'Citizen' wins three national newspaper awards

In this year’s News Media Canada Canadian Community Newspaper Awards, The Citizen took home three third-place awards, continuing its tradition of winning or placing nationally in the last decade or so.

 

First, photographer John Stephenson took home a bronze medal for a front-page picture of the U11 Rep Blyth Brussels Crusaders celebrating a 3-2 overtime playoff win over the Drayton Defenders at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre. It was published on March 1, 2024.

 

He was bested only by The Independent of Petrolia and Central Lambton in first place and The World Spectator in Moosomin, Saskatchewan. It was awarded for publications with a circulation of up to 9,999.

 

Long-time production department employee Joan Caldwell placed third in the Best Ad Campaign category for her work on “Blyth BIA Welcomes New Businesses and Business Owners”.

 

The Citizen then placed third in the Best Agricultural Edition class with its “Salute to Agriculture” from 2024.

 

Earlier this year, The Citizen returned from the Ontario Community Newspapers Association (OCNA) Independent Publishers Retreat in Niagara-on-the-Lake over the weekend with two silver medals and one bronze in this year’s Better Newspapers Competition.

 

In the General Excellence category for newspapers with circulations between 1,501 and 8,000 - the middle class between 1,500 and under and 8,000 and over - The Citizen placed third behind the New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker in second and the Eganville Leader in first. The good folks at The Haldimand Press received an honourable mention.

 

In the Best Business and Finance Story category, reporter Scott Stephenson placed second with his feature on St. Brigid’s Creamery. He bested a story by Ken Kellar in the Fort Frances Times, but fell short to a story by Rob Perry in the Aylmer Express.
Finally, in the Community Service category, The Citizen and its Citizen of the Year Awards placed second, ahead of The Lake Report’s “Celebrating the Women of NOTL” and behind The Independent Serving Petrolia and Central Lambton’s 1874 replica newspaper to celebrate Petrolia’s 150th anniversary.