Tyler Brownbridge, Windsor Star, Photojournalist of the Year

WATERLOO, Ont. – The Hamilton Spectator and Guelph Mercury tied for most awards collected at the Ontario Newspaper Awards gala Saturday night.

They each took home six awards.

The Waterloo Record and Windsor Star share second place with four awards each, while the Niagara Falls Review won three awards. The Woodstock Sentinel-Review netted two awards. The London Free Press, the Ottawa Sun, Kingston Whig-Standard, Simcoe Reformer, St.

Catharines Standard, Sudbury Star and Owen Sound Sun Times each picked up one award.

The awards were handed out in Waterloo, Ont., at a gala attended by more than 240 journalists, managing editors, publishers and sponsors.

Howard Elliott, chairman of the awards and a managing editor at the Hamilton Spectator, commended the finalists, whom he said have persevered through challenging times for the newspaper industry.

“It’s really gratifying to see how many people took the time to enter and attend the ONAs, even with the industry going through difficult times,” he said.

“ONA finalists and winners make a difference in their communities. We’re so proud that ONA exists to shine a light on their superb work, and we thank everyone who helps make it possible.”

Denise Davy, a Hamilton Spectator reporter responsible for a series of news features exploring the distressing dimensions of mental illness in children, was named journalist of the year at the 56th annual award ceremony.

Tyler Brownbridge from the Windsor Star picked up the honour for photojournalist of the year for a portfolio the judge said showed “such uniform skill in so many areas,” from feature shots of a hospital room caesarean section birth to a night’s sky lit by fireworks and spot news photography.

There were 450 entries for 32 categories, that’s 10 fewer than last year.

A complete list of finalists:

Martha Blackburn Award for Journalist of the Year: Denise Davy, Hamilton Spectator

Richard Sutton Award for Photojournalist of the Year: Tyler Brownbridge, Windsor Star

C.B. Schmidt Award for Novice Reporting (over 25,000
circulation): Jackson Hayes, Hamilton Spectator

Larry N. Smith Award for Novice Reporting (under 25,000
circulation): Nicole O’Reilly, Guelph Mercury

Spot News Writing (over 25,000 circulation): News team, London Free Press

Spot News Writing (under 25,000 circulation): Corey Laroque, Niagara Falls Review

Gene Florcyk Memorial Award for Sports Writing (over 25,000
circulation): Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa Sun

Robert J. Hanley Award for Sports Writing (under 25,000
circulation): John Law, Niagara Falls Review

London Free Press Award for Excellence in News Feature Writing:
Rob Tripp and Paul Schliesmann, Kingston Whig-Standard

Del Bell Memorial Award for Feature Writing (over 25,000
circulation): Denise Davy, Hamilton Spectator

Feature Writing (under 25,000 circulation): Rob O’Flanagan, Guelph Mercury

Business Writing: Rose Simone, Waterloo Region Record

Ontario Power Authority Award for Green Environment Writing:
Scott Tracey, Brian Williams, Rob O’Flanagan, Nicole O’Reilly, Guelph Mercury

James Bruce Award for Excellence in Coverage of Entertainment and the Arts: John Law, Niagara Falls Review

Walter J. Blackburn Award for Excellence in Editorials, Opinion and Analysis (over 25,000 circulation): John Roe, Waterloo Region Record

K.J. Strachan Award for Editorials, Opinion and Analysis (under 25,000 circulation): Monte Sonnenberg, Simcoe Reformer

Joan May Memorial Award for Columns: Greg Mercer, Guelph Mercury

K.A. (Sandy) Baird Award for Humour Writing: Paul Benedetti, Hamilton Spectator

Spot News Photography (over 25,000 circulation): Julie Jocsak, St. Catharines Standard

Jack Bowman Memorial Award for Spot News Photography (under 25,000 circulation): Elliott Ferguson, Woodstock Sentinel-Review

Feature Photography (over 25,000 circulation): Cathie Coward, Hamilton Spectator

Feature Photography (under 25,000 circulation): Tony Saxon, Guelph Mercury

Sports Photography (over 25,000 circulation): Jason Kryk, Windsor Star

Sports Photography (under 25,000 circulation): John Lappa, Sudbury Star

John E. Motz memorial Award for Excellence in Layout and Design:
Owen Sound Sun Times

Bill McGrath Award for Design and Graphics (over 25,000
circulation): Tania Praeg, Waterloo Region Record

Design and Graphics (under 25,000 circulation): Kate Hopwood, Guelph Mercury

Municipal Affairs Reporting (over 25,000 circulation): Jeff Outhit, Waterloo Region Record

Municipal Affairs Reporting (under 25,000 circulation): Hugo Rodrigues, Woodstock Sentinel-Review

Online Multimedia Special Project: Windsor Star

Online Photography: Jason Kryk _ Windsor Star

Online Video Production: Scott Gardner, Hamilton Spectator

(The Canadian Press).

Exellence in journalism represented by 2009 award winners