Better Newspaper Awards

OCNA is proud to recognize the outstanding quality of work produced each week by our member newspapers and showcase it to readers and advertisers.

Listed here are the winners in each category for the 2009 OCNA Better Newspaper Awards as announced at the combined OCNA/CNA/CCNA Convention on May 14, 2010 at the Toronto Sheraton Centre.

Congratulations to the winners!

General Excellence Awards

General Excellence Awards recognize overall achievement by circulationclassin editorial, advertising and layout.

Class 1
1st: Cobden Sun
2nd: Manotick Messenger
3rd: Grand Bend Strip


Class 2
1st: Minden Times
2nd: Meaford Express
3rd: Kincardine Independent


Class 3
1st: Bracebridge Examiner
2nd: Huntsville Forester
3rd: Parry Sound North Star


Class 4
Sponsored by Metro Creative Graphics
1st: Niagara this Week, The Leader
2nd: Niagara This Week, Town Crier
3rd: Innisfil Journal


Class 5
1st: Midland/Penetanguishene Mirror
2nd: Elmira-Woolwich Observer
3rd: Midland Free Press


Class 6
Sponsored by Northern News Services Ltd.
1st: Clarington This Week
2nd: Northumberland News
3rd: Waterloo Chronicle


Class 7
Sponsored by Transcontinental Media c/o Orleans Star
1st: Burlington Post
2nd: Oshawa This Week
3rd: Mississauga News


Class 8
1st: Durham College
2nd: University of Waterloo
3rd: Humber College

College & University

College & University Awards recognize the outstanding work of Journalism students in Photography, News Writing, and Feature Writing.


Student Photography
Sponsored by Young Drivers of Canada
1st: Loyalist College
2nd: Niagara College
3rd: Loyalist College


Student News Writing
Sponsored by Ontario Journalism Educators Assoc.
1st: Humber College
2nd: Cambrian College
3rd: Loyalist College


Student Feature Writing
1st: Centennial College
2nd: Durham College
3rd: Algonquin College

Premier Awards

Premier Awards honour individual works in both editorial andadvertising categories such as Best Editorial, Best Feature Photo, BestFront Page, Best Local Retail Layout, Best Original Advertising Idea,etc.


Arts & Entertainment
Sponsored by Transcontinental Media clo Orleans Star
1st: Vaughan Citizen
2nd: Toronto Leaside Rosedale Town Crier
3rd: Milton Canadian Champion

Best Business & Finance Story
1st: Newmarket Era-Banner
2nd: Oshawa This Week
3rd: Toronto North Toronto Town Crier


Best Editorial (circ over 10,000)
1st: Toronto Canadian Jewish News
2nd: Vaughan Citizen
3rd: Peterborough This Week


Best Editorial (circ under 9,999)
1st: Nunavut News/North
2nd: Burks Falls Almaguin News
3rd: Bracebridge Examiner


Education Writing
Sponsored by Ontario Journalism Educators Assoc.
1st: Richmond Hill/Thornhill Liberal
2nd: Grand Bend Strip
3rd: Parry Sound Beacon Star

Environment Ontario
1st: Scarborough Mirror
2nd: Port Perry Star
3rd: New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker


Feature Writing (circ over 10,000)
Sponsored by O'Donnell, Robertson & Sanfilippo
1st: Clarington This Week
2nd: Northumberland News
3rd: Brampton Guardian


Feature Writing (circ under 9,999)
Sponsored by O'Donnell, Robertson & Sanfilippo
1st: Haliburton County Echo
2nd: Elmira Independent
3rd: Kincardine Independent


Health & Wellness
Sponsored by Hamilton Community News
1st: Niagara this Week, Grimbsy
2nd: Nunavut News/North
3rd: Etobicoke Guardian


Heritage
Sponsored by Fort Frances Times
1st: Oakville Today
2nd: Dundas Star News
3rd: Brampton Guardian

 

Best Investigative News Story
1st: Parry Sound North Star
2nd: Scarborough Mirror
3rd: Parry Sound Beacon Star


Best News Story (circ over 10,000)
Sponsored by Hydro One Networks Inc.
1st: Vaughan Citizen
2nd: Mississauga News
3rd: Vaughan Today


Best News Story (circ under 9,999)
Sponsored by Hydro One Networks Inc.
1st: New Hamburg Independent
2nd: Bracebridge Examiner
3rd: Nunavut News/North


Best Rural Story (circ over 10,000)
1st: Orangeville Banner
2nd: Elmira-Woolwich Observer
3rd: Niagara this Week, Grimbsy


Best Rural Story (circ under 9,999)
1st: New Hamburg Independent
2nd: Listowel Banner
3rd: Grand Bend Strip


Best Feature/News Series (circ over 10,000)
1st: Whitby This Week
2nd: Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser
3rd: Ottawa Hill Times


Best Feature/News Series (under 9,999)
1st: Parry Sound North Star
2nd: Manitoulin Expositor
3rd: Gravenhurst Banner


Sports & Recreation Story
1st: Orillia Today
2nd:Midland/Penetanguishene Mirror
3rd: Peterborough This Week

Humour Columnist of the Year
1st: Haliburton County Echo
2nd: Deep River North Renfrew Times
3rd: Minden Times


Columnist of the Year
1st: Minden Times
2nd: Elmira-Woolwich Observer
3rd: Markham Economist & Sun


Stephen Shaw Award - Reporter of the Year
Sponsored by Ontario Power Generation
1st: Northumberland News
2nd: Burlington Post
3rd: Barrhaven Independent


Best Feature Photo (circ over 10,000)
1st: Peterborough This Week
2nd: Orleans Star
3rd: Campbellford /Northwest EMC


Best Feature Photo (circ under 9,999)
1st: Grand Bend Strip
2nd: Aylmer Express
3rd: Bracebridge Examiner


Best Photo Layout
1st: North York Mirror
2nd: Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser
3rd: Grand Bend Strip


Best Sports Photo
1st: Mount Forest Confederate
2nd: Brampton Guardian
3rd: Grand Bend Strip


Best Spot News Photograph
1st: Georgetown/Acton Independent & Free Press
2nd: Stouffville Sun-Tribune
3rd: Parry Sound North Star


Best News Photo
1st: Whitby This Week
2nd: Uxbridge Times-Journal
3rd: Orleans Star


Photographer of the Year
1st: Peterborough This Week
2nd: Grand Bend Strip
3rd: Belleville EMC


Cartoonist of the Year (circ over 10,000)
1st: Oakville Beaver
2nd: Port Perry, Scugog Standard
3rd: Vaughan Today


Cartoonist of the Year (circ under 9,999)
1st: Bracebridge Examiner
2nd: Nunavut News/North
3rd: Parry Sound North Star


Community Service
1st: Kanata Kourier-Standard
2nd: Midland/Penetanguishene Mirror
3rd: Vaughan Today


Best Vertical Product
1st: Newmarket Era-Banner
2nd: Georgina Advocate
3rd: Mississauga News


Best Broadsheet Front Page
1st: Newmarket Era-Banner
2nd: Vankleek Hill Review
3rd: Midland Free Press


Best Tabloid Front Page (circ over 10,000)
Sponsored by Laurentian Publishing
1st: Barrie Advance
2nd: Sudbury Northern Life
3rd: Toronto Bayview Mills Town Crier


Best Tabloid Front Page (circ under 9,999)
Sponsored by Laurentian Publishing
1st: Haliburton County Echo
2nd: Parry Sound Beacon Star
3rd: Uxbridge Times-Journal


Best Sports Section
Sponsored by Metroland SW Region, St. Marys Journal Argus
1st: Oakville Beaver
2nd: Brampton Guardian
3rd: Oshawa This Week


Special Section (circ over 10,000)
1st: Oshawa This Week
2nd: Almonte/Carleton Place Canadian-Gazette
3rd: Toronto Forest Hill Town Crier


Special Section (circ under 9,999)
1st: Nunavut News/North
2nd: Parry Sound Beacon Star
3rd: Listowel Banner


Best Creative Advertising (circ over 10,000)
1st: Niagara this Week,Niagara Falls
2nd: Burlington Post
3rd: Orangeville Banner


Best Creative Advertising (circ under 9,999)
1st: Grand Bend Strip
2nd: Nunavut News/North
3rd: Mount Forest Confederate


In House Promotion
1st: Bracebridge Examiner
2nd: Ottawa Hill Times
3rd: Guelph Tribune


Local Retail Layout
 Sponsored by Metro Creative Graphics
1st: Mississauga News
2nd: Port Perry, Scugog Standard
3rd: Toronto Canada Jewish News


Original Advertising Idea (circ over 10,000)
1st: Burlington Post
2nd: Port Perry, Scugog Standard
3rd: Waterdown Flamborough Review


Original Advertising Idea (circ under 9,999)
1st: Parry Sound Beacon Star
2nd: Parry Sound North Star
3rd: Listowel Banner


Use of Process Colour
1st: Parry Sound North Star
2nd: Fort Frances Times
3rd: Mississauga News

Best Community Newspaper Web Site
1st: Elmira-Woolwich Observer
2nd: Sudbury Northern Life
3rd: Lakefield Herald

 

Best Community Newspaper Web Portal
1st: Oshawa This Week
2nd: Toronto North Toronto Town Crier
3rd: Vankleek Hill Review

Local Online Innovator of the Year
1st: Sioux Lookout Wawatay News
2nd: Vankleek Hill Review
3rd: Sudbury Northern Life

Surfer's Selection
1st: Toronto Mid-Town Town Crier
2nd: Elmira Woolwich Observer
3rd: Sudbury Northern Life