QCT wins five awards at provincial Better Newspapers Contest
Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter
editor@qctonline.com
The Quebec Chronicle- Telegraph (QCT) team won five awards at the Quebec Community Newspapers Association (QCNA) 2023 Better Newspapers Contest. The winners of the annual awards were announced June 28 at a gala dinner at the Holiday Inn in downtown Montreal, hosted by Ottawa comedian Jen Grant.
The Better Newspapers Contest recognizes the best work produced by the QCNA’s 28 English-language and bilingual member papers across the province.
The coveted Best Overall Newspaper award went to The Low Down to Hull and Back News (Outaouais); the other finalists were Nunatsiaq News (covering Nunavik, Nunavut and the Far North with staff based around the country) and The Suburban (Greater Montreal). The top individual writing award, the Paul Dumont-Frenette Outstanding Journalism Award, was given jointly to Trevor Greenway of the Low Down and Eve Cable of the Eastern Door (Kahnawake).
Peter Black of the QCT was recognized for his popular and varied weekly Commentary se- ries with a second-place finish in the Best Column Writing category, won by Steve Bonspiel of the Eastern Door. Black also finished second in the Best Arts and Entertainment Story category for his story “Honorary Spanish Consul pens book about colourful predecessor,” published in the Dec. 20, 2023 edition, which recounts the eventful tenure of the Count Premio-Real, Jose Antonio de Lavalle, a prominent Quebec City social figure in the late 1800s, through the eyes of current honorary Spanish consul Tommy Byrne, author of a book about the count. “The writer [Black] attended a book launch, but came away with a wonderful tale of why the reader should care,” the jury wrote. Nanor Froundjian of the Eastern Door placed first.
Black finished third in the Best Sports Story category for his coverage of the Quebec International Bonspiel, which bounced back from a pandemic pause and admitted women for the first time early last year. Cable of the Eastern Door won the category. Black also received an honourable mention in the Best Business Column or Feature category (won by Marcus Bankuti of the Eastern Door) for his story on the expansion of the Auberge Saint-Antoine.
Lise Lafond of the QCT placed second in the Best Sports Photo category for a “great capture,” as the jury put it, of rodeo action over Canada Day weekend in Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier. The QCT’s Cassandra Kerwin was awarded an honourable mention in the same category for her photo of the Grande Virée ice canoe race. Trevor Greenway of the Low Down won the category.
The QCT also placed third in the Best Headline Writing category, won by the Low Down.