Best All-Round Newspaper
Class 1011 - circ. up to 1249

Judge's Comments

In any newspaper there are individuals who win awards in either writing or advertising. But winning General Excellence requires a team effort, which is why the Eagle Valley News emerged as the leader on both the editorial and advertising/production side, easily outdistancing its rivals.

The Deh Cho Drum's supermarket-tabloid-like front page appeared to instantly consign it to the also-ran list. But inside it was a revelation editorially - enough to make up for a weaker performance in ad/prod and take second.

It was pretty much the same story with the Whitewood Herald, although they were extremely lucky to just edge the Bashaw Star whose ad/prod performance got them within a whisker. And the ad/prod gang at the Nanton News should congratulate themselves for placing fifth.

Best front page was extremely tough but in the end the Eagle Valley News remake just - and I emphasize, just - got the nod.

I was stunned by the poor to non-existent coverage of local sports - six entries had absolutely nothing. In small newspapers, we touch more readers through coverage of a local bantam hockey team's success than those news stories we are so sure are so important.

Features were another disaster with only three papers running even one.

Headlines: You all know about leads, but the headline is the lead before the lead. It should make people want to read the lead, and a good lead makes them read the next paragraph, etc. Put a little more effort into those heads.

Bottom line: I know most of you are working with limited resources and only so many hours in the day. However, just a little extra here and there could make a big difference to your standing next year. Why not give it a shot?


Blue Ribbon Recipients:

Bashaw (AB) Star
Clearwater (BC) North Thompson Times
Fort Simpson (NT) Deh Cho Drum
Nanton (AB) News
Sicamous (BC) Eagle Valley News
Whitewood (SK) Herald