Free Press garners four National Newspaper Award nominations

The Free Press has been nominated for four 2022 National Newspaper Awards, which honour some of the best journalistic work across the country.

Four Free Press staff joined 87 journalists named as awards finalists Friday:

— Melissa Martin is a finalist for the Mary Ann Shadd Cary Award for her columns on a range of topics, including reporting on the ground in Poland, medical misinformation in the face of a loved one’s death, and the impact of inaccessible winter streets on Winnipeg’s most vulnerable.

— Eva Wasney is a finalist in the Arts and Entertainment/Culture category for her profile of Anishinaabe graphic designer and visual artist Jordan Stranger.

— Julia-Simone Rutgers is a finalist in the Special Topic: Indigenous Issues-Climate Change category for her work with both the Free Press and the Narwhal on the impact of climate change, including an in-depth look at Winnipeg’s compost system, flooding in Peguis First Nation, and “zombie deer disease” in Manitoba.

— Mike Deal is a finalist in the Feature Photo category for his image of a person lying on a bench near a bus shelter in Transcona in the midst of a city councillor’s proposal to remove the glass walls from such shelters to deter people dealing with homelessness from gathering.

“Each day our newsroom strives to deliver the best for our readers and these nominations are a testament to the fact our journalism is among the best in the country,” Free Press editor Paul Samyn said.

The Free Press garnered the fifth-most finalist nominations. Leading the way was the Globe and Mail with 19, La Presse with 14, Toronto Star with 10, and The Canadian Press (six).

The National Newspaper Awards (established in 1949) seek to recognize “excellence in daily journalism and to celebrate the vital role that strong journalism plays in society.”

“In a time of unprecedented disruption in the media landscape, news organizations retain the trust of their communities because of their integrity, credibility and commitment to high-quality news reporting, information and analysis,” its website reads.

“Many newspapers and their digital counterparts continue to illuminate local, provincial and national issues in a way that other media do not; they continue to be able to effect change in a way that other organizations cannot.”

The competition is open to newspapers, news agencies and online news sites approved for entry by the NNA board of governors.

There were 923 entries from 76 news organizations in 2022.

The winners will be announced May 5 in Toronto.