Staff Writer
Western News
Publisher Mark Walker has been chosen as one of two finalists from the Penticton Western News for the 2013 BC Yukon Community Newspapers Association (BCYNA) Ma Murray Awards.
Walker and co-author Cameron Bower’s entry was selected as one of the top three in the Port Metro Vancouver Website and Online Innovation category for their work on the interactiveguides.ca project.
The other finalists were from the Yukon News and the Abbotsford News.
The winners will be announced at the awards celebration at the River Rock Casino in Richmond, April 20.
Also named as a finalist was Western News photographer Mark Brett for his submission in the black and white feature photo category (over 25,000 circulation).
The website innovation entries were evaluated on visual storytelling, interactivity, immediacy, use of multimedia, structure and navigation.
Other consideration was given to the functionality of the website along overall design, incorporating video, audio, still photography and graphics.
In addition to the Western News/Webco West, Walker is the Black Press South Okanagan group publisher which includes the Summerland Review, Keremeos Review, Similkameen Spotlight and BC Wine Trails magazine.
Staffers Steve Arstad and Tammy Sparkes of the Keremeos Review were also chosen as award finalists in the sports photography category (under 25,000).
The BCYCNA has hosted the Ma Murray Community Newspaper Awards for almost a century and are dedicated to celebrating excellence among member newspapers.
This year there were nearly 2,000 entries in the categories of production, publishing, reporting, editing, advertising, photography, website design and community contribution.
