MIDWESTERN ONTARIO – The Ontario Community Newspapers Association (OCNA) announced the finalists for its 2021 Better Newspapers Competition this week, with Midwestern Newspapers picking up 12 nominations in recognition of some top-tier local news coverage last year.
All told, the Listowel Banner received six OCNA award nods for 2021, with the Wingham Advance Times receiving three, the Walkerton Herald-Times two, and the Independent Plus one.
“We at Midwestern Newspapers are very proud of the accomplishments of our talented team,” said Mike Wilson, editor of the Banner, Advance Times, Plus, and Herald-Times. “Our readers have told us time and time again that our content is top-notch, and the production and layout are high quality. For us, it is very exciting yet humbling for us to be recognized by our peers for the work we do each week.
“To my knowledge, this is the first time that our entire team has been nominated in the same year at the Better Newspapers Competition. I believe this shows just how talented a group we have at our papers, and everyone should be proud of their accomplishments. As editor, I know I am.”
Listowel Banner
- Best Feature/News Series circulation under 9,999 category, for Colin Burrowes’ comprehensive series, “The homeless experience in North Perth”
- Best Sports and Recreation Story for Dan McNee’s “Local running group clocks serious kilometres, dollars for charity”
- Best Headline Writing (second year in a row)
- Best Creative Ad, “Town and Country Decorating”
- Best Local Retail Layout, “BK’s Brand Name Clothing and Gifts”
- Best Community Website, circulation under 9,999
Walkerton Herald-Times
- Best Arts and Entertainment Story, Colin Burrowes, for his feature “Hip-hop artist Wendego uses music to combat mental health issues”
- Best Headline Writing
Wingham Advance Times
- Diversity Coverage, Cory Bilyea, for ongoing coverage of local Indigenous issues
- Best Photo Layout, Cory Bilyea (photos) and Kelsey Bent (layout), for “Firefighters recognized for years of service, new recruits welcomed to Howick Fire Department”
- Best News Photo, Cory Bilyea, “Water Walk,” appearing on the front page of the April 22, 2021 issue
Independent Plus
- Best Vertical Product, Country Life Spring 2021 edition – a bi-annual supplement highlighting all walks of rural life with a focus on agriculture
According to the OCNA website, first, second and third-place winners will be announced during a virtual presentation to be held on Friday, April 29. A full list of finalists can be found online at ocna.org.
