The Vancouver Courier is up for nine provincial journalism awards, including best newspaper.
On Wednesday, the British Columbia and Yukon Community Newspaper Association announced the top-three finalists in the 2018 Ma Murray Community Newspaper Awards.
The Courier is on the podium in nine categories. The newspaper’s former sister newspaper, the Westender, is a finalist in eight categories.
The ranking of the winners will be announced at the awards gala at River Rock on April 28.
The Vancouver Courier is a finalist in the following categories:
• Newspaper excellence for newspapers with a circulation of 64,000 or more. The other finalists are the North Shore News, which is also a member of Glacier Media, and the Vernon Morning Star
• Business writing for Chris Cheung’s featureon the comeback of corner stores
• Environmental initiative for Jessica Kerr’s story“Wetland at New Brighton Park already seeing salmon fry”
• Portrait/personality photo for Dan Toulgoet’s photoof drama teacher of Jim Crescenzo
• Breaking news video for reporter Mike Howell’s videoof a city hall protest; city editor Michael Kissinger edited the video
• Feature video for a collaboration by videographer Dan Toulgoet, video editor Michael Kissinger and reporter John Kurucz to celebrate the Orpheum’s 90th birthday
• Single multimedia feature story award for the online presentationof reporter John Kurucz’s profile of Vancouver watchmatcher Fritz Irrgang. The feature included the work of videographer Dan Toulgoet and video editor Michael Kissinger, who captured Irrgang’s craftsmanship and dedication in the video that accompanied the feature
• The special section award for publications with a circulation greater than 25,000 garnered two finalist spots for the Courier: special features editor Sandra Thomas’s fall Lifetime section and the Stars of Vancouver section produced by graphic designer Marina Rockey, marketing director Michelle Bhatti and multimedia sales representatives David Chiew and Maureen Laventure.
Last December saw the last publication date of the Westender. The paper’s eight awards reflect the talent of the team behind the arts and culture weekly.
Editor-in-chief Kelsey Klassen is a finalist for the best editorial award for her insights into the newspaper’s role in the annual Pride celebration.
Reel People’s Sabrina Furminger, who is now writing for the Courier, is a finalist in the arts and culture writing awards for her feature, A Better Man, about abuse survivor Attiya Khan’s documentary.
Graphic designer, and frequent award winner, Tara Rafiq has earned a stunning sweep of the special publication awards. Her design of three publications — all of which continue as part of Glacier Media’s magazine division — contributed to a rare hat trick in the category, swooping up all three finalist positions.
Rafiq collaborated with:
• editor Rob Manglesdorf, publisher Gail Nugent and the Westender staff on The Growler, the hugely successful guide to all things craft beer
• publisher Gail Nugent, editor Fiona Morrow and Westender staff on The Alchemist, a magazine which celebrates the world of cocktail and spirits
• and publisher Gail Nugent and Westender staff for the Vancouver International Jazz Festival Guide.
Rafiq and advertising consultant Matty Lambert teamed up on a Mario’s Gelati ad that is a finalist in one of the collaborative ad design categories.
She worked with the Westender’s editor-in-chief Kelsey Klassen on an ad for Mattress Recycling TM, which is a finalist in one of the ad design categories.
And, in case there is any remaining doubt of Rafiq’s talents, she was also part of the team that’s a finalist for the newspaper promotion award. She worked with Klassen, animator Lucy-kate Armstrong and the Westender staff on the Best of the City readers' choice awards. The Best of the City awards will live on as an initiative of Vancouver Is Awesome.
The Courier and Westender are owned by Glacier Media. Overall, Glacier papers netted a total of 60 top-three awards and make up four of the top five in total finalist awards:
• Pique Newsmagazine won 11 awards
• the North Shore News and the Vancouver Courier won nine awards each
• the Westender won eight awards
• and Tri-City News was close behind with seven awards.
The Prince George Citizen earned four awards and the New Westminster Record is in the top three in three categories. The Alaska Highway News, Powell River Peak and Coast Reporter each received two top-three awards, while the Delta Optimist, Richmond News, Squamish Chief and Whistler Question each received one.
Seven Glacier papers are nominated for general excellence in their respective circulation categories:Pique Newsmagazine, the North Shore News, the Vancouver Courier, the New West Record, the Alaska Highway News, Coast Reporter and the Squamish Chief.
