Who can compete in the Canadian Community Newspaper Awards (CCNAwards)?

The CCNAwards are open to general and sustaining members of the Canadian Community Newspapers Association who are in good standing as of December 31.

In addition, there is a separate division for Campus Newspapers, which is open to all newspapers serving post-secondary institutions across Canada.

How do I log into the online registration system?

We are not using an online registration system for the 2013 CCNAwards. Please download the entry book and materials--see the next question below.

Where can I get a copy of the entry book?

There are separate entry books for CCNA members and Campus Newspapers. Please email gmroz@newspaperscanada.ca for a sample from the past competition.

When is the entry deadline?

The final entry deadline for the 2013 Canadian Community Newspaper Awards was Friday, February 15, 2013.

Which circulation figure is used for entering classes in each category?

For non-daily community newspapers, Newspapers Canada uses the latest audited or sworn average total circulation figure for your edition of record as of December 1, 2012. Community daily newspapers that publish five or more times per week will automatically compete in the top circulation class for all categories. (To view your circulation figures in our searchable database, click here.)

CCNAwards personnel will ensure that all entries are submitted in the correct classes.

What forms of payment does Newspapers Canada accept?

CCNA accepts the following forms of payment: cheque or money order payable to CCNA; VISA; MasterCard; and American Express. If you are paying by cheque or money order, please write the name of your newspaper or your invoice number so that it is readily identifiable by Newspapers Canada staff.

My newspaper must submit cheque requisitions to our corporate head office, and cheques usually take a few weeks to be issued. Can we send our entries to Newspapers Canada by the deadline, and then send the cheque later?

Ideally, we would prefer that payments be included with the entry package. If you are unable to have a corporate cheque issued before the deadline, Newspapers Canada accepts other forms of payment. Newspapers Canada accepts personal cheques, as well as money orders from banks or the post office. Newspapers Canada also accepts credit card payments. It is in your best interest to include your payment with your entry package. Unusual delays in sending payment may result in your entries being withheld from the competition and possibly disqualified.

My newspaper wishes to enter the Outstanding Columnist category. However, our selected columnist only publishes a column every other week. Can we still enter?

Yes. Send three consecutive columns whether they are weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Attach an explanatory letter from the editor or publisher, explaining the circumstances.

I would like to enter the Arts Coverage or Sports Coverage category. What do I submit?

The category definitions for Best Coverage of the Arts and Best Sports Coverage mention that 3 to 5 different works must be submitted. A work is defined as a single story, feature, editorial, stand-alone photo, or photo essay. If a story turns onto a second page, be sure to submit both tearsheets. Similarly, if you are submitting a photo essay, submit all tearsheets on which the photo essay was published.

A full arts section or sports section, or all pages of arts coverage or sports coverage from an issue, will be judged as multiple works.

The premise behind these categories is to showcase the best specific examples of arts and sports coverage in your community.

I would like to enter my newspaper in the General Excellence competition. Where do I send my entry?

All CCNA members must send their General Excellence entries directly to the Newspapers Canada office.

How does Newspapers Canada determine if my paper is eligible for the national General Excellence competition?

A paper will enter the competition directly through Newpapers Canada and be judged against all other national entrants within its circulation category. The circulation categories have been adjusted to offer fair judging.

What is a Blue Ribbon?

A Blue Ribbon award is given in the General Excellence division to any paper in the national competition that deserves recognition for excellence, as determined by the General Excellent judge(s). Recipients receive a certificate and a reproduction-quality logo that may be printed on the papers masthead or front page.

My paper is a sustaining member of CCNA. Are we eligible to enter all categories?

Yes. Sustaining members, including Canadian Forces Base Newspapers, may enter any category in the applicable circulation class, in the same manner as general members. The same entry fees apply for general and sustaining members.

How will I be able to remember which works we submitted?

When preparing your entries, you should be completing three forms for each entry: the entry form, the identification tag, and the entry summary form. The entry summary form gives you space to write down brief descriptions of your entries. You should keep this form in a handy location in your office so that you can readily refer to it when we announce the finalists and winners. Newspapers Canada is unable to keep track of the thousands of entries that are submitted each year, so it is up to you to maintain your records.

Can I submit more than one entry in a category?

No. Members are limited to one entry per category in their applicable circulation class.

If a work was published in several papers, can each paper submit that work?

No. The paper with the highest weekly first-edition circulation may enter that work. Any duplicates may be disqualified by CCNA's Canadian Community Newspaper Awards staff, committee or judges at any time that they are discovered during the competition.

How can I become a judge?

You will need a colleague to nominate you as a judge. Your area(s) of expertise (e.g., editorial, advertising, etc.) must also be indicated. Past winners are also considered as potential judges. Please contact gmroz@newspaperscanada.ca for the judging nomination form.

I would like to sponsor an award. Who do I contact?

Contact Marcia McDougall  by e-mail at sales@newspaperscanada.ca.

When and where will the finalists be announced?

Effective in 2013, the final standings, consisting of the top three newspapers in all categories and classes, will be announced on Wednesday, March 27. They will be announced on this website and in Newspapers Canada's industry newsletter. To subscribe to the newsletter, click here.

When and where will the winners be announced?

Effective in 2013, the final standings, consisting of the top three newspapers in all categories and classes, will be announced on Wednesday, March 27. They will be announced on this website and in Newspapers Canada's industry newsletter. To subscribe to the newsletter, click here.

First-place winners who are able to attend the INK+BEYOND conference in Ottawa will be recognized during a special event on Thursday, May 2, 2013. This evening function is included in the price of admission for the annual conference and trade show. Guest tickets are also available. For more details and to purchase conference passes, please visit www.inkandbeyond.ca.