The Peace Arch News is tops in its class, winning gold at the 2021 B.C. and Yukon Community News Media Association’s Ma Murray awards Thursday (June 10).
PAN received gold for general excellence in its circulation class, the second largest in B.C.
PAN’s Black Press Media sister papers, the Langley Advance Times and the Vernon Morning Star were the other two finalists in the category.
@PeaceArchNews takes the Newspaper Excellence Award: Category F! Amazing work! #MaMurray21
— BC/Yukon Newspapers (@NewspapersWest) June 11, 2021
Reporter Aaron Hinks also took home two awards, winning bronze in the Sports Photo Award, over 10,000 (circulation) category, for his image of 60-year-old Keith Parks crossing the finish line after running the equivalent of the Boston Marathon. Because of pandemic-related travel restrictions, Parks and others ran the race by completing 106 laps around the track at South Surrey Athletic Park in September 2020.
Hinks’ second award, also bronze, was for his feature series Parallel Pandemic – a three-part look the ways the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating B.C.’s overdose crisis.
READ Part 1: Parallel crisis: How COVID-19 has exacerbated the drug overdose emergency
READ Part 2: ‘Trauma equals addiction’ – why some seek solace in illicit substances
READ Part 3: Long-term psychological impact of COVID-19 a concern for kids and parents, experts say
The online award ceremony was initially scheduled for April 29, but was pushed back to June 10.
The BCYCNA represents nearly 100 publications in B.C. and the Yukon.
