CMA Announces Recipients of 2013 Media Awards for Health Reporting

OTTAWA, Sept. 12, 2013 /CNW/ - The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is proud today to announce the recipients of the 2013 Media Awards for Health, Canada's premier health journalism awards.

"Each year, we are increasingly impressed with the quality of health-related journalism we see. Reporters show an incredible ability to cover emotional and complex topics in way that Canadians can understand, while also helping advance health policy in this country," said Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti, president of the CMA. "Once again, journalists have risen to the challenge of providing their audiences with insight into key issues affecting the lives of Canadians."

The CMA Media Awards honour outstanding Canadian journalism that enhances understanding of health, the health care system and the role of health professionals. Independent panels of individuals with backgrounds in journalism, medicine and health care evaluated the entries, selecting winners in 11 categories* from among over a 100 submissions.

Entries were evaluated on fairness and balance, timeliness, insight, impact, and writing/production quality.

The 2013 Media Award for Health Reporting recipients are:

The Michelle Lang Award for Excellence in Print Reporting - In-depth feature article
Ann Silversides
Maisonneuve - First do no harm


Special mention
Pamela Fayerman
Vancouver Sun - Michael Douglas builds HPV, oral cancer awareness

Excellence in Health Reporting - Print (Large market)
Catherine Dubé
L'actualité - Le son de l'espoir

Special mention
Sharon Kirkey
Postmedia News - Psychiatry's hour of crisis

Excellence in Health Reporting - Print (Mid-size market)
Marine Corniou
Québec Science - Nunavut - Au pays de la peste blanche

Excellence in Health Reporting - Television news
Su-Ling Goh, Clarisse Porca, Morris Gamblin
Global Edmonton - Assisted suicide, Parts 1 & 2


Special mention
Leif Larsen, Gosia Sawicka
CBC Manitoba - Winnipeg thermography clinic ordered to stop operating

Excellence in Health Reporting - Television in-depth reporting
Caroline Gauthier
Téléfiction Productions inc., Télé-Québec, Une pilule, une petite granule - Emprisonné dans son corps : le syndrome de verrouillage


Special mention
Avery Haines, Shayla Scott
City News, The Inside Story - Dystonia

Excellence in Health Reporting - Radio
Dr. Brian Goldman, Kent Hoffman, Dawna Dingwall
CBC Radio One, White Coat, Black Art - The drug shortage


Special mention
Mackenzie Grisdale, Christina Harnett
CBC Radio, Maritime Magazine - Where there's smoke

Excellence in Local Health Reporting - Print and broadcast
Steve Fischer, Jennifer Beard, Paul Jay, Sarah Lalumiere, Paula Waddell
CBC News Ottawa - Fentanyl : Fatal addiction

Excellence in Emerging Health Care Issue - Print and broadcast
Maria Cook
Ottawa Citizen - Village people, Too sick to move, too well to stay, Hospitals urge elderly patients to 'move on'.

The Norman Bethune Award for Excellence in International Health Reporting - Print and broadcast
Dominique Forget
L'actualité - La chasse aux virus est ouverte


Special mention
Ionna Roumeliotis, Corinne Seminoff, Brent Roy, Aileen McBride
CBC News, The National - Syria's most vulnerable

Excellence in Digital Health Reporting
Kelly Crowe
CBC News Online - Paying for plasma

Special mention
Jim Williamson, Marie Caloz, Anita Elash, Amber Hildebrandt, Michael Pereira
CBC Television the fifth estate and CBC News Online - Rate My Hospital

*No winners were chosen in the Excellence in Multicultural Health Reporting - Print and broadcast category.

"This year's nominees were of exceptional quality. I offer my thanks to the judges for making the tough choices and my congratulations to the winners for their excellent coverage of what can be a challenging field," said Dr. Francescutti.

The CMA Media Award winners will be honoured at a gala celebration on Oct. 2, 2013, at the Château Laurier in Ottawa. Tickets may be purchased online at www.cma.ca/media-awards.

SOURCE: Canadian Medical Association

Lucie Boileau
Canadian Medical Association
Tel: [phone] ext. 1266
Cell: 613-447-0866
Email: [e-mail]