Newspaper awards salute vitality of Outaouais media

Bulletin: gold, silver, and bronze, over and over!

The 2016 provincial community newspaper awards were announced June 3 in Montreal; the Bulletin d’Aylmer and its sister papers the West Quebec Post and Pontiac Journal did very well. These awards represent the best in 36 categories of journalism, photo-journalism, advertising design, layout, and general excellence.

 

The Bulletin’s chief reporter, Laurent Robillard-Cardinal, led the way in the Bulletin’s medals, and was a candidate for the association’s Paul Frenette Award for over-all journalism excellence, thanks to his multiple awards. Mr Robillard-Cardinal won first place for the Best French-Language News Story, with silver medals in Best Arts & Entertainment Story, Best Environment Story, and for Best Editorial (local affairs).

The Bulletin’s columnist (and translator) Carolle Bertrand took the gold for the Best French-Language Column in 2015, “Clic d’oeil de la vie”, on her family’s part in sturgeon fishery on the Ottawa River.

Always important for our advertisers, designer Tania Baker’s advertisement for Aylmer’s Mathew Charles men’s wear won second place for ads in 2015, while the Bulletin’s entire ad department took third place for its William J Walter ad.

In photography, the Bulletin’s Melissa Barr-Jackson won third for her dramatic “end of winter” scene at the Ottawa River in Deschênes.

The Bulletin’s Fred Ryan won a Gold Quill award and an Honourable Mention for Best Business Column. The Bulletin’s chief designer, Charles Viau, won a Bronze Quill Award for outstanding contribution to the industry.

On other fronts!

The Pontiac Journal, the Bulletin’s sister publication, took an impressive third as Best Overall Newspaper award in the province. Its editor Allyson Belanger won  first place for Best Editorial in local affairs and third in Best editorial (General topic). Second for Best French-language Editorial went to Arnaud de la Salle. Jess Clouthier won the gold for his cartoon on the OQLF harassment of the Journal’s bilingual coverage.

The Journal also won first for Best Newspaper Promotion (Readers’ Choice), third for Best Special Section (on Veterans Day), third for Best Photo Essay (Shawville Fair), and second for Best Editorial Page.

About half of the awards were presented by Bulletin editor Lily Ryan, who is vice-president of the Quebec Community Newspaper Association. RAWQ’s James Shea also presented an award, his first official function as new president of the Quebec Community Groups Network.

— The Bulletin Staff