2016 BNC Award Winners Announced
The OCNA is proud to recognize the outstanding work produced each week by our member newspapers and showcase it to readers and advertisers. Thank you to everyone who submitted entries for the 2016 BNC Awards and congratulations to the winners in each category.
Visit www.ocna.org/BNCBooklet2016 to see the BNC Results book.
General Excellence Awards
GE01 - Class 1: Circ. 1 999 & under
1st place: New Hamburg Independent
3rd place: Barry’s Bay, The Valley Gazette
GE02 - Class 2: Circ. 2,000 - 3,499
1st place: Haliburton County Echo
2nd place: New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker
3rd place: Kincardine Independent
GE03 - Class 3: Circ. 3,500 - 6,499
3rd place: Petrolia Lambton Independent
GE04 - Class 4: Circ. 6,500 - 12,499
Sponsored by: Metro Creative Graphics
1st place: Haliburton Highlander
2nd place: Niagara this Week, The Leader
3rd place: Bracebridge Examiner
GE05 - Class 5: Circ. 12,500 - 22,499
1st place: Midland/Penetanguishene Mirror
3rd place: Waterdown Flamborough Review
GE06 - Class 6: Circ. 22,500 - 44,999
Sponsored by: Northern News Services
2nd place: Fergus Wellington Advertiser
GE07 - Class 7: Circ. 45,000 & over
2nd place: Hamilton Mountain News
GE08 - Class 8: College & University
1st place: Algonquin College - Algonquin Times
2nd place: Durham College - The Chronicle
3rd place: Niagara College - Niagara News
College/University Awards
CU01 - Student Feature Writing
Sponsored by: Ontario General Contractors Association
1st place: University of Waterloo - Bryan McGowan
2nd place: Algonquin College - Sarah Ferguson
3rd place: University of Waterloo - Riamarie Panachikal
CU02 - Student News Writing
Sponsored by: Ontario Journalism Educators Association
1st place: University of Waterloo - Riamarie Panachikal
2nd place: University of Waterloo - Matt Lawes
3rd place: University of Waterloo - Ramona Leitao
Honourable Mentions: Loyalist College - Brendan Burke, Niagara College - Ryan Thorpe
CU03 - Student Photography
1st place: Loyalist College - Raven McCoy
2nd place: Loyalist College - Zachary Prong
3rd place: Niagara College - Utsav Gupta
CU04 - Best College/University Newspaper Website
1st place: Loyalist College - www.qnetnews.ca
2nd place: Centennial College - www.torontoobserver.ca
3rd place: Niagara College - www.niagara-news.com
Premier Awards
PC01 - Arts & Entertainment
PC02 - Best Business and Finance Story
1st place: Peterborough This Week
Honourable Mention: Ottawa South News
PC03 - Best Editorial, circ. over 10 000
2nd place: Cornwall Seaway News
3rd place: Elmira-Woolwich Observer
Honourable Mention: Sudbury Northern Life
PC04 - Best Editorial, circ. under 9 999
2nd place: Haliburton County Echo
3rd place: Haliburton Highlander
PC05 - Education Writing
Sponsored by: Ontario Journalism Educators Association
Honourable Mention: Burks Falls Almaguin News
PC06 - Environment Ontario
2nd place: Haliburton County Echo
Honourable Mention: Eganville Leader
PC07 - Feature Writing, circ. over 10 000
Sponsored by: O'Donnell, Robertson & Sanfilippo
2nd place: Elmira-Woolwich Observer
PC08 - Feature Writing, circ. under 9 999
Sponsored by: O'Donnell, Robertson & Sanfilippo
2nd place: Haliburton County Echo
3rd place: Huntsville Forester
Honourable Mention: Eganville Leader
PC09 - Health & Wellness
1st place: Toronto Canadian Jewish News
2nd place: Haliburton County Echo
Honourable Mention: Burlington Post
PC10 - Heritage
Sponsored by: Fort Frances Times
2nd place: Peterborough This Week
3rd place: Uxbridge Times-Journal
Honourable Mentions: Whitby This Week, Ottawa South News, Nunavut News/North
PC11 - Best Investigative News Story
PC12 - Best News Story, circ. over 10 000
Sponsored by: Hydro One Networks Inc.
2nd place: Ajax Pickering News Advertiser
PC13 - Best News Story, circ. under 9 999
Sponsored by: Hydro One Networks Inc.
1st place: West Carleton Review
2nd place: Haliburton County Echo
3rd place: Bracebridge Examiner
Honourable Mentions: Eganville Leader, Fort Frances Times, Parry Sound Beacon Star
PC14 - Best Rural Story, circ. over 10 000
Sponsored by: Ontario Federation of Agriculture
1st place: Peterborough This Week
3rd place: Collingwood Connection
PC15 - Best Rural Story, circ. under 9 999
Sponsored by: Ontario Federation of Agriculture
3rd place: Uxbridge Times-Journal
Honourable Mention: New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker
PC16 - Best Feature/News Series, circ. over 10 000
Sponsored by: Hydro One Networks Inc.
3rd place: Newmarket Era/Aurora Banner
Honourable Mentions: Wasaga/Stayner Sun, Scarborough Mirror
PC17 - Best Feature/News Series, circ. under 9 999
Sponsored by: Hydro One Networks Inc.
1st place: Parry Sound North Star
3rd place: Barry’s Bay, The Valley Gazette
Honourable Mentions: Minto Express, Parry Sound Beacon Star
PC18 - Sport & Recreation Story
3rd place: New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker
PC19 - Best Headline Writing
1st place: Waterdown Flamborough Review
2nd place: New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker
3rd place: Hamilton Mountain News
Honourable Mention: Stoney Creek News
PC20 - Humour Columnist of the Year
1st place: Niagara This Week, Fort Erie Post - James Culic
2nd place: Brockville Recorder and Times - Jonathon Brodie
3rd place: Glanbrook Gazette - Tamara Botting
PC21 - Columnist of the Year
1st place: Minden Times - Jim Poling Sr.
2nd place: Brant News - Sean Allen
3rd place: Sudbury Northern Life - Mark Gentili
Honourable Mention: Toronto Canadian Jewish News - Mira Sucharov
PC22 - Reporter of the Year - Stephen Shaw Award
Sponsored by: Ontario Power Generation
1st place: Brant News - Mike Peeling
2nd place: Oshawa Express - Joel Wittnebel
3rd place: Wasaga/Stayner Sun - Ian Adams
Honourable Mention: Peterborough This Week - Todd Vandonk
PC23 - Best Feature Photo, circ. over 10 000
1st place: Waterdown Flamborough Review
2nd place: Niagara this Week, St. Catharines
3rd place: Midland/Penetanguishene Mirror
Honourable Mention: Mississauga News
PC24 - Best Feature Photo, circ. under 9 999
1st place: Uxbridge Times-Journal
2nd place: Niagara This Week, Town Crier
PC25 - Best Photo Layout
1st place: Newmarket Era/Aurora Banner
2nd place: Milton Canadian Champion
Honourable Mentions: New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker, Whitby This Week, Kincardine Independent
PC26 - Best Sports Photo
PC27 - Best Spot News Photo
1st place: Peterborough This Week
2nd place: Vankleek Hill Review
Honourable Mention: Deep River North Renfrew Times
PC28 - Best News Photo
1st place: Peterborough This Week
2nd place: Kincardine Independent
Honourable Mention: Brant News
PC29 - Most Creative Grip and Grin Photo
1st place: Ajax Pickering News Advertiser
3rd place: Fergus Wellington Advertiser
PC30 - Photographer of the Year
1st place: Ajax Pickering News Advertiser - Justin Greaves
2nd place: Oakville Beaver - Graham Paine
3rd place: Whitby This Week - Ryan Pfeiffer
Honourable Mention: Peterborough This Week - Lance Anderson
PC31 - Cartoonist of the Year
1st place: Ancaster News - Mike Vukovich
2nd place: Wellington Times - Tim Snyder
3rd place: New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker Weekender - Vicki Muir
PC32 - Community Service
1st place: Brant News - Push for Change
2nd place: Hamilton Mountain News - The Warmth Project
3rd place: Huntsville Forester - Support for Muskoka Women's Advocacy Group
PC33 - Best Vertical Product
1st place: Oakville Beaver - West of the City
2nd place: Toronto Bloor West Villager - Abode Magazine
3rd place: Bracebridge Examiner - Muskoka Life magazine
Honourable Mentions: Cornwall Seaway News - Cornwall and Counties Visitor Guide, Renfrew Mercury - Explore Upper Ottawa Valley
PC34 - Best Front Page, circ. over 10 000
Sponsored by: Laurentian Publishing
Honourable Mention: Kitchener Post
PC35 - Best Front Page, circ. under 9 999
Sponsored by: Laurentian Publishing
2nd place: Huntsville Forester
3rd place: New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker
PC36 - Best Sports Section
Sponsored by: Metroland Media, Southwestern Ontario Division
1st place: Sudbury Northern Life
3rd place: Elmira-Woolwich Observer
PC37 - Special Section, circ. over 10 000
1st place: Brampton Guardian - Our City Brampton
2nd place: Mississauga News - Reader's Choice Awards 2016
3rd place: Oakville Beaver - Checking in
PC38 - Special Section, circ. under 9 999
1st place: Aylmer Express - Farm Edition 2016
2nd place: Eganville Leader - The Eganville Leaders 5th annual Irish edition
3rd place: Hagersville/Cayuga Haldimand Press - Farm Edition 2016
PC39 - Best Creative Ad
1st place: Toronto Bloor West Villager
2nd place: Fergus Wellington Advertiser
3rd place: Elmira-Woolwich Observer
Honourable Mention: Manotick Messenger
PC40 - In House Promotion
1st place: Fergus Wellington Advertiser
2nd place: Deep River North Renfrew Times
3rd place: Barry’s Bay, The Valley Gazette
Honourable Mention: Creemore Echo, Aylmer Express
PC41 - Local Retail Layout
Sponsored by: Metro Creative Graphics
1st place: Fergus Wellington Advertiser
PC42 - Original Ad Idea
2nd place: Elmira-Woolwich Observer
PC43 - Use of Process Colour
2nd place: Haliburton County Echo
Honourable Mention: Vaughan Citizen
PC44 - Best Community Website/WebPortal, circ. over 10 000
1st place: Sudbury Northern Life - www.sudbury.com
2nd place: Toronto Canadian Jewish News - cjnews.com
3rd place: Elmira-Woolwich Observer - www.ObserverXtra.com
PC45 - Best Community Website/WebPortal, circ. under 9 999
1st place: Creemore Echo - Creemore.com
2nd place: Manitoulin Expositor - www.manitoulin.ca
3rd place: Huntsville Forester - Muskokaregion.com
PC46 - ONLINE Special Project/Event/Breaking News Coverage
1st place: Nunavut News/North - NNSL Sports - 2016 Arctic Winter Games
2nd place: Belleville News - QSS shooter/bank robbery breaking news coverage
3rd place: Sudbury Northern Life - Breaking news: Manhunt and arrest of Wahnapitae shooter
Congratulations to all!