There is always something particularly gratifying about being recognized by your peers for outstanding work.
Over the weekend, the staff of the Comox Valley Record experienced just that.
The Record received the BC Yukon Community Newspapers Association Ma Murray Newspaper Excellence Award.
Your local read has been deemed the best community newspaper in the province.
Judging for the Ma Murrays is done by journalists, meaning the Comox Valley Record has been deemed the best newspaper by those in the business, and that’s an achievement of which we are all proud.
Here’s what the judges said in their summation:
“The Comox Valley Record makes a very strong first impression. From the front page on, this paper leaves no doubt about its absolute connection to the community. With strong local features, a wide and pleasing rotation of regular columns, unmatched sports coverage, and a thorough classified section, I learned more about what was happening in the region than with any other read in the category. Clean and sharp, with relevant, well-cropped photos and thorough, complete stories. Nice design, good section headings, and overall great layout. Excellent work!”
It was not the only honour we received on Saturday evening.
The Record also received a silver medal for Best Special Section, for our election coverage supplement, Options 2014.
For that publication, the judges said:
“Absolutely brilliant idea! To the point (yes or no) and so politically pertinent, it hurts! Great job.”
Being recognized for this special section was especially sweet for our staff. From an editorial standpoint, I speak on behalf of the entire department by saying it was the most stressful special section we have ever worked on; it even involved a “stop the presses” moment.
It was interesting that The Record was not up for a single individual award, and yet we won gold and silver in the only two team category awards we entered - a clear statement as to the strength of this publication’s team.
The timing of the awards is also appropriate.
We know that complacency is the first step towards extinction, and we are only as good as our last edition. With that in mind, next year’s submissions to the Ma Murray Awards will have a very different look to them. The Record will be introducing a complete rebranding on Thursday, and you are going to like what we’ve done.
So we bask in the glory of an award-winning year in 2014, but now it’s time to move “onward and upward.”
Congratulations to all the staff at The Record. And for the readers, enjoy what we have coming. It’s going to be another banner year at 765 McPhee Ave.