WATERLOO, Ont. – The Hamilton Spectator and Guelph Mercury tied for most awards collected at the Ontario Newspaper Awards gala Saturday night.
They each took home six awards.
The Waterloo Record and Windsor Star share second place with four awards each, while the Niagara Falls Review won three awards. The Woodstock Sentinel-Review netted two awards. The London Free Press, the Ottawa Sun, Kingston Whig-Standard, Simcoe Reformer, St.
Catharines Standard, Sudbury Star and Owen Sound Sun Times each picked up one award.
The awards were handed out in Waterloo, Ont., at a gala attended by more than 240 journalists, managing editors, publishers and sponsors.
Howard Elliott, chairman of the awards and a managing editor at the Hamilton Spectator, commended the finalists, whom he said have persevered through challenging times for the newspaper industry.
“It’s really gratifying to see how many people took the time to enter and attend the ONAs, even with the industry going through difficult times,” he said.
“ONA finalists and winners make a difference in their communities. We’re so proud that ONA exists to shine a light on their superb work, and we thank everyone who helps make it possible.”
Denise Davy, a Hamilton Spectator reporter responsible for a series of news features exploring the distressing dimensions of mental illness in children, was named journalist of the year at the 56th annual award ceremony.
Tyler Brownbridge from the Windsor Star picked up the honour for photojournalist of the year for a portfolio the judge said showed “such uniform skill in so many areas,” from feature shots of a hospital room caesarean section birth to a night’s sky lit by fireworks and spot news photography.
There were 450 entries for 32 categories, that’s 10 fewer than last year.
A complete list of finalists:
Martha Blackburn Award for Journalist of the Year: Denise Davy, Hamilton Spectator
Richard Sutton Award for Photojournalist of the Year: Tyler Brownbridge, Windsor Star
C.B. Schmidt Award for Novice Reporting (over 25,000
circulation): Jackson Hayes, Hamilton Spectator
Larry N. Smith Award for Novice Reporting (under 25,000
circulation): Nicole O’Reilly, Guelph Mercury
Spot News Writing (over 25,000 circulation): News team, London Free Press
Spot News Writing (under 25,000 circulation): Corey Laroque, Niagara Falls Review
Gene Florcyk Memorial Award for Sports Writing (over 25,000
circulation): Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa Sun
Robert J. Hanley Award for Sports Writing (under 25,000
circulation): John Law, Niagara Falls Review
London Free Press Award for Excellence in News Feature Writing:
Rob Tripp and Paul Schliesmann, Kingston Whig-Standard
Del Bell Memorial Award for Feature Writing (over 25,000
circulation): Denise Davy, Hamilton Spectator
Feature Writing (under 25,000 circulation): Rob O’Flanagan, Guelph Mercury
Business Writing: Rose Simone, Waterloo Region Record
Ontario Power Authority Award for Green Environment Writing:
Scott Tracey, Brian Williams, Rob O’Flanagan, Nicole O’Reilly, Guelph Mercury
James Bruce Award for Excellence in Coverage of Entertainment and the Arts: John Law, Niagara Falls Review
Walter J. Blackburn Award for Excellence in Editorials, Opinion and Analysis (over 25,000 circulation): John Roe, Waterloo Region Record
K.J. Strachan Award for Editorials, Opinion and Analysis (under 25,000 circulation): Monte Sonnenberg, Simcoe Reformer
Joan May Memorial Award for Columns: Greg Mercer, Guelph Mercury
K.A. (Sandy) Baird Award for Humour Writing: Paul Benedetti, Hamilton Spectator
Spot News Photography (over 25,000 circulation): Julie Jocsak, St. Catharines Standard
Jack Bowman Memorial Award for Spot News Photography (under 25,000 circulation): Elliott Ferguson, Woodstock Sentinel-Review
Feature Photography (over 25,000 circulation): Cathie Coward, Hamilton Spectator
Feature Photography (under 25,000 circulation): Tony Saxon, Guelph Mercury
Sports Photography (over 25,000 circulation): Jason Kryk, Windsor Star
Sports Photography (under 25,000 circulation): John Lappa, Sudbury Star
John E. Motz memorial Award for Excellence in Layout and Design:
Owen Sound Sun Times
Bill McGrath Award for Design and Graphics (over 25,000
circulation): Tania Praeg, Waterloo Region Record
Design and Graphics (under 25,000 circulation): Kate Hopwood, Guelph Mercury
Municipal Affairs Reporting (over 25,000 circulation): Jeff Outhit, Waterloo Region Record
Municipal Affairs Reporting (under 25,000 circulation): Hugo Rodrigues, Woodstock Sentinel-Review
Online Multimedia Special Project: Windsor Star
Online Photography: Jason Kryk _ Windsor Star
Online Video Production: Scott Gardner, Hamilton Spectator
