2009 Editors’ Choice Awards: Today’s Parent Takes the Large-Circulation Magazine of the Year and Editor of the Year Awards

The Canadian Society of Magazine Editors (CSME) announced the 2009 Editors' Choice Awards winners on Wednesday, June 3.

Spacing, Vancouver, Today’s Parent, and Design Edge Canada took home the titles of Magazine of the Year at this year's Editor's Choice Awards, in the categories of small-, medium-, and large-circulation, and trade magazines, respectively.

It was a double-win for Today’s Parent, with editor Caroline Connell also landing the Editor of the Year honour.

“It’s really great to be recognized by our peers. I’m glad I got a babysitter tonight,” said Connell.

Other awards handed out at a gala dinner, held in Toronto as part of the annual MagNet conference, included Up Here, winner of the Jim Cormier Award for Best Display Writing, Style at Home for Best Front of the Book, and Hockey News, winner of the inaugural Best Website award.

“These awards recognize the best of the best in Canadian magazines. Since our industry is feeling the same economic pinch as so many others, there’s never a better time to celebrate achievement. Tonight was a night to forget about finances and focus on recognizing the talented people who put together this year’s award-winning magazines,” said CSME president, Bob Sexton.

Attendees at the dinner included Spacing editor Matthew Blackett, Ann Meredith Brown of Design Edge Canada, The Hockey News web editor Ed Fraser, and strong contingents from Canadian Home Workshop, Cottage Life, Outdoor Canada, and Homemakers.

Another award-winner, the Globe and Mail’s Graeme Smith, shocked and awed attendees with tales of life covering the war in Afghanistan.

Guests were also entertained with pre-dinner music by The Aline Morales Band’s Brazilian beats and, after the awards presentation, by CSME’s own mixmaster, DJ Bob Sexton.

Magazines West is Western Canada’s premier event for established and emerging magazine industry professionals. Register now to participate in two days of motivational and meaningful professional development seminars, panel discussions and networking opportunities. The conference component is followed by the Western Magazine Awards Foundation’s Gala Dinner and Awards, this year hosted by Bill Richardson.

Magazines West is an initiative of the BC Association of Magazine Publishers (BCAMP) and the Western Magazine Awards Foundation (WMAF). For the full Magazines West program and to register, click here.

Don't forget to add the CSME's annual Editors' Choice Awards (and dinner) to your MagNet registration! Join other editors for drinks and dinner, listen to our featured speaker and find out if your magazine won an award.

This year's special guest speaker is Graeme Smith. Graeme served as The Globe and Mail's lead correspondent in Afghanistan from 2006 to 2009, devoting more time to the war-torn southern region than any other Western journalist during that period. He is now on leave, working on a book about the conflict. He attended Ryerson University's journalism program from 1997 to 2001 and interned for two years at the Toronto Star. Hired by The Globe and Mail in 2001, he was posted to Winnipeg in 2003 and Moscow in 2005. Graeme's awards include the Canadian Association of Journalists' prize for investigative reporting; the Edward Goff Penny Memorial Prize; the Amnesty International award for Canadian print journalism; a National Newspaper Award for international reporting; the 2007 Michener Award; and the 2008 Online Journalism Award.

For more information and to register, visit magnet.magazinescanada.ca today!

When times are tough, it's tempting to push ad-edit boundaries. CSME's luncheon featured three panelists who have figured out how to bring in new revenue for their brands without compromising the reader experience. They'll tell you how they did it.

Featured speakers were:
Peter Willson, Associate Publisher, Hello! Canada
Douglas Thomson, Editor, Canadian Home Workshop
Sharon Donaldson, Online Editor, cottagelife.com, exlore-mag.com and CottageLifeRentals.com
Moderated by: Marco Ursi, Editor, Masthead Online
Date: April 23
Time: Noon - 1:30
Place: Arts and Letters Club, 14 Elm Street (near Dundas subway station)

Members: $30, Non-members, $50

Questions? Contact csmeadmin [at] canadianeditors.com

Thank you to everyone who entered the 2009 Editors' Choice Awards! We received a good turnout of entries in all categories. CSME's annual Editors' Choice Awards are judged by your editing peers. Magazine of the Year is awarded in small (0 to 49,000), medium (50,000 to 149,000) and large (150,000+) circulation categories, as well as a trade category. There are also awards for best front of book, editor of the year, the Jim Cormier award for display writing, and NEW this year, best magazine website! The award winners will be announced at a Gala event at MagNet on Wednesday, June 3rd. Good luck to all who entered! Special rate for 2009 As many magazines are experiencing tight budgets this year, CSME has decided to absorb some costs and reduce our rates so more of you can participate in the Awards. Entry into the Editors' Choice Awards is FREE with a membership; our membership rates have been reduced. Click here for membership information. To enter, download the form here and follow the instructions. Entries are due at 5 p.m. on March 25. Interested in being a judge? Please contact csmeadmin@canadianeditors.com.