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ALBERTA WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Better Newspapers Competition (BNC)
General Excellence (Spring) 2010

This annual competition honours general excellence in Alberta weekly newspaper publishing.
Six different categories are based on size of community, from under 1299 up to 12,500 and over. In each of these groups, awards are then presented for excellence in General Excellence, Best Front Page, Best Editorial Page and Best Sports Page.

Independent publishers from outside of Alberta generally compose the judging committee and the awards are presented during the annual Spring Meetings held by the Association.

The 2009 General Excellence awards presentation were held at AWNA’s Spring Meeting in June 2010.

View a slideshow of the 2009 award winners [15 MB]

Past Winners

Class A: Under 1299

Judges: Peter Scott, Lethbridge College (AB); Terry McConnell, Edmonton Journal (AB); Paul Cashman, Edmonton Journal (AB)

Best Overall Score

  1. Wainwright Star Chronicle
  2. Wainwright Review
  3. Vauxhall Advance

Best Sports Page

  1. Wainwright Review
  2. Wainwright Star Chronicle
  3. Vauxhall Advance

Best Editorial Page

  1. Wainwright Star Chronicle
  2. Vauxhall Advance
  3. Beaverlodge & District News

Best Front Page

  1. Vauxhall Advance
  2. Wainwright Review
  3. Elk Point Review

Class B: 1300-1999

Judges: Doug Coxson, New Hamburg Independent (ON); Jim Cumming, Fort Frances TImes (ON); Louise Sroule, Vankleek Review (ON)

Best Overall Score

  1. Fort Macleod Gazette
  2. Inuvik Drum
  3. Claresholm Local Press

Best Sports Page

  1. High Prairie South Peace News
  2. Fort Macleod Gazette
  3. Valleyview Valley Views

Best Editorial Page

  1. Slave River Journal
  2. Sundre Round-Up
  3. Claresholm Local Press

Best Front Page

  1. Fort Macleod Gazette
  2. Sundre Round-Up
  3. Crowsnest Pass Promoter

Class C: 2000-3499

Judges: Guy Jarvis, Multimedia Nova Corp (ON); Hugh and Mary Ann Johnston, Retired Publisher/ Past AWNA President (AB); John Kendle, Canstar Community News (MB)

Best Overall Score

  1. Taber Times
  2. Bonnyville Nouvellev
  3. Stettler Independent

Best Sports Page

  1. Peace River Record-Gazette
  2. Taber Times
  3. Bonnyville Nouvelle

Best Editorial Page

  1. Taber Times
  2. Stettler Independent
  3. Slave Lake Lakeside Leader

Best Front Page

  1. Taber Times
  2. Stettler Independent
  3. Peace River Record-Gazette

Class D: 3500-6499

Judges: D'Arcy Kavanagh, Lethbridge College (AB); Lori Martin, Barrie Advance (ON); Gerald Tracey, Eganville Leader (ON)

Best Overall Score

  1. Rocky Mntn House Mountaineer
  2. Banff Crag & Canyon
  3. St. Paul Journal

Best Sports Page

  1. Rocky Mntn House Mountaineer
  2. Banff Crag & Canyon
  3. Brooks Bulletin

Best Editorial Page

  1. Rocky Mntn House Mountaineer
  2. Banff Crag & Canyon
  3. Brooks Bulletin

Best Front Page

  1. Rocky Mntn House Mountaineer
  2. Banff Crag & Canyon
  3. St. Paul Journal

Class E: 6500-12,499

Judges: Peter Dyck,The Carillon, Steinbach (MB);Joe Banks,Algonquin Times (ON);Ted Murphy,Delta Optimist (BC)

Best Overall Score

  1. Rocky Mountain Outlook
  2. Cochrane Times
  3. Canmore Leader

Best Sports Page

  1. Rocky Mountain Outlook
  2. Canmore Leader
  3. Sylvan Lake News

Best Editorial Page

  1. Rocky Mountain Outlook
  2. Wetaskiwin Times Advertiser
  3. Sylvan Lake News

Best Front Page

  1. Cochrane Times
  2. Brooks & County Chronicle
  3. Rocky Mountain Outlook

Class F: 12,500 and over

Judges: Ken Waddell,The Neepawa Banner (MB); Brian Gilroy, Swan Valley Star and Times (MB); Steven Haywood, Parksville Qualicum Beach News (BC)

Best Overall Score

  1. St. Albert Gazette
  2. Okotoks Western Wheel
  3. St. Albert Saint City News

Best Sports Page

  1. Okotoks Western Wheel
  2. St. Albert Gazette
  3. Sherwood Park News

Best Editorial Page

  1. Okotoks Western Wheel
  2. St. Albert Gazette
  3. Red Deer Express

Best Front Page

  1. Airdrie City View
  2. Red Deer Express
  3. Okotoks Western Wheel

The following are the newspapers that won the 2008 General Excellence BNC. The presentation was made at the Association's Spring Meeting in June 2009.

Class A: Under 1299

Judges: Keri Dahlman - Humboldt Journal & Tara de Ryk - Davidson Leader

Best All Around

  1. Jasper Booster
  2. Nanton News
  3. Wainwright Review

Best Sports Page

  1. 1st Wainwright Review
  2. 2nd Raymond Magrath Westwind Weekly
  3. 3rd Nanton News

Best Editorial Page

  1. 1st Nanton News
  2. 2nd Jasper Booster
  3. 3rd Wainwright Review

Best Front Page

  1. 1st Jasper Booster
  2. 2nd Wainwright Review
  3. 3rd Nanton News

Class B: 1300 - 1999

Judges: Tara de Ryk - Davidson Leader & Bob Johnson - Foam Lake Review

Best All Around

  1. 1st Fort Macleod Gazette
  2. 2nd Deh Cho Drum
  3. 3rd Inuvik Drum

Best Sports Page

  1. 1st Fort Macleod Gazette
  2. 2nd Claresholm Local Press
  3. 3rd Wainwright Star Chronicle

Best Editorial Page

  1. 1st Fort Macleod Gazette
  2. 2nd High Prairie South Peace News
  3. 3rd Inuvik Drum

Best Front Page

  1. 1st Fort Macleod Gazette
  2. 2nd Claresholm Local Press
  3. 3rd Fort Chip/Fort Smith Slave River Journal

Class C: 2000 - 3499

Judges: Brad Dupuis - Shellbrook Chronicle & Alison Squires - Wadena News

Best All Around

  1. 1st Taber Times
  2. 2nd Edson Leader
  3. 3rd Pincher Creek Echo

Best Sports Page

  1. 1st Taber Times
  2. 2nd Stettler Independent
  3. 3rd Lacombe Globe

Best Editorial Page

  1. 1st Taber Times
  2. 2nd Stettler Independent
  3. 3rd Edson Leader

Best Front Page

  1. 1st Edson Leader
  2. 2nd Pincher Creek Echo
  3. 3rd Lacombe Globe

Class D: 3500 - 6499

Judges: Kevin Weedmark - Moosomin World Spectator & Karen Mitchell - Naicam News

Best All Around

  1. 1st Brooks Bulletin
  2. 2nd Yellowknife Yellowknifer
  3. 3rd Bonnyville Nouvelle

Best Sports Page

  1. 1st Brooks Bulletin
  2. 2nd Bonnyville Nouvelle
  3. 3rd Strathmore Standard

Best Editorial Page

  1. 1st Brooks Bulletin
  2. 2nd Westlock News
  3. 3rd Yellowknife Yellowknifer

Best Front Page

  1. 1st Brooks Bulletin
  2. 2nd Westlock News
  3. 3rd Yellowknife Yellowknifer

Class E: 6500 - 12,499

Judges: Vern Faulkner - Prince Albert Rural Roots & Karen Mitchell - East Central Connection

Best All Around

  1. 1st Rocky Mountain Outlook
  2. 2nd Canmore Leader
  3. 3rd Wainwright Edge

Best Sports Page

  1. 1st Rocky Mountain Outlook
  2. 2nd Canmore Leader
  3. 3rd Fort Saskatchewan Record

Best Editorial Page

  1. 1st Sylvan Lake News
  2. 2nd Rocky Mountain Outlook
  3. 3rd Innisfail Province

Best Front Page

  1. 1st Rocky Mountain Outlook
  2. 2nd Wainwright Edge
  3. 3rd Canmore Leader

Class F: 12,500 and over

Judges: Peggy Hasein - Biggar Independent & Neil Thom - Yorkton This Week

Best All Around

  1. 1st St. Albert Gazette
  2. 2nd Okotoks Western Wheel
  3. 3rd Red Deer Express

Best Sports Page

  1. 1st Okotoks Western Wheel
  2. 2nd St. Albert Gazette
  3. 3rd Red Deer Express

Best Editorial Page

  1. 1st Red Deer Express
  2. 2nd Okotoks Western Wheel
  3. 3rd Sherwood Park News

Best Front Page

  1. 1st Okotoks Western Wheel
  2. 2nd Rocky View Weekly
  3. 3rd St. Albert Gazette

The following are the newspapers that won the 2007 General Excellence BNC. The presentation was made at the Association’s Spring Meeting in June 2008.
Entries submitted were for the weeks of: April 30-May 6; September 17-23, 2007.

Class A:  Under 1,299

Judge: Brad Dupuis, Shellbrook Chronicle

Best Front Page

  1. Ft Macleod Gazette
  2. Wainwight Review
  3. Elk Point Review

Best Sports Page

  1. Wainwright Review
  2. Ft Macleod Gazette
  3. Vauxhall Advance

Best Editorial Page

  1. Nanton News
  2. Ft Macleod Gazette
  3. Bashaw Star

Best All Around

  1. Ft Macleod Gazette
  2. Wainwright Review
  3. Nanton News

Class B:  1,300 - 1,999

Judge:  Terry Villeneuve, Meadow Lake Northern Pride

Best Front Page

  1. Wainwright Star Chronicle
  2. Grande Cache Mountaineer
  3. Crowsnest Pass Promoter

Best Sports Page

  1. Wainwright Star Chronicle
  2. High Prairie South Peace News
  3. Claresholm Local Press

Best Editorial Page

  1. Crowsnest Pass Promoter
  2. High Prairie South Peace News
  3. Ft. Smith Slave River Journal

Best All Around

  1. High Prairie South Peace News
  2. Wainwright Star Chronicle
  3. Ft. Simpson Deh Cho Drum

Class C:  2,000 – 3,499

Judge: Brad Brown, Kipling Citizen

Best Front Page

  1. Eckville Echo
  2. Vulcan Advocate
  3. Lacombe Globe

Best Sports Page

  1. Lacombe Globe
  2. Taber Times
  3. Lac La Biche Post

Best Editorial Page

  1. Taber Times
  2. Whitecourt Star
  3. Hinton Parklander

Best All Around

  1. Lacombe Globe
  2. Taber Times
  3. Vulcan Advocate

Class D:  3,500 – 6,499

Judges:  Janice Jewsbury and Lesley Shepard, Moose Jaw Times-Herald

Best Front Page

  1. Strathmore Standard
  2. Drumheller Valley Times
  3. Stettler Independent/ Yellowknife Yellowknifer

Best Sports Page

  1. St. Paul Journal
  2. Brooks Bulletin
  3. Beaumont News

Best Editorial Page

  1. Stettler Independent
  2. Brooks Bulletin
  3. Redwater Tribune/ Coaldale Sunny South News

Best All Around

  1. Yellowknife Yellowknifer
  2. Stettler Independent
  3. Beaumont News

Class E:  6,500 – 12,499

Judge: Marlene Gaudry, Estevan Mercury

Best Front Page

  1. Fort Saskatchewan Record
  2. Brooks & County Chronicle
  3. Cochrane Times

Best Sports Page

  1. Fort Saskatchewan Record
  2. High River Times
  3. Cochrane Times

Best Editorial Page

  1. Cochrane Times
  2. High River Times
  3. Wainwright Edge

Best All Around

  1. Cochrane Times
  2. Fort Saskatchewan Record
  3. High River Times

Class F:  12,500 and over

Judge: Kevin Weedmark, Moosomin World Spectator

Best Front Page

  1. St. Albert Gazette
  2. Red Deer Express
  3. St. Albert Saint City News

Best Sports Page

  1. Okotoks Western Wheel
  2. St. Albert Saint City News
  3. Sherwood Park News

Best Editorial Page

  1. Red Deer Express
  2. St. Albert Gazette
  3. St. Albert Saint City News/Irricana Rocky View Weekly

Best All Around

  1. St. Albert Gazette
  2. St. Albert Saint City News
  3. Red Deer Express
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