the good life at Greenwood.

Lookout is an eye-catching 16-pager with a dedicated staff headed by Managing Editor Melissa Atkinson. Base and community events, sports, local features and opinion fill the pages between strong community advertising and a comprehensive classified section. Their aim is to serve as a link between the local business community and the base, and to provide relevant material about the Department of National Defence, with a strong emphasis on Base news and local folks. I began to think I knew them after reading their weekly paper and felt sorry for one guy on the “Opinion” page who said he was rooting for the Senators.  

Trident won this contest last year, and might have made first place again this year, due to its great support from advertisers, excellent coverage of DND information from across Canada, and great photos. They publish a convenient Community Calendar, and have a similarly convenient Web site. The typography is tops. Editor-in-Chief Lynn Deveraux is masterful in the layout of the many pages in this paper. Articles and advertisements provide information of interest to all Bases so this is the paper people will want to see, right across Canada. Only surprise is on top of page one where the words “Le Journal des Forces Maritimes de l’Atlantique” are the only ones in French that I could find, except for a very small-type note, (probably 4 pt) on page 4 which state: “les textes peuvent être soumis en français ou en englais.” Despite this disappointment, I place Trident third.

301 - Best Environmental Writing

class 3011
circulation: up to 9,999

judge: chris foulds

first place
Tim Murphy, New Hamburg (ON) Independent

second place
Darrell Greer, Nunavut (NU) Kivalliq News

third place
Lauren McKeon, Yellowknife (NT) Yellowknifer

There were 46 entries in the environmental-writing category with about a dozen of those entries jumping to the forefront for best mirroring the category definition of "environmental subjects having impact upon the communities served." Some entries were entertaining, but had more of a profile focus. Others were matter-of-fact reporting on events and programs in the communities served.

The three winners were culled from the top dozen for their research, subject and overall impact on the readership of the respective newspapers. In first place, Tim Murphy's article on human sewage being spread on farm fields is engaging from the first paragraph. Murphy takes a subject that can be complex and bogged down in scientific jargon and lets his talent for writing lead the way. Short, punchy paragraphs, consistent flow and extremely interesting facts about a practice that is long-standing but not well known makes this a fascinating read. That tomato on your plate may never taste the same again.

In second place, Darrell Greer's piece on the collision of native culture with the global-warming movement paints a very different and welcome picture for readers inundated with dire warnings of the imminent extinction of polar bears. Whereas the white bears are objects of pity and viewed as cuddly characters by those not living in the North, Greer presents the stark reality of the importance of the bears to those whose existence relies on hunting the animals for food and clothing, not to mention a different opinion on the numbers of bears in the wild.
In third place, Lauren McKeon finished her meticulously researched and well-written story on the danger of bird strikes at Yellowknife Airport four months before Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger brought the issue to worldwide attention by landing a jetliner safely in the Hudson River in New York City after colliding with birds. But McKeon's piece on its own is engaging and frightening. It's a safe bet travellers who read her article will check into how far their destination airport sits from the nearest landfill.

class 3012
circulation: 10,000 and over

judge: pawrence powell

first place
Peter Rusland and Aaron Bichard, Duncan (BC) Cowichan Valley Pictorial

second place
Paige Hilton, Guelph (ON) Tribune

third place
Kevin Parnell, Kelowna (BC) Capital News

With 44 entries, many of them multi-part series, this was an amazingly difficult category to judge. Topics ranged from the debate over ethanol fuel, honey bees, and electric cars, to the war over water, the health of watersheds and habitat, and soil and air contamination due to mining activities. Every story or series was written from a local perspective and would have been of some interest to readers. In the end, the winners were the stories that not only had a local impact, but stories that gave local readers all the tools they needed to reduce their own carbon footprints or in some way help preserve to environment. In other words, stories that informed readers and allowed them to act on the information they just absorbed.
First Place: The Cowichan News Leader Pictorial ran a series of stories by Peter Rusland and Aaron Bichard that detailed an environmental initiative called Carbon Busters. It followed the lives of nine people who vowed that over 10 weeks they would reduce their personal carbon footprints by 10 per cent. Readers were given highlights of that challenge in such a way as to be able to take what the Carbon Busters learned and apply it in their own lives. As the Carbon Busters themselves admitted, it was difficult. Bichard, who wrote the final installment, was one of the Carbon Busters and concluded: If each of us do a little bit, well see a difference. It’s a million small accomplishments that will lead to the biggest change.

Second Place: Paige Hilton of the Guelph Tribune tackled the issue of the dreaded carbon footprint from an individual family perspective, following the Van Acker clan as the garbage, compost, and recyclables piled up in their home. The incredible volume of disposable waste soon impacted their lives and lifestyle choices, forcing them to make decisions and change their habits and attitudes. One can picture readers nodding their heads and thinking that’s me. I too need to change my lifestyle to help make a difference. It was a well-written series of stories that had the potential to directly and positively impact every reader.

Third Place: Kevin Parnell of Kelowna’s Capital News wrote a lengthy and informative first-person account of the search for alternatives to pesticides for lawn and garden use, the major problem of invasive species of weeds, and left the reader with lots of information and options. Parnell went to some effort to gather the information (including a road trip with an invasive species expert) and presented it in such a way that readers could immediately act on the information. The story was focused and entertaining and readers no doubt had a very real visual image of his father digging out dandelions.
The top three entries all had one thing in common readers could directly benefit and act on what they read. But that is not to say that the other entries weren’t interesting and informative. The depth of research was impressive, the writing was second to none, and the awareness these stories must have sparked locally would have been significant. Each one was a potential winner, and that made judging extremely difficult. What may have put some out of the running is the fact that they were coverage of events that would have been written about regardless. Others showed lots of reporter initiative, time and effort.

302 - Excellence in Rural Reporting

class 3021
circulation: open

judge: judi bobbitt

first place
Jenn Watt, Minden (ON) Times

second place
Genesee Keevil and Jeremy Warren, Whitehorse/Yukon Territory (YT) Yukon News

third place
Casey Lessard, Grand Bend (ON) Grand Bend Strip

Too many submissions relied on coverage of council and board meetings, public gatherings or one or two interviews to provide superficial coverage of interesting subject matter. The top 3 winners stood out for having gone the extra mile (or several) in research and effort.

First-place winner Jenn Watt, Minden Times, painted a compelling picture of rural poverty in Haliburton County, drawing on a myriad of local sources and reports to turn in a well-written, in-depth series.

The Yukon News takes second place for the efforts of Genesee Keevil and Jeremy Warren, who travelled to the town of Faro for a first-hand look at a dying community, and the struggle of its residents to cope after the closure of the area's principle employer, a lead-zinc-silver mine.

Third place is awarded to Casey Lessard of Grand Bend Strip, for 'The final frontier?', a comprehensive look at accessibility issues in the community's business district. Although the presentation of the material was a little confusing in part, hard work shone through.

303 - Best Business Writing Award

class 3031
circulation: up to 9,999

judge: debra downey

first place
Michael Gorman, Yarmouth (NS) Vanguard

second place
Greg Hoekstra, Haliburton (ON) County Echo

third place
Casey Lessard, Grand Bend (ON) Grand Bend Strip

There were 47 entries in the Best Business Writing Award category but only about seven made the grade as exceptional, telling a remarkably interesting business story by a reporter who went above and beyond. Making a choice between these top seven was a tough task, indeed.

However, first place must go to the completely well-rounded, well-researched and attractive package put together by Michael Gorman and staff at the Yarmouth Vanguard. Entitled No Way Out, Michael’s piece examines the state of transportation in south western Nova Scotia and its impact on business and residents. An imaginative writing style- It was yet another black eye in a long line of punches to the face of Yarmouth’s transportation links, and crisp, clean layout eventually landed the Yarmouth Vanguard at the top of the heap.

Second place goes to Goodbye to The Summer That Never Was by Greg Hoekstra of the Haliburton County Echo. Greg took a look at the effect of the unseasonably low temperatures mixed with unreasonably high gas prices had on business. In a very extensive piece, Greg talked to everyone from the grocery store operator to the cottage rental owner about the summer of 2008. In two companion pieces, Greg looked at the stats supplied by local tourism officials and, in an accompanying editorial, the Haliburton County Echo editor urged residents and business owners not to start believing in the dire predictions for the future.

Pulling up in third spot was Casey Lessard of the Grand Bend Strip. Casey spent a day on a boat with a crew of commercial fishermen and produced a detailed and interesting report, along with some great photos to illustrate the triumphs and trails of the day. Casey left no stone unturned. As an example, “What do you do outside of work?” I ask deckhand Chris Dewey, whose grandfather worked on Purdy’s boats for 45 years. “Not much,” he says. “Play sports any chance I get. I like hockey”. “Do you have a girlfriend?’ “No,” he replies. “A boyfriend?” “No, Dustin’s my boyfriend,” he says, as the three men laugh.

class 3032
circulation: 10,000 and over

judge: andrew coffey

first place
Cheryl Rossi, Vancouver (BC) The Vancouver Courier

second place
Dan Ferguson, Surrey/North Delta (BC) The Leader

third place
Lindsey Cole, Peterborough (ON) Peterborough This Week

The entries in this category were very impressive to say the least, and exhibited all that is best in community journalism. The majority of the articles were well researched and displayed the reporter's ability to explore topics that could easily have gone unnoticed. But the articles that stood out were those dealing with small businesses - businesses that are thriving in a sour economy and those closing their doors for entirely different reasons.

The winning article by Cheryl Rossi explored the fate of butcher shops in Vancouver. She expertly told the story of one family while at the same time telling the story of meat cutters who were thriving until Save-On-Foods and Wal-Mart started packaging meat in plastic. Her story was captivating, well researched and was accompanied by excellent photos. I'll never think of a butcher shop the same way again.

The second place article was also well-researched and started with a test drive of a new electric car. It was the kind of story that could have gone two ways: all about the product or all about the market. Reporter Dan Ferguson expertly combined both aspects and even managed to give us a personal look at the man who designs and makes the cars.
The third place article was also well-written and well-researched, but the reason it stood out is because it looked at a popular subject from a unique angle. Lindsey Cole interviewed teen smokers and did a little investigative reporting on the illegal sale of cigarettes in Ontario. Her story left the reader with a different perspective on cigarette sales and the negative impact for teens.

The entries in this category were a pleasure to read, and the entrants deserve a pat on the back for doing an excellent job covering their communities.

304 - Best Agricultural Edition

class 3041
circulation: up to 9,999

judge: lindsay chung

first place
New Liskeard (ON) Temiskaming Speaker

second place
New Hamburg (ON) Independent

third place
Strathmore (AB) Standard

Stories, photos and layout all come together to make you want to pick up and read an agricultural edition from the cover to the back page. Of the 17 entries from 2008, those that rose to the top did just that, using staff-produced work to showcase interesting stories in their area, and provide facts and analysis of the past year.

Each edition has its own strengths, and the Temiskaming Speaker took first place based on using so much staff-produced work. It had interesting stories, lots of photos and graphics and a nice, clean layout.

Second place went to the New Hamburg Independent, which scored high for its presentation and layout and had a great variety of stories. Opening with strong staff-produced stories right off the bat might have moved it into first.

I struggled with third and fourth place, but in the end, I placed the Strathmore Standard just ahead of my honourable mention, the Taber Times. The Standard moved into third based on the interest factor, as it placed interesting features and photos right at the beginning, which makes you want to pick it up and read it. The paper could maybe have used more variety of stories, such as adding informative articles analyzing the past year in beef or canola, for example.

The Taber Times had strong writing and a variety of good, informative stories that painted a strong picture of agriculture in the area, but a lack of photos in the first half of the paper kept it out of the top three.

class 3042
circulation: 10,000 and over

judge: doug coxson

first place
Swift Current (SK) Prairie Post

second place
Ottawa (ON) Hill Times

third place
Abbotsford (BC) The Abbotsford News

The low number of entries in this category made the task of judging the best agricultural edition a little too easy. The Prairie Post’s Bull Breeders 40-page Special Report stood out for its simple attention to the subject, and the sheer volume and quality of content the editor was able to come up with on this specific aspect of agriculture. While the bulk of this edition’s content is either canned or borrowed, the stories are relevant and well written. The layout does an adequate job of making the stories more readable but by mid- read, the endless photos of cattle staring blankly at the camera become laughable. A feature story about the R-CALF, the American cattle producers protectionist group, should have been the top story. Its a great in-depth read, and the two-page spread is good, but it seems buried amid all the canned content up front. Overall, this edition was a standout in the small pool of entries.

The Hill Times Agriculture edition provides a wordy, but interesting political perspective on the industry with a number of well-written pieces crammed into a tight space. Unfortunately, each story’s impact is hurt by the dull layout and lack of photos. Headshots simply don’t cut it even in an edition focused on agricultural policy at the federal level. And where are the pull quotes? Here are stories filled with colourful quotes straight from the mouths of politicians and none of them are highlighted for the reader. A colourless depth-of-field shot of vegetables graces the cover, providing no interest or understanding of what awaits the reader inside. Strong content punched up with a sidebar of bullet facts and statistics about the industry is what makes The Hill Times entry work. I just wish the layout was given more attention.

Coming in third place is the Abbotsford News Abbotsford Agrifair and Mighty Fraser Rodeo 2008 Program. My first thought was how little this has to do with the category, but what stands out is its layout and readability. Photos are used heavily throughout and each one is strong. The articles are little more than advances highlighting attractions at each event, but they are well written using quotes from the people involved. There’s no doubt this program helped promote the Agrifair and boost attendance.

305 - Best Agricultural Story

class 3051
circulation: open

judge: mustafa eric

first place
John Thompson, Nunavut/Nunavik (NU) Nunatsiaq News

second place
Steve Bonspiel, James Bay Region (QC) The Nation

third place
Neil Horner, Parksville/Qualicum Beach (BC) The News

It was really difficult to make a selection from among the very well written and well researched stories. It was very pleasant to see most of the entries focus on the real issues affecting the agricultural sector and the impact that those issues have been making on our daily lives. An overwhelming majority of the entries gave exhaustive information on the issues they dealt with and did a great job of informing their communities. The winners, however, stand out because they all give us examples how Man and the nature can be excellent partners and that development of human intelligence and technology should not necessarily make turn us to predators of the nature. It was a great personal experience for me to be able to read all the valuable entries and learn a lot from each and every one of them.

401 - Outstanding Campus Newspaper

class 4011
circulation: open

judge: ken macinnis

first place
Ryerson University (ON) The Eyeopener

second place
Wilfrid Laurier University (ON) The Cord Weekly

third place
Niagara College (ON) Niagara News

The Eyeopener from Ryerson was head and shoulders among the other entries. Both front pages were striking, and the clean design and excellent photography make it a real pleasure for the eye. The writing was also very good, with excellent leads and clear concise reporting. For the most part, Eyeopener avoided the problem that plagued the other entries: cramming too much information into the lead. This paper sets a standard all campus newspapers could aspire to meet. Excellent work.

The Cord Weekly is to be commended for its excellent election coverage – there’s nothing left out, and it’s a good bet the paper rivaled other media in the area for the best coverage. The Bag-O-Crime feature is a fantastic addition to the paper, which also features an excellent design. The paper may benefit from larger banners on the first page of each section (Opinion, Sports, etc.) to make it clear to the reader he or she is reading a new section. Photography was very good. The writing was very good, but writers should avoid trying to cram too much into one sentence, and remember to use active voice and simple sentences.

Niagara College was a close winner over The Endeavour, with one more point in photography. Niagara’s design is good for a tabloid, but headlines, bylines, cutlines, and text are all crammed together. A little bit of white space can go a long way. The Master Plan feature is well put together, and the Remembrance Day features are excellent.
The Endeavour could benefit from a simpler front page and from less cramming among elements on inside pages. More photos would also make a big difference. The top three entries should be commended on their willingness to tackle big feature stories, and for executing them very well.

402 - Best News Story in a Campus Newspaper

class 4021
circulation: open

judge: lisa joy

first place
Adrian Morrow, Ryerson University (ON) The Eyeopener

second place
Nick Kuhl, Lethbridge Community College (AB) The Endeavour

third place
Laura Wikston, Niagara College (ON) Niagara News

First place goes to Adrian Morrow of The Eyeopener for a story about the school attempting to police students’ online activity and their activities outside the school. It is a relevant topic that affects many students. Adrian Morrow’s well-written piece is thought provoking and a good read. Although the story is objective, more space should have been given to present the university’s side of the story. The strength of this story is the courage it took to tackle this controversial and timely topic.

Nick Kuhl of The Endeavour, took second place for his timely piece on how post-election violence in Kenya, Africa, had an impact on students from Kenya in Lethbridge as well as an instructor at the college. It is a tightly, well-written and researched story.

Third place goes to Laura Wikston of Niagara News for a fascinating read about a Watergate reporter’s speech on campus. The last paragraph, which was the most powerful quote, should have been placed at the beginning of the story.

403 - Best Feature Story in a Campus Newspaper

class 4031
circulaton: open

judge: rosaleen leslie dickson

first place
John Shmuel, Ryerson University (ON) The Eyeopener

second place
Laura Carlson, Wilfrid Laurier University (ON) The Cord Weekly

third place
Camille Hollett, Niagara College (ON) Niagara News

The topics chosen were brilliant: Massive Addiction, Embracing the Queer Community, Dealing with Death of a Parent, and Emergency Preparedness - all appropriate to students, and all well-written. Each article provided interesting reading about a subject of importance, especially to readers of a student newspaper.

In first place, John Schmuel's Addiction story exposes a rampant problem seldom noted as a major threat. Not a social activity, as in "getting together with one's mates" - computer gaming takes its addicts solo into a world without end and without any human contact. Schmuel does a splendid job stating the problem, providing examples, coming to a conclusion - all the requirements for a good article - and the "Eye Opener" wisely added a timely sidebar that puts the item into perspective.

In second place,  Laurie Carlson's writes, "Gender is not a box to be ticked, but a way of expressing who you are" - and expands well on that theme.Laurie Carlson's item is tidy, well planned, well written and informative.
In third place, Camille Hollett of the Niagara News interviews a number of students whose parents have died. The article includes the sadness and loss felt by young people and lists a number of local services where help might be found. Again, the topic was well chosen, and well-researched.

Honourable Mention must be awarded to Scott Schmidt, writing in the Lethbridge College’s Endeavour and needs to be shared with Kayla Palmer, Rintaro Fukase and Marika Stevenson whose companion articles make up an interesting account of a mock terrorist attack. The issue is the need for emergency preparedness. The staged chemical weapons attack involved 33 agencies in Canada and the United States and 300 university students.

404 - Best Photograph in a Campus Newspaper

class 4041
circulation: open

judge: peter boer

first place
Jordan Roberts, Ryerson University (ON) The Eyeopener

second place
Joseph Cassidy, Niagara College (ON) Niagara News

third place
Scott Schmidt, Lethbridge Community College (AB) The Endeavour

The most valuable skill any photographer can have is the ability to make "something out of nothing," or provide a fresh shot from a routine assignment. Jordan Roberts' winning entry clearly demonstrates that skill. By elevating himself above the scrum, he clearly portrays the significance of the story to the community it makes us want to read it, Ryerson student or not. The news value is subsequently very strong, the composition is clean and well thought-out, and the shot, as a whole, is technically sound. The text is slightly distracting, and a tighter crop could have eliminate the dead space it occupies. A small point perhaps beyond the photographer's control, but one worth noting.

Second place goes to Joseph Cassidy, whose photo ranks high in news value. After all, how often does a world-famous pool trick shot master come to campus? The eye zeroes straight in on the subject matter, which is both a positive and an area for improvement. While some blur in the subjects' hands indicate action, it could almost be static; should a picture of a pool trick shot master not include a trick shot of some sort? More time spent with the subject matter could have yielded a more engaging shot.

Scott Schmidt's third place photo is colourful, tac sharp and definitely tells the story school spirit. Unfortunately, shirtless sports fans painted in team letters are common; this assignment deserved more attention. The value also suffers from a very loose crop, embodied by half-a-person at the far left and students with missing ankles at the bottom.