Your BCYCNA Board is thrilled to announce our finalists for the 2023 BCYCNA Ma Murray Awards, celebrating the achievements of nearly 100 member publications.
Following our 100th anniversary in 2022, we are taking an opportunity in our 101st year to engage with our membership and reflect on how we would like to celebrate your amazing contributions to your communities in the coming years.
While there will be no awards gala this year, we look forward to announcing our 2023 winners on Thursday, May 4, 2023. Join us as we recognize excellence amongst our members, covering all aspects of the newsmedia industry, including reporting, photography, advertising, community contribution, online excellence, and more.
As always, the top three finalists in each category will receive a certificate of their achievement, with the winners receiving a stunning trophy to proudly display in your newsroom or lobby.
More details will be announced shortly.
Newspaper Excellence Finalists
Category A
Clearwater, North Thompson Times
Lake Cowichan Gazette
Rocky Mountain Goat
Category B
Bowen Island Undercurrent
Quesnel Cariboo Observer
Revelstoke Review
Category C
Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle
Salt Spring Island, Gulf Islands Driftwood
Sooke News Mirror
Category D
Pique Newsmagazine
Squamish Chief
Whitehorse/ Yukon News
Category E
Delta Optimist
Prince George Citizen
Sechelt / Gibsons Coast Reporter
Category F
Chilliwack Progress
Langley Advance-Times
White Rock, Peace Arch News
Category G
Nanaimo News Bulletin
North Shore News
Surrey Now-Leader
Individual Awards
Ad Campaign Award
Kelowna Capital News
City: Kelowna
Entry Title: Evolve Your Strength
Credits: Christine Esovoloff
Revelstoke Review
City: Revelstoke
Entry Title: Big Mountain Kitchen - Ad Campaign
Credits: Myles Williamson
Sidney, Peninsula News Review
City: Sidney
Entry Title: Seas The Day
Credits: Sue Hodgson, Monika Gibson
Spot News Photo Award
Nelson Star
City: Nelson
Entry Title: "We're still here."
Credits: Tyler Harper
Prince Rupert, The Northern View
City: Prince Rupert
Entry Title: Belmont burns
Credits: K-J Millar
Terrace Standard
City: Terrace
Entry Title: 'The opposite of addiction is love and connection'
Credits: Michael Bramadat-Willcock
Portrait/Personality Photo Award
Gabriola Sounder
City: Gabriola Island
Entry Title: Salmon Slicer
Credits: Derek Kilbourn
Grand Forks Gazette
City: Grand Forks
Entry Title: Canada Rock Fest Rocks Grand Forks
Credits: Chris Hammett
Nelson Star
City: Nelson
Entry Title: Daryl's missing notes
Credits: Tyler Harper
Portrait/Personality Photo Award
Burnaby Now
City: Burnaby
Entry Title: Burnaby high schooler wins city's youth environmental award
Credits: Lauren Vanderdeen
Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News
City: Maple Ridge
Entry Title: Culture, Pride and Sharing
Credits: Colleen Flanagan
Mission City Record
City: Mission
Entry Title: Mission's last cobbler
Credits: Patrick Penner
Editorial Award
Duncan Cowichan Valley Citizen
City: Duncan
Entry Title: Chill on speech?
Credits: Andrea Rondeau
Gabriola Sounder
City: Gabriola Island
Entry Title: We need a ferry passenger bill of rights
Credits: Sarah Holmes, Derek Kilbourn
Smithers, Interior News
City: Smithers
Entry Title: Siren be gone
Credits: Thom Barker
Environmental Initiative Award
Nelson Star
City: Nelson
Entry Title: Nelson to launch countertop food waste treatment in spring
Credits: Bill Metcalfe
North Shore News
City: North Vancouver
Entry Title: How drones are replanting B.C.'s burned forests
Credits: Stefan Labbe
Revelstoke Review
City: Revelstoke
Entry Title: After They're Gone: Experts say it's only a matter of time until the iconic glaciers surrounding Revelstoke melt away - by Josh Piercey
Credits: Josh Piercey
Spot News Photo Award
Burnaby Now
City: Burnaby
Entry Title: Gaining speed
Credits: Jennifer Gauthier
Chilliwack Progress
City: Chilliwack
Entry Title: Barn fire on Carey Road
Credits: Jenna Hauck
Kelowna Capital News
City: Kelowna
Entry Title: Protesters clash with attendee at Kelowna drag show; police investigating
Credits: Jacqueline Gelineau
Ad Design Award
100 Mile House Free Press
City: 100 Mile House
Entry Title: Moonlight Madness
Credits: Evan Fentiman, Sabrina Ede
100 Mile House Free Press
City: 100 Mile House
Entry Title: Easter
Credits: Evan Fentiman, Martina Dopf
Revelstoke Review
City: Revelstoke
Entry Title: Jacobson Ford - Getting you to where your passion starts - TIMES Magazine - Winter Issue
Credits: Myles Williamson
Ma Murray Community Service Award
Alberni Valley News
City: Port Alberni
Entry Title: Valley Vonka
Credits: Teresa Bird, Rachel Theus
Chemainus Valley Courier
City: Ladysmith
Entry Title: An enjoyable time and raising money bottom line of music trivia tournament
Credits: Don Bodger
Salt Spring Island, Gulf Islands Driftwood
City: Salt Spring Island
Entry Title: Let's Pick It Up, Salt Spring!
Credits: Nancy Johnson, Gail Sjuberg, Lorraine Sullivan, Sky Marcano
Sports Writing Award
Campbell River Mirror
City: Campbell River
Entry Title: The Beautiful Game in Campbell River
Credits: Edward Hitchins
Nanaimo News Bulletin
City: Nanaimo
Entry Title: Runner motivates students to find 'purpose and passion'
Credits: Greg Sakaki
Vancouver is Awesome
City: Vancouver
Entry Title: Meet Mio, the designer behind the Canucks' Pride Night jersey
Credits: Daniel Wagner
Reader Engagement Campaign Award
Alberni Valley News
City: Port Alberni
Entry Title: Holiday Stories & Greetings
Credits: Teresa Bird, Rachel Theus, Tannis Laviolette
North Shore News
City: North Vancouver
Entry Title: Vintage online shop
Credits: Matt Blair
Salmon Arm, Shuswap Market News
City: Salmon Arm
Entry Title: Best of the Shuswap
Credits: Sarah Sigurdson, Andrea Horton, Laura Lavigne
Feature Photo Award
Alberni Valley News
City: Port Alberni
Entry Title: 8:05 p.m.: Bear Watts and his granddaughter Magnolia Watts share a calming moment during a Nuu-chah-nulth cultural night at Blair Park
Credits: Susie Quinn
Prince Rupert, The Northern View
City: Prince Rupert
Entry Title: Faces to the sun
Credits: K-J Millar
Rocky Mountain Goat
City: Valemount
Entry Title: Natal Waters
Credits: Leon Lorenz
Arts & Culture Writing Award
Alberni Valley News
City: Port Alberni
Entry Title: Tseshaht's wolf ritual returns to waterfront
Credits: Elena Rardon
Terrace Standard
City: Terrace
Entry Title: Nass Valley fashion show brings Nisga'a talent into the light
Credits: Michael Bramadat-Willcock
Tofino-Ucluelet Westerly News
City: Ucluelet
Entry Title: 'Classic Plastic' challenges harmful habits
Credits: Andrew Bailey
Feature Photo Award
Coquitlam, Tri-City News
City: Coquitlam
Entry Title: Shoe business
Credits: Mario Bartel
North Shore News
City: North Vancouver
Entry Title: Drama
Credits: Mike Wakefield
Sechelt / Gibsons Coast Reporter
City: Sechelt
Entry Title: October haze
Credits: Keili Bartlett
Photo Essay Award
Campbell River Mirror
City: Campbell River
Entry Title: Day in the Life of Campbell River
Credits: Marc Kitteringham
New Westminster Record
City: Burnaby
Entry Title: Royal City Youth Ballet's Nutcracker returns to Massey Theatre stage
Credits: Jennifer Gauthier
Whitehorse, Yukon News
City: Whitehorse
Entry Title: Moosehide Gathering
Credits: Jim Elliot
Business Writing Award
BIV
Entry Title: Grappling with B.C.'s skills gap
Credits: Nelson Bennett, Tyler Orton, Chuck Chiang, Glen Korstrom
BIV
Entry Title: Business election action list
Credits: Nelson Bennett, Glen Korstrom, Chuck Chiang, Tyler Orton
Kamloops This Week
City: Kamloops
Entry Title: Renovicted
Credits: Michael Potestio
Magazine Excellence Award
BIV
Entry Title: BIV Magazine
Credits: Hayley Woodin, Petra Kaksonen
Boulevard Magazine
Entry Title: Dream On
Credits: Lily Chan, Lia Crowe, Don Denton
Oak Bay News
City: Victoria
Entry Title: Tweed Magazine - Oak Bay News
Credits: Janet Gairdner, Susan Lundy, Michelle Gjerde, Lia Crowe
Environmental Writing Award
Alberni Valley News
City: Port Alberni
Entry Title: 400 and counting
Credits: Susie Quinn
Coquitlam, Tri-City News
City: Coquitlam
Entry Title: 'We are the guardians of this place'
Credits: Janis Cleugh
Nelson Star
City: Nelson
Entry Title: Kokanee Glacier can't be saved
Credits: Tyler Harper
Ad Design Award
Courtenay / Comox Valley Record
City: Courtenay
Entry Title: Ashley Home furniture
Credits: Tracey Lawrence
Langley Advance-Times
City: Langley
Entry Title: Wild Birds Unlimited
Credits: Cheri Gray
Nanaimo News Bulletin
City: Nanaimo
Entry Title: Nanaimo Home Furnishings
Credits: Sean McCue
Feature Article Award
Abbotsford News
City: Abbotsford
Entry Title: VIDEO: Life carries on at Abbotsford dairy farm where 200 cows died
Credits: Jessica Peters
Pique Newsmagazine
City: Whistler
Entry Title: Life After Death
Credits: Brandon Barrett
Salmon Arm, Shuswap Market News
City: Salmon Arm
Entry Title: Rescue of Blind Bay man defies odds
Credits: Martha Wickett
Columnist Award
Abbotsford News
City: Abbotsford
Entry Title: Message from Ryan Reynolds helps Abbotsford News reporter celebrate end of cancer journey
Credits: Jessica Peters
North Shore News
City: North Vancouver
Entry Title: We've got a honkin' big problem with the flag right now
Credits: Andy Prest
North Shore News
City: North Vancouver
Entry Title: Newcomer to Vancouver
Credits: Mina Kerr-Lazenby
Outdoor Recreation Writing Award
Campbell River Mirror
City: Campbell River
Entry Title: Bikes to the rescue
Credits: Marc Kitteringham
North Shore News
City: North Vancouver
Entry Title: 'Too wet, too rainy': How climate change could end ski business for many B.C. resorts
Credits: Stefan Labbe
North Shore News
City: North Vancouver
Entry Title: Swimmer hailed as hero after harrowing rescue
Credits: Jane Seyd
Neville Shanks Memorial Award for Historical Writing
Nelson Star
City: Nelson
Entry Title: A Nelson man fled Soviet oppression. Over 50 years later, he finds he hasn't truly escaped it
Credits: Tyler Harper
North Shore News
City: North Vancouver
Entry Title: North Van built on profits from slave trade, says founding family
Credits: Brent Richter
Pique Newsmagazine
City: Whistler
Entry Title: The Witsend Sisterhood
Credits: Alyssa Noel
Feature Article Award
Ashcroft-Cache Creek Journal
City: Ashcroft
Entry Title: Lytton: 'Our story has to stay out there or we'll be forgotten'
Credits: Barbara Roden
Golden Star
City: Golden
Entry Title: Saving Golden's Swiss Village: Dr. Johann Roduit and Dr. Ilona Spaar reflect on iconic B.C. spot
Credits: Claire Palmer
Nelson Star
City: Nelson
Entry Title: Charismatic, troubled and still missing: What happened to Nelson's Cory Westcott?
Credits: Bill Metcalfe
Feature Series Award
Kamloops This Week
City: Kamloops
Entry Title: Vignettes from the streets
Surrey Now-Leader
City: Surrey
Entry Title: Surrey's policing transition – can it be stopped?
Credits: Tom Zytaruk
Vernon, Morning Star
City: Vernon
Entry Title: City unmasks funds for Vernon gallery project
Credits: Jennifer Smith, Roger Knox
Special Section Award
Merritt Herald
City: Merritt
Entry Title: National Nurses Week
Credits: Theresa Arnold, Ken Couture, Marius Auer, Izaiah Reyes
Merritt Herald
City: Merritt
Entry Title: Orange Shirt Day Special Section
Credits: Theresa Arnold, Ken Couture, Marius Auer, Izaiah Reyes
Prince Rupert, The Northern View
City: Prince Rupert
Entry Title: National Indigenous Peoples Day
Credits: Melissa Ash, K-J Millar
Special Section Award
Abbotsford News
City: Abbotsford
Entry Title: Stronger Together.
Credits: Ken Goudswaard, Carly Ferguson, Lisa Clarke
Langley Advance-Times
City: Langley
Entry Title: Remembrance Day- Lest We Forget
Credits: Lisa Farquharson and team!
Prince George Citizen
City: Prince George
Entry Title: Congratulations Meryeta O'Dine - Olympic bronze medallist
Credits: Curtis Armstrong, Neil Godbout, Allan McIntyre
Sports Photo Award
100 Mile House Free Press
City: 100 Mile House
Entry Title: Race Ya!
Credits: Patrick Davies
Bowen Island Undercurrent
City: Bowen Island
Entry Title: Wood Cutting with a Smile
Credits: Alex Kurial
Williams Lake Tribune
City: Williams Lake
Entry Title: Trail opening spiritually, economically important for South Cariboo First Nation
Credits: Ruth Lloyd
Sports Photo Award
Burnaby Now
City: Burnaby
Entry Title: Olympic champion Damian Warner wows crowd
Credits: Jennifer Gauthier
Goldstream News Gazette
City: Langford
Entry Title: Pacific FC sells out of Indigenous-designed jersey worn for opener in Langford
Credits: Justin Samanski-Langille
North Shore News
City: North Vancouver
Entry Title: Skateboard Bowl
Credits: Paul McGrath
Special Publications Award
Powell River Peak
City: Powell River
Entry Title: Discover Powell River
Credits: Kelly Keil, Alicia Newman, Peak Team
Squamish Chief
City: Squamish
Entry Title: Squamish Holiday Guide
Credits: Cathie Greenlees, Jon Parris, Jennifer Thuncher, Sarah Strother
Squamish Chief
City: Squamish
Entry Title: Discover Squamish
Credits: Jennifer Thuncher, Amir Shahrestani, Cathie Greenlees, Sarah Strother
Special Publications Award
Courtenay / Comox Valley Record
City: Courtenay
Entry Title: Trio Magazine
Credits: Erin Haluschak, Artur Ciastkowski, Tammy Robinson, Ali Roddam
Pique Newsmagazine
City: Whistler
Entry Title: Whistler Magazine
Credits: Catherine Power-Chartrand, Alison Taylor, Shelley Ackerman, Sarah Strother
Pique Newsmagazine
City: Whistler
Entry Title: Wishes Wedding Magazine
Credits: Susan Hutchinson, Brandon Barrett, Julie Gamache, Sarah Strother
John Collison Investigative Journalism Award
Kamloops This Week
City: Kamloops
Entry Title: A call for TNRD board chair to resign
Credits: Jessica Wallace
Mission City Record
City: Mission
Entry Title: Harassment complaints plague corrections
Credits: Patrick Penner
Terrace Standard
City: Terrace
Entry Title: Overrepresentation of Indigenous women in custody reaches historic levels in B.C.
Credits: Binny Paul
Feature Video Award
Courtenay / Comox Valley Record
City: Courtenay
Entry Title: Marmot release on Mount Washington
Credits: Erin Haluschak
Mission City Record
City: Mission
Entry Title: Mission mural project nears completion
Credits: Kevin Mills
North Shore News
City: North Vancouver
Entry Title: This B.C. travelling vet saves animals from swallowed objects
Credits: Alanna Kelly
Breaking News Video Award
Courtenay / Comox Valley Record
City: Courtenay
Entry Title: VIDEO: Driver airlifted to hospital after semi overturns on Highway 19
Credits: Terry Farrell
North Shore News
City: North Vancouver
Entry Title: North Vancouver apartment fire displaces about 70 residents
Credits: Alanna Kelly, Jane Seyd
Sidney, Peninsula News Review
City: Sidney
Entry Title: VIDEO: Four arrested after demonstrators block highway in North Saanich
Credits: Wolf Depner, Jake Romphf
Multimedia Feature Story Award
Abbotsford News
City: Abbotsford
Entry Title: Vancouver Canucks draft and development and what it means for Abbotsford
Credits: Ben Lypka
Burnaby Now
City: Burnaby
Entry Title: Square legs, fine legs and short legs: The beauty of cricket
Credits: Abhinaya Natesh
New Westminster Record
City: Burnaby
Entry Title: 'When the eyes begin to see, the ears listen'
Credits: Abhinaya Natesh
Online Advertising Award
Smithers, Interior News
City: Smithers
Entry Title: Carters Jewellers - Give the Gift of Love
Credits: Grant Harris
Smithers, Interior News
City: Smithers
Entry Title: Outdoor Essentials - All the Essential Gifts
Credits: Grant Harris
Smithers, Interior News
City: Smithers
Entry Title: Love for Rocks - Earths Beauty Revealed
Credits: Grant Harris
Multimedia Breaking News Story
Langley Advance-Times
City: Langley
Entry Title: 3 Dead in Shooting Spree
Credits: Roxanne Hooper, and Langley Advance Times Team
Quesnel, Cariboo Observer
City: Quesnel
Entry Title: Investigation into missing Indigenous woman leads to murder charge for Quesnel man
Credits: Cassidy Dandochik, Rebecca Dyok, Angie Mindus
Vernon, Morning Star
City: Vernon
Entry Title: Whitevale flooding 'worst ever' near Lumby
Credits: Jennifer Smith
New Journalist Award
Burnaby NOW
Journalist: Abhinaya Natesh
100 Mile Free Press
Journalist: Fiona Grisswell
Kelowna Capital News
Journalist: Jaqueline Geileneau