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.