The Site receives Magazine Grand Prix from the National Magazine Awards

The Site magazine captured the coveted overall Magazine Grand Prix award at the National Magazine Awards Friday night in Toronto. The award honours essentially "best in show",  the magazine that delivers the best consistency, packaging, and reader experience; that demonstrates overall excellence in bringing teams together to create a spectacular product; is aspirational and inspiring, helping to take magazine media to the next level. The jury said of the magazine:

“The Site Magazine impresses readers with the consistency of its content and design. Though highly specialized, this audacious magazine captures the essence of contemporary publishing through a conceptual approach that illuminates our time in an intelligent, deep and original way. The result is a great reader experience on every page, one that is truly deserving of the Magazine Grand Prix.”

The Site was also named Best Magazine: Art & Literary and won Silver in the category of Best Editorial Package for its whole-issue package titled “Future Legacies.” 

For the 2017 awards year, 197 Canadian magazines entered the National Magazine Awards, which are managed by the National Media Awards Foundation, submitting the work of more than 2,000 writers, editors, photographers, illustrators, art directors and other creators. The NMAF’s 150 volunteer judges nominated a total of 208 submissions from 81 different Canadian publications for awards in 29 written and visual, editorial and best magazine categories. 

Category results in the Grand Prix: Best Magazine were  

• Best Magazine: General Interest
• Gold: L’actualité
• Honourable Mention: Nouveau Projet and Report on Business
•  Best Magazine: Lifestyle
• Gold: Ricardo
• Honourable Mention: Chatelaine and explore
• Best Magazine: Service
• Gold: Best Health
• Honourable Mention: Rotman Management and Today’s Parent
• Best Magazine: Fashion & Beauty
• Gold: FASHION Magazine
• Honourable Mention: ELLE Canada and S/magazine
• Best Magazine: Art & Literary
• Gold: The Site Magazine
• Honourable Mention: Brick and Inuit Art Quarterly
•  Best Magazine: Special Interest
• Gold: Hayo
• Honourable Mention: Azure and Planète F

The magazines with the most awards were as follows:

Magazine	GOLD	SILVER	HM
L’actualité	3	4	6
Dînette Magazine	3	0	2
The Site Magazine	2	1	0
Toronto Life	2	1	6
The Walrus	2	0	10
Maclean’s	2	0	5
Canadian Geographic	2	0	2
FASHION Magazine	1	1	7
L’inconvénient	1	1	1

Lianne George of Chatelaine 
named Editor Grand Prix

New this year, the award for Editor Grand Prix , was presented to Lianne George (right), editor of Chatelaine magazine. Charles Grandmont (L’actualité) and Nicolas Langelier (Nouveau Projet) each received an honourable mention. 

The award for best new magazine writer, presented to an emerging author whose early work in magazines shows the highest degree of craft and promise, went to Jessica Rose for her piece “Lost and Found” published in Toronto Life. The National Magazine Awards jury said of the story: 

“With the suspense and pacing of a great mystery, Rose unwinds her own search for family and belonging with an outstanding, unputdownable rookie effort.”

Honourable mentions went to Julian Brave NoiseCat (Canadian Geographic), Justin Dallaire (United Church Observer), Christopher Elliott (Outpost Magazine) and Hadiya Roderique (The Walrus).

Announced previously, the Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement -- the most prestigious award the industry can offer an individual -- was presented to Joyce Byrne, the publisher of Avenue Calgary and formerly president of the NMAs. magazine-awards.com/oa

Highlights of the 41st National Magazine Awards:

The magazines with the most awards were as follows:

Magazine	GOLD	SILVER	HM
L’actualité	3	4	6
Dînette Magazine	3	0	2
The Site Magazine	2	1	0
Toronto Life	2	1	6
The Walrus	2	0	10
Maclean’s	2	0	5
Canadian Geographic	2	0	2
FASHION Magazine	1	1	7
L’inconvénient	1	1

• The magazine L’actualité won three Gold and four Silver medals. Reporter and columnist Noémi Mercier (the host for the evening) captured Gold for her column “Des gars, des filles.” In the Service Journalism category, L’actualité swept both awards, with journalist Yanick Villedieu taking Gold for “La guerre au sucre” and Mathilde Roy Silver for “Quand Facebook remplit les biberons.” Data journalist Naël Shiab also captured Silver in Investigative Reporting for his story “Marchandises militaires : la grande hypocrisie canadienne,” as did Marc-André Sabourin in the Feature Writing category for “L’école à la chaîne. The magazine art director, Amélie Chamberland, also won silver for Art Direction of a Single Magazine Article for the piece “Changer le monde.” Finally, the publication was named Best General Interest Magazine.
• Lifestyle magazine Dînette, published by editor and art director Hélène Mallette and publisher and photographer Mathieu Lachapelle, took home three Gold Medals in the categories of Best Editorial Package (the “Salé” issue), Lifestyle Photography (“Les îles Féréo : à la frontière du monde et des saveurs”) and Art Direction Grand Prix (the “Pigment” issue).
• Toronto Life took home three medals, two golds and one silver. The coveted Best New Magazine Writer title went to emerging writer – and the magazine’s former art director – Jessica Rose, who impressed the judges with her piece “Lost and Found.” As well, writer Raizel Robin won a Gold medal for his investigation into the Toronto South Detention Centre (“The 1-Billion Hellhole”). Finally, Toronto Life captured its third award of the night thanks to Malcolm Johnston’s profile of the Blue Jays’ star third-baseman, titled “Josh Donaldson’s Road to Glory.”
• The Walrus won two Gold medals in the visual categories of Illustration and Portrait Photography. Visual artist Lauren Tamaki captured Gold for her piece “Get the Scissors,” as did photographer Sara Hylton in Portrait Photography thanks to her “Portraits of Resilience.”
• Maclean’s magazine won two National Magazine Awards, both Gold. Writer Jason Markusoff took home the award for Feature Writing (“The New Underground Railroad”), and Nancy Macdonald for Short Feature Writing (“Waiting for Death in Thunder Bay”).
• The Canadian Geographic team also took home two Gold Medals. Wade Davis, Nick Walker and Chris Brackley won in the category of One-of-a-Kind Storytelling for their “Indigenous languages of Canada Poster Map,” and writer Charles Wilkins in the writing category of Long-Form Feature Writing for his story “Trash Nation.”
• FASHION Magazine’s work was recognized twice, as the publication captured a Gold and a Silver Medal. The magazine was named Best Fashion & Beauty Magazine in addition to winning Silver for Cover Grand Prix for “40 Years of Style.”
• The French-language literary publication L’inconvénient captured two awards after receiving its first-ever nominations at the National Magazine Awards. Poet Rosalie Lessard won the Gold Medal in Poetry for her piece “Base-de-roc,” the first time in the history of the National Magazine Awards that a French-language poem has captured the Gold Medal. Meanwhile photographer David Himbert won Silver in Photojournalism and Photo Essay for his Cuban story “Les Cubains et l’après-Fidel.”
• Five magazines won a National Magazine Award for the first time: Hayo, Inuit Art Quarterly, L’inconvénient, Registered Nurse Journal and The Site Magazine.

Below are the individual gold and silver awards winners:

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Mag awards finalists announced: Leading the pack L’actualité, The Walrus and Report on Business

The finalists for this year's National Magazine Awards have been announced by the National Media Awards Foundation. 197 Canadian magazine, in English and French, print and digital, submitted the work of more than 2,000 writers, editors, photographers, iullustrators, art directors and other creators. The winners will be announced at the Magawards gala on June 1 at the Arcadian Court in Toronto.

Joyce Byrne

Joyce Byrne is this year's recipient of the Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement, recognizing her career excellence and leadership in Canadian magazines. She is the current president of the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association and recent president of the National Media Awards Foundation. She is group publisher at Red Point Media and publisher of Avenue Calgary.  To read Joyce’s complete bio, visit magazine-awards.com/oa. 

Nominated by 150 volunteer judges were a total of 208 submissions from 81 different Canadian magazines for awards in 29 written and visual, editorial and best magazine categories. 

This year, for the first time, awards for best magazines will be presented to publications in six divisions and from the category winners will be selected "best in show" to receive the Magazine Grand Prix.

General Interest Magazines 

• L’actualité 
• Nouveau Projet 
• Report on Business

Service Magazines 

• Best Health 
• Rotman Magazine 
• Today’s Parent 

Lifestyle Magazines

• Chatelaine 
• Explore 
• Ricardo 

Fashion & Beauty Magazines 

• ELLE Canada 
• FASHION Magazine 
• S/magazine 

Art & Literary Magazines 

• Brick
• Inuit Art Quarterly 
• The Site Magazine 

Special Interest Magazines 

• Azure
• Hayo 
• Planète F

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National Magazine Awards Foundation to change identity and become National Media Awards Foundation

The National Magazine Awards Foundation, so named for 40 years, is changing its corporate identity this fall to become the National Media Awards Foundation. It reflects not only the changing nature of the industry, with publications exploring multiple platforms, but also that the foundation now hosts two awards events -- the National Magazine Awards and the Digital Publishing Awards.

Nino Di Cara, President, National Media Awards Foundation, said [in a release]:

"Given that the Foundation now plays an integral role in celebrating creative achievement in digital media beyond magazines, it is important that our name represents the broader scope of our mission. As a not-for-profit, charitable organization, the NMAF is one of the most trusted brands in Canadian media, and we will continue that tradition of excellence by working with our stakeholders, industry partners, and creators themselves to ensure that our programs represent the incredible achievements in Canadian media."

Cottage Life is named magazine of the year at National Magazine Awards

TORONTO, ON (May 26, 2017) – The National Magazine Awards Foundation (NMAF) presented the winners of the 40^th anniversary National Magazine Awards at a gala this evening in Toronto at the Arcadian Court. Nearly 300 of Canada’s top magazine writers, artists, editors, art directors, publishers, and other guests representing 75 nominated magazines gathered to recognize and celebrate excellence in the content and creation of Canadian magazines in 2016.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered a welcome message to the audience via video, congratulating the nominees and winners and praising the important work of Canada’s magazine creators.

"As writers, photographers, artists, and more, you tell the stories we need to hear to understand our world and our place in it. And for forty years, the National Magazine Awards Foundation has supported this vital cause. This year marks 150 years since Confederation, and as we look forward to the next 150 years, your leadership and your storytelling will continue to shape our country for the better."

—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

The Foundation presented Gold and Silver Medal awards in 25 categories at a ceremony co-hosted by Kim Pittaway, Michael de Pencier, and D.B. Scott—three of Canada’s most respected journalists and publishers, and all former winners of the Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement. Indigenous writer and Gold Medalist in the Essays category, Alicia Elliott, delivered the keynote address, urging all Canadian magazine creators and publishers to recognize their role in educating and informing the public about the complex social and cultural issues of our time, including empowering Indigenous voices and perspectives in the media.

Visit magazine-awards.com to view the complete list of winners and read the full text of all winning articles. Download the entire list [PDF] of nominees and winners. @MagAwards.

“Forty years ago the NMAF set about building a coalition of institutions to form the foundation of what would become the National Magazine Awards. The goal was to create a truly national program that would recognize individual excellence in the many aspects of the magazine industry. Forty years later that legacy has endured. Tonight we have recognized the outstanding work of Canada’s magazine creators. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners—you have truly inspired the future of great journalism in this country.”

—Nino Di Cara, President, NMAF

MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR

Canada’s 2017 Magazine of the Year is Cottage Life. The award for magazine of the year goes to the publication that most consistently engages, surprises, and serves the needs of its readers. The award is judged according to four criteria—overall quality, impact, innovation, and brand awareness—and success relative to the magazine’s editorial mandate.

“With a clear and creative editorial strategy that is loyal to their brand, audience, and business, Cottage Life continues to diversify its mandate, grow its readership, and excel at publishing. The magazine’s tone is perfectly playful, its stories educate and delight, and its story packaging is alluring. Cottage Life has demonstrated creativity and excellence in evolving its brand through events, shows, and multimedia—reinventing itself again and again. And throughout its evolution, the magazine itself remains fresh and fascinating.”

—The National Magazine Awards Jury

Honourable Mention for Magazine of the Year went to Explore, Nouveau Projet, Ricardo, and The Kit Compact.

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More than 200 finalist nominees for National Magazine Awards have been announced

The finalist nominees for the 40th annual National Magazine Awards, including five finalists for the prestigious magazine of the year, have been announced. A release from the National Magazine Awards Foundation says more than 200 Canadian creators are up for awards in 25 categories.

"This year, 197 Canadian magazines from coast to coast to coast—English and French, print and digital—entered the best of their editorial and design work to the National Magazine Awards, submitting the work of more than 2,000 writers, editors, photographers, illustrators, art directors and other creators.
 "The NMAF’s 112 volunteer judges have nominated a total of 202 submissions from 75 different Canadian magazines for awards in 25 written, visual, integrated and special categories."

[It had earlier been announced that Penny Caldwell, publisher and vice-president of Cottage Life Media, will be presented with the prestigious Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement.]

The five finalists for magazine of the year -- given to the magazine that most consistently engages, suprises and serves the needs of the readers -- are:

• Cottage Life, published by Blue Ant Media
• Explore, published by My Passion Media
• Nouveau Projet, published by Atelier 10
• Ricardo, published by Ricardo Media
• The Kit Compact, published by Star Media Group

The five finalists for best new magazine writer -- given to the individual whose early work in magazines shows the highest degree of craft and promise -- are:

• Kyle Edwards, “Yearning to Learn Ojibway” (Maclean’s) 
• Viviane Fairbank, “Hot Mess” (Ryerson Review of Journalism) 
• Amorina Kingdon “The Questionable Science of Vancouver’s Port Expansion” (Hakai Magazine) 
• Eternity Martis, “Know Your History, Know Your Greatness” (Hazlitt) 
• Sharon J. Riley, “Burning Bush” (Maisonneuve)

Top nominated magazines:

Magazine	Nominations
The Walrus	14
L’actualité	13
Report on Business	11
Air Canada enRoute	8
Nouveau Projet	8
Hazlitt	6
Maclean’s	6
Ricardo	6
Toronto Life	6
Maisonneuve	5
Cottage Life	4
The Malahat Review	4
The New Quarterly	4

Top nominated creators:

• Edmonton freelance writer Omar Mouallem leads all creators with 4 nominations for 4 different stories published in 4 magazines (Avenue, Hazlitt, Sharp, University Affairs). 
• Writer Richard Kelly Kemick is nominated 3 times—twice in fiction and once in one of kind, which he won last year—for stories in 3 magazines (Geist, Maisonneuve, The New Quarterly).
• Quebec writer Catherine Perreault-Lessard is also nominated 3 times for 3 stories published in Châtelaine, L’actualité and Ricardo. 
• Maclean’s writer Nancy McDonald is also nominated 3 times for 2 different stories.
• The Walrus writer/editor Katherine Laidlaw is nominated twice as a writer, and she is also the handling editor on 6 other Walrus stories nominated for National Magazine Awards. 
• Other writers nominated twice include Bruce Livesey (Report on Business), Jason McBride (Canadian Art, Toronto Life), Mark Pupo (Toronto Life), and Nael Shiab (L’actualité). 
• Illustrators Byron Eggenschwiler (Vancouver Magazine) and Gérard DuBois (L’actualité) are each nominated twice.
• Photographers Peter Ash Lee (Corduroy), Chris Nicholls (FASHION Magazine) and Virginia McDonald (Air Canada enRoute) are each nominated twice.

To view all nominees, download the PDF

Gold, silver and honourable mention awards will be announced at the Arcadian Court in Toronto on May 26.  Gold winners in writing and visual categories receive a cash prize of $1,000. Silver winners receive an awards certificate, the rest honourable mentions. Tickets are on sale here. 

More than 1,000 submissions from 197 mags in National Magazine Awards

The 40th annual National Magazine Awards report in a blog post that they have received more than 1,000 submissions from 197 Canadian magazines, including more than 200 freelancers. The post thanks 120 volunteer judges.

Nominations for the awards will be announced April 20. The awards foundation is accepting nominations for its Outstanding Achievement Award and the new International Impact Award until March 1. 

Can the Canadian magazine industry resolve the developing struggle over awards?

Magazines are a seasonal business, in sales, in circulation and...in awards. In Canada, there has been for 40 years National Magazine Awards and for even longer the Kenneth R. Wilson Awards for trade publishing. These have been augmented by various other ventures such as the editors' choice awards of the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors, the Canadian Online Publishing Awards, the Canadian Cover Awards and, more recently, the Digital Publishing Awards. It's a crowded ecosystem recognizing various aspects of the business, particularly as it has evolved beyond print-and-paper and increasingly into the digital realm. 

1. The National Magazine Awards managed by the National Magazine Awards Foundation;
2. The Digital Publishing Awards, launched by the National Magazine Awards Foundation in spring of this year;
3. The Canadian Online Publishing Awards (COPAs), produced by Masthead Magazine;
4. The Editors' Choice Awards, presented annually by the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors (CSME);
5. The Canadian Cover Awards,  presented jointly by Magazines Canada and CMC.

However this year there is likely to be a disturbance in the force, to use a Star Wars figure of speech. Last November, several big magazine publishers announced that they were going to abandon the NMAs in favour of an awards program of their own, one that they felt better reflected publishing excellence as they perceived it.  The signatories were  

• Steve Maich, senior vice-president of publishing at Rogers Communications
• Lucie Dumas, vice-president, managing director, magazines group, TVA Publications Inc.
• Doug Knight, president of St. Joseph Media
• Shelley Ambrose, publisher of The Walrus and executive director of The Walrus Foundation
• Robert Goyette, vice-president and editor-in-chief of Reader's Digest

These bigger publishers said there needed to be "far fewer and more meaningful awards" and that they should be "more closely aligned to celebrating excellence at the very highest level".  Soon thereafter they approached Magazines Canada's board proposing that the association design and manage the awards program the big publishers envisioned. The Mags Canada board agreed and instructed its staff to make it so. It seems likely that these new awards will happen in conjunction with the MagNet conference in April. 

In the face of this,  the board of the National Magazine Awards Foundation has decided to carry on with the NMAs and the DPAs.  Even with the departure of the big publishers, the NMAs believes it will still represent 75% of the magazine industry in Canada. 

There are actually several awards programs in play at the moment. The NMA's digital publishing awards are similar to, but different from, the longer-standing Canadian Online Publishing Awards, produced by Masthead magazine. The Canadian Business Media Awards for trade publishers (KRWs) are in limbo since the announced merger of CBM and Magazines Canada. (The services of the NMA team that previously managed the KRWs/CBM concluded last month.) CSME is thought to be exploring the future of its Editors' Choice Awards. 
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