Province wins 2 Webster awards
The Province newsroom scored an impressive double win Thursday at the Jack Webster Awards.
Fifteen reporters, editors or others shared the two awards — Best Feature Reporting for Boomerangst, a multi-part probe into seniors’ care in B.C., and the Jack Webster Business, Industry and Economic Award for MoneyWise: A Guide to Financial Literacy.
“I am so pleased for all of us at The Province,” said Editor-in-Chief Wayne Moriarty. “These awards come along once a year and if the judges feel compelled to generously honour us in this way, thank you to all of them and bravo for us.
“On another note, I have to thank the United Way and its CEO, Michael McKnight, for all the support they gave us on the Boomerangst project.
“Without them it would not have been the rich, important work it was.”
“And now, tomorrow’s another day.”
Boomerangst, which explored what B.C. must do to prepare for the coming “grey wave” of the aging boomer generation, has received other awards of excellence this year, including a National Newspaper Award for Special Projects and the United Way’s highest community service award for outstanding journalism.
The series uncovered flaws in the senior-care system, including a falsely reported choking death in a private North Vancouver care facility, and influenced changes in government policy.
The Boomerangst team was led by Deputy Editor Ros Guggi; with editor John Fuller; reporters Sam Cooper, Cheryl Chan, Elaine O’Connor and Jennifer Saltman; digital and video editors Erik Rolfsen, Adam Foster and Dharm Makwana; graphic designer Ginger Sedlarova; columnist Jon Ferry; and photographers Arlen Redekop and Ric Ernst. Research provided by Carolyn Soltau, Kate Bird and Lesa Chu was used in creating a related seniors’ resource website, bcseniorhelp.com.
Province Money editor Paul Luke and reporter Lina Toyoda won for their multi-part report that examined financial challenges and pressures for B.C. residents through the various stages of life.
In recent years The Province has put together an impressive streak of wins at the Jack Webster Awards, for special investigation series.
The Province won the 2011 Webster for best feature for “Our Growing Challenge,” a series dealing with kids in B.C.
In 2010, The Province won a Webster for “Operation Phoenix,” a yearlong special project about Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
Patricia Graham, vice-president, digital, at The Province and the Vancouver Sun, was honoured with the previously announced Bruce Hutchison Lifetime Achievement Award.
Graham, a journalist for 30 years, is now responsible for the websites and multiple platforms of both newspapers. Graham was named to the new post in October 2011 after 25 years working first for The Province and then at The Sun, where she rose to editor-in-chief.
The complete list of journalism prize winners from the 2012 Webster Award Dinner is available at jackwebster.com.