N.L. community newspapers named finalists for Atlantic awards

Congratulations are in order for community journalists across the province who were recognized earlier this month with nominations for Atlantic Canada-wide honours.

The front pages of The Packet and The Beacon. These editions were considered when judging the 2017 Newspapers Atlantic Better Newspapers Competition. Both The Packet and Beacon were nominated for the General Excellence Class One category.

On April 5, Newspapers Atlantic announced the standing finalists for the 2017 Better Newspapers Competition (BNC). Three different community publications in Newfoundland and Labrador were nominated for awards.
The Packet is up for a total of six different BNC awards.
Reporter Jonathan Parsons is a standing finalist in four categories: Outstanding Photo Essay, Outstanding Investigative Story, Outstanding News Story and Outstanding Sports Story.
Barbara Dean-Simmons, managing editor of N.L. community media outlets, is up for the Outstanding Editorial award, for a piece that was published in The Packet.
The Gander Beacon was recognized as a finalist for the Outstanding Special Section, for the 30th anniversary of Festival of Flight section.
Freelance writer Danette Dooley was nominated for Outstanding Feature Story for her article, “Jacob’s Story”, published in The Lewisporte Pilot.
And finally, both the Beacon and Packet will compete in the General Excellence Class One category for overall quality of news coverage.
The winners will be named at a celebratory event in Halifax on June 3.

If you’d like to read some of the award-nominated content published by N.L. news outlets, click the following links:

Outstanding Investigative Story – Examining the Cuts
Outstanding News Story – The cost of caring
Outstanding Sports Story – See Brody run
Outstanding Editorial – Process or procrastination?
Outstanding Feature Story – Jacob’s Story

A full list of finalists can be found here.