CSME award winners announced

The Canadian Society of Magazine Editors held their annual Editors' Choice awards dinner on Wednesday evening and the winners are as follows (with judges' comments appended).

The following categories are judged by a panel of fellow editors:

Trade magazine -- Far North Oil and Gas

(This magazine succeeds two-ways as it manages to honour the interest of specific readers within its industry, as well as create interest and appeal to those outside of it.)

Small magazine (under 50,000 circulation) -- Spacing

(This magazine provides an intelligent, relevant and often surprising and fun package. It is a compelling advocate on the importance of public space and instills in readers the endless possibilities of life in Toronto.)

Medium circulation (50,000 to 149,999) -- The Hockey News

(This magazine impressed some of the judges who were not even fans of the topic it focuses on. They liked how consistently it delivers its information and analysis in a clever, well organized and accessible manner. They felt this hybrid magazine/newspaper display just works!)

Large circulation (150,000 +) -- Canadian Gardening

(The judges chose this magazine because it effectively provides its readership with timely and relevant information,discerning advice from recognized experts, and inspiring ideas presented in an elegant design... which is precisely what enthusiasts of this hobby demand.)

Other categories were judged this year by a panel of three outside judges: Bob Mercer, a professor at Simon Fraser University as well as editor and art director at Vancouver Lifestyle Magazine; Bill Shields, former editor of Masthead magazine; and Stevie Cameron, author, award winning journalist and former editor of Elm Street. She's now a contributor at Chatelaine.

Editor of the Year -- a tie, with the award going to Matt Blackett* of Spacing magazine and Aldona Satterthwaite, the editor of Canadian Gardening.

*Blackett, who on the Spacing masthead is listed as Publisher and Creative Director says that he shares the award with Managing Editor Dale Duncan, whom he considers is co-editor with him.

Best Front of the Book -- Profit

Jim Cormier Award for best display writing -- Maisonneuve

“This year’s competition was tougher than ever,” says Douglas Thomson, president of CSME."In fact the competition was so stiff this year that the judging panel asked that we award two Editor of the Year awards. We also added a Trade category this year which opened up the competition to a whole new category of great magazines. There’s a tremendously high standard of excellence upheld by magazine editors in this country.”