National Magazine Awards announces important changes to board and procedures

The National Magazine Awards Foundation has announced some important changes to its board and its process in preparation for its 40th anniversary year and for its recently inaugurated Digital Publishing awards. (The announcement comes in the same week when Magazines Canada is unveiling its own, contending, awards program.)

As reported here earlier, the NMAF initiatives include changes to judging procedures and an expansion of the board membership to include individuals drawn from the business community and sponsors. Among the changes agreed by the board the following were announced:

• Refining the categories of the National Magazine Awards to a more focused number of awards;
• A reformatted awards event to facilitate more conversation and networking;
• Introducing a more rigorous definition and criteria of the Magazine of the Year award;
• Expanding the Digital Publishing Awards;
• A more streamlined judging process for assessing English and French submissions in the same category;
• In a first for any Canadian publishing awards, raising the profile of Canadian creators on the international stage, by:
• recognizing the excellence of Canadian contributors to international media, and
• introducing judges from the international magazine community;
• Enhancing the national footprint of the awards through more regional events and closer collaboration with regional institutions outside of Ontario;
• Being more inclusive of the diversity in Canadian magazine and digital publishing.

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Workshops to address governance for small magazines

People who run small magazines know that often being successful is the result of a strong, resilient board and management, sharing a common vision; they also know how hard that is to achieve. Magazines Canada is trying to provide some help with a workshop on small magazines and governance best practices to be held in Montreal and Halifax.

Judy Wolfe of Consulting Matrix will present the workshops, which take place Tuesday, October 16 at the Place d'Armes Hotel in Montreal and Thursday, October 18 at the Lord Nelson Hotel in Halifax. The cost is $55 for Magazines Canada members, $80 for non-members.

Among the topics to be discussed, and directed at directors and staff, are:

• Leadership, roles and responsibilities
• Visioning
• Effective reporting and organizational efficiency
• Board/staff communication
• Resolution of conflicts of interest
• Fundraising and financial accountability
• Succession planning and dealing with change
  

Further information and a dowloadable registration form can be obtained from Magazines Canada. Or call Or contact Small Magazines Project Manager Claire Pfeiffer (416.504.0274 x238). The workshops are part of a program held across the country, designed to assist small literary and cultural publications. Further workshops take place in the spring.