Here are this year’s nominees…

“Never Left Art School.” Photography by Mark Peckmezian for Montecristo.

“Art Investing.” Photography by Markian Lozowchuck for Report on Business.

“On His Mark.” Photography by Chris Muir for Sportsnet.

“Sue-Ann Levy.” Photography by Markian Lozowchuk for The Grid.

“After Midnight.” Photography by Jaime Hogge for The Walrus.

“25 Most Stylish.” Photography by Francisco Garcia for Toronto Life.

“Blade Runner.” Photography by Carlo Ricci for Vancouver Magazine.

“Frankly Jann.” Photography by Bryan Adams for Zoomer.

Congratulations to all the nominees in Portrait Photography. The Gold and Silver winners will be revealed at the 36th annual National Magazine Awards gala on June 7 at The Carlu in Toronto. [INFO & TICKETS]

Meet the NMA Finalists for:
Art Direction for an Entire Issue
Photojournalism & Photo Essay
Best New Magazine Writer
Illustration
Magazine Covers
Online Video

And the nominees are:

1. “Condo Balcony Makeover” (Canadian House & Home):

What the judges said: “The perfect example of a how-to video. The hosts are casual and comfortable in their narration/explanation of the makeover. Visuals showing before and after are used to great effect. Strong editing and camera work carry this well-paced video that doesn’t leave out details and offers solutions in under three minutes.”

2. “Les coulisses du reportage mode Icônes” (ELLE Québec)

What the judges said: “Excellent use of interviews interspersed with behind-the-scenes footage to highlight this unique fashion shoot. The editing keeps the pace moving along quickly and the interview subjects are dynamic and interesting. It’s journalism with style.”

3. “Pagelicker 01: Irvine Welsh” (Hazlitt)

What the judges said: “A video that captures a moment and holds you there through intimate camera work,  a contemplative soundtrack, and a sense of honesty fuelled by humour and one nervous-yet-together host, who draws out kernels of information a conventional interview would miss. Creative, quirky and excellent production quality.”

4. “Reboot on Life” (Ottawa Citizen Style)

What the judges said: “The pace of this short video is spot on, and the illustrator does a great job of moving the piece along to the voices of the narrators. Excellent sound quality. The overall communication is clear and well paced. Perfect length. Effective and memorable.”

5. “Toronto’s National Anthem” (The Grid)

What the judges said: “A strong example of what web video should be. Simple, clean, short, and communicates everything it needs to in under two minutes. This playful, well composed song’s apathetic tone is matched by playful visuals and packaged in a solid edit. A catchy tune that captures the spirit of the city.”

Congratulations to all the nominees in Online Video. The Gold and Silver winners will be revealed at the 36th annual National Magazine Awards gala on June 7 at The Carlu in Toronto. [INFO & TICKETS]

Meet the NMA Finalists for:
Art Direction for an Entire Issue
Photojournalism & Photo Essay
Best New Magazine Writer
Illustration
Magazine Covers

Get your tickets here.

Don’t miss the event of the year when the magazine industry gathers at the Carlu in Toronto on Friday, June 7, 2013 to celebrate the very best in Canadian magazines. Join your colleagues and our Master of Ceremonies Zaib Shaikh for a night to remember! The 36th annual National Magazine Awards gala is presented by CDS Global.

“Are We Happy Yet?” – Adbusters, Art Direction by Will Brown and Pedro Inoue

“March/April 2012″ – Azure, Art Direction by Concrete Design Communications

“The New Oilpatch” – Canadian Business, Art Direction by John Montgomery

“The Secret Khadr File” – Maclean’s, Art Direction by Stephen Gregory

“Issue 45″ – Maisonneuve, Art Direction by Anna Minzhulina

“Colombia” – Report on Business, Art Direction by Domenic Macri

“January 12, 2012″ – The Grid, Art Direction by Vanessa Wyse

“That Time We Beat the Americans” – The Walrus, Art Direction by Brian Morgan & Anita Kunz

“The Northwest Passage” – Up Here, Art Direction by John Pekelsky

“July/August 2012″ – Vancouver Magazine, Art Direction by Randall Watson

Congratulations to all the nominees in Magazine Covers. The Gold and Silver winners will be revealed at the 36th annual National Magazine Awards gala on June 7 at The Carlu in Toronto. [INFO & TICKETS]

Meet the NMA Finalists for:
Art Direction for an Entire Issue
Photojournalism & Photo Essay
Best New Magazine Writer
Illustration

NMAF: Last year, you won the a Gold National Magazine Award for your article “Demain, des centres à 7 $ par jour pour les vieux?” [Tomorrow, $7-a-day Care Centres for the Elderly?] – your seventh National Magazine Award in the past five years! What prompted you to write this story?

Catherine Dubé (Photo par Marie-Reine Mattera)

Catherine Dubé: The idea was generated in an editorial meeting at L’actualité. We asked ourselves what we can expect over the next 10 to 20 years. We are all going to need care, after all! And the healthcare system is not prepared to take care of the horde of aging Baby Boomers.

The main challenge of the report was to engage our readers about an issue that may not be very sexy. I did what I always do: illustrate the information with lots of concrete examples. I tried to find innovative solutions, such as the one that inspired the title of the piece.

NMAF: When you write for L’actualité, how do you develop the idea for a new story? Do you draw inspiration from consulting health professionals or other media?

Catherine Dubé: I examine the current social issues, large and small, exploring for a new angle. Any source might be a good one, whether it is from the media here or abroad, public events such as conferences, or specialized publications. The people I interview often put me onto a new track for a story.

I also try to find information that may have escaped the attention of the daily news media, which is overwhelmed by the constant stream of news.

Last year, when I was working on a profile of the hypnotist Messmer, a popular Quebec artist, I discovered that his approach was quite controversial, and my article became instead an investigation of hypnosis, seeking out what is true and what is false, and highlighting the dangers of this method when it is misused.

The process of researching and writing articles for L’actualité, where I started working two years ago, is quite similar to the process at Québec Science where I worked for ten years. But the angle of attack is different: more scientific for Québec Science, more general for L’actualité.

NMAF: What is the significance to you of winning a National Magazine Award? And what’s next for you; what topics and issues are currently attracting your interest?

Catherine Dubé: An award is the culmination of our efforts and the recognition that we achieved our goal. Nobody picks up a magazine just to find out the news. Newspapers, television and the web provide tough competition for that. But it is up to us, the artisans of magazines, to offer the untold stories, and the new and surprising angles to those stories, which are what make magazines indispensable.

Writing is also a key element: it must be clear and polished. If the reader enjoys the story as much as if reading a novel, then the job is done. It’s a challenge every time. My ultimate goal is to articulate complex and often abstract issues. I must find the human stories through which these issues are embodied, and then tell them skillfully. Even after all these years, it doesn’t get easier. But the difference is that I’ve been able to do it better!

This month I have a long feature about the world of justice, which will be published as a mini-book insert in the magazine. This is a new format that we started offering our readers last year and it’s been a great success.

Catherine Dubé is a journalist with the magazine L’actualité. This year she is nominated for 3 National Magazine Awards. Special thanks to Avary Lovell for the interview with Catherine.
[Version française]

From the NMA Archives, by Catherine Dubé:
Demain, des centres à 7$ par jour pour les vieux? (Prix d’or, Santé et famille, 2011)
Marmot 2.0 (Prix d’or, Société, 2010)
1,2,3…bébés? (Prix d’argent, 2010, Santé et médécine)
Vive le mangeur libre (Prix d’or, Mode de vie, 2009)
Grippe A(H1N1) – Tout savoir (Prix d’argent, 2009, Santé et famille)
Des synapses et des lettres (Prix d’argent, Société, 2008)
Péril à la ferme (Prix d’argent, Article hors categorie, 2007)

More Off the Page, with:
Ian Willms
Pascale Millot
Curtis Gillespie
The Coveteur
Heather O’Neill
Selena Wong
Patrick Walsh
Jillian Tamaki
Roger LeMoyne
Joshua Knelman
Jonathan Trudel
Alex Leslie
Jeremy Klaszus
Carol Shaben
Roxanna Bikadoroff

Zaib Shaikh (Photo Tom Sandler)

The National Magazine Awards Foundation is excited to announce that this year’s Master of Ceremonies, presented by OMDC, for the NMA Gala will be renowned Canadian actor and writer Zaib Shaikh.
[Version française]

Known best as the star of the international hit comedy series, Little Mosque on The Prairie, Zaib Shaikh has worked across Canada as an actor, director and producer. He starred in Deepa Mehta’s latest film, Midnight’s Children, adapted from the novel by Salman Rushdie. He co-produced Long Story Short: CBC Turns 75, hosted by Martin Short. He co-wrote, directed and co-produced the Gemini Award winning television film, Othello, the Tragedy of the Moor.  His other television work includes lead or guest starring roles in Metropia, Da Vinci’s City Hall, Book-a-boo, Murdoch Mysteries and The Dead Zone.

Currently, Zaib is in development with a variety of television and film projects under the banner of his production company, Governor Films. Recently he delivered a keynote at Harvard University’s 375th Anniversary, and he travels across Canada and the world speaking on the power of Arts and The Media as a platform to greater understanding between Eastern and Western cultures.

This year’s National Magazine Awards gala is Friday, June 7 at The Carlu in Toronto. Tickets are on sale now at magazine-awards.com; the early-bird deadline for discounted tickets is Friday May 17, so don’t delay.

See also:
Announcing the 36th National Magazine Awards Nominees!
36th NMA Nominees List [PDF]
Stephen Trumper wins Outstanding Achievement Award
Tickets

And the nominees are…

“Diversity Report,” Illustration by Gracia Lam, Corporate Knights

“Marques utiles,” par Benoit Tardif, Infopresse

“La diplomatie de l’or noir,” par Sébastien Thibault, L’actualité

“Organes recherchés,” par Isabelle Arsenault, Québec Science

“Cool Parents,” by Ethan Rilly, Taddle Creek

“War Games,” by Barry Blitt, The Walrus

“Apocalypse Soon,” by Sam Weber, The Walrus

“The Writer,” by Gracia Lam, Write Magazine

Congratulations to all the nominees in Illustration. The Gold and Silver winners will be revealed at the 36th annual National Magazine Awards gala on June 7 at The Carlu in Toronto. [INFO & TICKETS]

Meet the NMA Finalists for:
Art Direction for an Entire Issue
Photojournalism & Photo Essay
Best New Magazine Writer

FNPMC : L’année dernière, vous avez remporté le Prix d’or dans la catégorie Service : Santé et famille, pour votre article « Demain, des centres à 7 $ par jour pour les vieux? », votre septième Prix du magazine canadien au cours des cinq dernières années! Qu’est-ce qui vous a incité à rédiger cet article?

Catherine Dubé (Photo: Marie-Reine Mattera)

Catherine Dubé : Cette idée est issue d’une réunion de rédaction de L’actualité. Nous nous sommes demandé ce qui nous attend d’ici 10 à 20 ans : nous sommes tous des aidants naturels en sursis ! Le système de santé n’est pas préparé à prendre soin de la cohorte vieillissante des baby-boomers.

Le principal défi de ce reportage consistait à intéresser les lecteurs à ce sujet a priori pas très sexy…

J’ai fait ce que je fais toujours : illustrer l’information par de nombreux exemples concrets. Je me suis efforcée de trouver des solutions novatrices, comme les haltes répit qui ont inspiré le titre du reportage.

FNPMC : Lorsque vous écrivez pour L’actualité, quel processus suivez-vous pour puiser les idées de votre nouvel article? Trouvez-vous votre inspiration en consultant des professionnels de la santé, des études, d’autres médias, ou d’autres sources?

Catherine Dubé : J’explore les petits et grands sujets de société qui sont dans l’air du temps, à la recherche d’un angle neuf. Toutes les sources sont bonnes, qu’ils s’agissent de médias d’ici ou de l’étranger, d’événements publics comme des conférences, ou encore de publications spécialisées. Les personnes que j’interviewe me mettent souvent sur des pistes inédites.

Je trouve ainsi des informations très intéressantes qui ont échappé au regard des journalistes de quotidiens, submergés par le flot continu des nouvelles.

L’an dernier, alors que je devais faire le portrait de l’hypnotiseur Messmer, un artiste populaire au Québec, j’ai découvert que son approche faisait l’objet d’une controverse; cet article est en quelque sorte devenu une enquête sur l’hypnose, faisant la part des choses entre le vrai et le faux, et mettant en lumière les dangers de la technique lorsqu’elle est mal utilisée.

Le processus de recherche et de rédaction que j’utilise pour mes articles publiés dans L’actualité, où j’ai été embauchée il y a deux ans, est assez semblable à celui que j’utilisais à Québec Science, où j’ai travaillé les dix années précédentes. C’est l’angle d’attaque qui est différent : plus scientifique pour Québec Science, plus social et grand public pour L’actualité.

FNPMC : Quelle importance attribuez-vous au fait de remporter un Prix du magazine canadien? Et que pouvons-nous entrevoir pour l’avenir : quels sujets et enjeux suscitent actuellement votre intérêt?

Catherine Dubé : Un prix est le couronnement de nos efforts, la reconnaissance qu’on a atteint notre objectif.

Personne ne se sent obligé de lire un magazine pour être au courant de l’actualité. Les journaux, la télévision et les nouvelles en continu sur le Web nous livrent une rude compétition. C’est à nous, artisans des magazines, de proposer des histoires inédites, des angles nouveaux et surprenants pour nous rendre indispensables aux yeux du grand public.

L’écriture est aussi une clé : elle doit être soignée et fluide. Si le lecteur a autant de plaisir à me lire que s’il lisait un roman, le pari est gagné. C’est toujours un défi, car mon but ultime est d’expliquer des enjeux complexes et souvent abstraits. Je dois trouver les histoires humaines à travers lesquels ces enjeux s’incarnent et les raconter habilement. Même après toutes ces années, ce n’est pas plus facile qu’avant… La différence, c’est que je le fais mieux !

Je publierai dans quelques semaines un très long reportage sur le monde de la justice. Le résultat sera publié sous forme de mini-livre, encarté dans le magazine, un nouveau format que nous proposons aux lecteurs depuis l’an dernier et qui connaît un beau succès.

Catherine Dubé est journaliste au magazine L’actualité. Elle est nominée pour 3 Prix du magazine canadien cette année. Un merci tout spécial à Avary Lovell pour l’interview avec Catherine.
[The English version of this interview will be published tomorrow on the Magazine Awards blog.]

De nos archives, par Catherine Dubé :
Demain, des centres à 7$ par jour pour les vieux? (Prix d’or, Santé et famille, 2011)
Marmot 2.0 (Prix d’or, Société, 2010)
1,2,3…bébés? (Prix d’argent, 2010, Santé et médécine)
Vive le mangeur libre (Prix d’or, Mode de vie, 2009)
Grippe A(H1N1) – Tout savoir (Prix d’argent, 2009, Santé et famille)
Des synapses et des lettres (Prix d’argent, Société, 2008)
Péril à la ferme (Prix d’argent, Article hors categorie, 2007)

Off the Page, avec :
Pascale Millot
Jonathan Trudel
PLUS

The award for Best Profile Article went to Herald Magazine (“Graham Day,” by John DeMont).

And the award for Best Atlantic Magazine Article went to Progress Magazine (“To the Manor Born,” by Marjorie Simmins).

In the general print categories, Atlantic Business Magazine won for Arts & Entertainment (“Six Men, Two Dories and the North Atlantic,” by Stephen Kimber).

In addition to the awards open to all print, broadcast and online media in Atlantic Canada, the AJAs also bestowed a number of student awards:

PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA SCHOLARSHIP
Georgena Holley, Nova Scotia Community College, Dartmouth

BELLALIANT PRIX D’EXCELLENCE EN JOURNALISME
Danielle Bilodeau, Université de Moncton

ATLANTIC LOTTERY CORPORATION ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Khairunnisa Intiar, St. Thomas University

EMERA ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Natascia Lypny, University of King’s College

NALCOR ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Flavio Nienow, College of the North Atlantic

AJAs STUDENT PRIZE OF EXCELLENCE
Geordie Carragher, Holland College

CNW GROUP PRIZE OF EXCELLENCE
Blair Barrington, Nova Scotia Community College

AJAs STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Brad Perry, New Brunswick Community College

More news coverage of AJAs and all the winners.

Related posts:
Harry Bruce wins Lifetime Achievement Award from AJAs
Atlantic Journalism Awards finalists announced

And the nominees are…

Chris Hampton, for “The Place Where Art Sleeps” (Maisonneuve)

Chris Hampton

Chris Hampton is completing graduate studies in journalism at Ryerson University. He has contributed to Maisonneuve, the National Post, Chart Attack, and The Huffington Post.

What the judges said about it: “In evocative and entertaining prose, Chris Hampton takes the reader on a visual journey to a cloistered world where some of art’s greatest treasures lie hidden from public view. With a keen eye for detail, he makes the underground realm of high art accessible and fascinating.”

Sierra Skye Gemma, for “The Wrong Way” (The New Quarterly)

Sierra Skye Gemma

Sierra Skye Gemma is an award-winning writer and journalist. Her story “The Wrong Way” was the winner of The New Quarterly 2012 Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest. She is currently completing an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia.

What the judges said: “With a fresh voice and a strong command of style and structure, Sierra Skye Gemma digs ever deeper into the story of a lost life, writing with both edginess and verve in this meditation on the process of grieving. A terrific example of personal exposition, her story is powerful and lasting.”

May Jeong, for “The Cult of Pastor Song” (Toronto Life)

May Jeong

May Jeong is a graduate of the University of Toronto and now is a freelance reporter who has written for The Globe and Mail, Reuters, The New York Times and Toronto Life, among others. She lives in Kabul, Afghanistan.

What the judges said: “Fearless reporting characterizes this investigative exposé from May Jeong, who gains exclusive access to multiple sources as she pieces together a controversial narrative of fraud and sexual abuse. Immersing herself in a difficult story, she shows real courage and great promise as a writer.”

Congratulations to all the nominees in Best New Magazine Writer. The winner will be revealed at the 36th annual National Magazine Awards gala on June 7 at The Carlu in Toronto. [INFO & TICKETS]

Meet the NMA Finalists for:
Art Direction for an Entire Issue
Photojournalism & Photo Essay