Wellington Advertiser nominated for 2024 OCNA awards

WELLINGTON COUNTY – Another year gone, another year the Wellington Advertiser has been nominated for multiple Ontario Community Newspaper Association (OCNA) awards.

On Feb. 14 the ONCA released the list of finalists for the 2024 Better Newspaper Competition (BNC), which recognizes and celebrates the work of Ontario’s community newspapers.

[related]

The Advertiser has been named a finalist in the following 2024 BNC Premier Award categories:

• Best Editorial Page/Section;
• Best News Story, circ. over 8,000 (New Guelph bylaw sparks debate about where homeless people can pitch tents by Robin George);
• Diversity Coverage (Facing $3-million deficit, Community Living intends to close day programs, lay off staff by Joanne Shuttleworth and various stories by Robin George);
• Best Police/Court Story (‘This was a cold case’: behind the investigation into the death of Monica Chisar by Jordan Snobelen);
• Best Police/Court Series (four articles on the Michael Hurst sexual assault cases by Jordan Snobelen);
• Best News Photo (May 16 front page photo by Jessica Lovell);
• Best Feature/Unit pages (April 11 Volunteer Appreciation Week feature);
• Best Creative Ad (Feb. 29 ad by Emily Hughes for Arthur Chrysler);
• Original Ad Idea (May 30 ad by Alicia Roza for Robinson Buick GMC); and
• Best Use of Colour (Sept. 12 ad by Emily Hughes for Arthur Chrysler).

This is the first time in six years the Wellington Advertiser hasn’t been nominated for the General Excellence Award.

Community News nominations

The Advertiser’s sister publication, the North Wellington Community News, which covers Wellington North, Minto and Mapleton, was nominated for the following Premier Awards.

• Best Editorial, circ. over 8,000 (Time to drop the ‘neutrality’ act by Chris Daponte) ;
• Special Section (November 9, 2023 Remembrance Day feature);
• Best Feature/Unit Pages (April 4 Drayton Farm Show feature); and
• In-House Promotion (Jan. 24 ad by Alicia Roza).

The complete list of finalists can be found at ocna.org.

The winners will be announced during the BNC and Hall of Fame Awards Dinner on April 11 at the Queen’s Landing Hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake.