Premier Awards - Best Feature Series (Circulation 10000 to 12499, Circulation 12500 to 17499, Circulation 17500 and over, Digital - Population 100K plus)Back
Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: St (Albert Gazette, St, Albert, AB) Judge Comment: This is a very ambitious series, with 18 parts to explore locally produced items sold at the St. Albert Farmers market. It explores the shop local scene through stories on the many vendors who use the market, telling their personal stories. At the same time, it provides useful information on things like parking, open hours, etc. to help readers interested in the market. It is an extensive look at a significant community resource, well researched and well written.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: St (Albert Gazette, St, Albert, AB) Judge Comment: This series is a great look at the long-term impact of COVID on many aspects of the community, from education and healthcare to remote work and preparedness for another potential pandemic. It uses interviews with many local people, as well as specialists and experts, to talk about the big trends and identify local people affected by them. That's a good way to approach community newspaper features.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Cambridge Times (Cambridge, ON) Judge Comment: This is a good series that humanizes the effect of reducing foreign student and work visas. The personal stories are strong and demonstrate the impact at the individual level. At the same time, the overall impact on educational institutions, the local community and even Canada's international reputation are covered. The presentation could have been stronger, with some use of graphics to tell the numbers story about the overall changes that have occurred. But overall, an excellent series.
