The National Media Awards Foundation (NMAF) is a Canadian charity whose mission is to recognize excellence in the content and creation of Canadian magazines and Canadian digital publishing through two annual awards programs: the National Magazine Awards (NMAs) and the Digital Publishing Awards (DPAs). Both events—The National Magazine Awards gala and the Digital Publishing Awards soirée—take place each June in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

. Each year the NMAF relies on over 100 volunteer judges to evaluate the entries and award gold and silver winners in the NMA written, visual, integrated and special categories and in the various DPA categories. A 20-member board of directors mostly drawn from the Canadian media industry governs the NMAF. As of 2022, the president of the board of directors of the NMAF is Melony Ward, publisher of ''Canada’s History'' and ''Kayak''.

History

In 1976 Andrew MacFarlane, Dean of Journalism at the

University of Western Ontario The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a Public university, public research university in London, Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by resident ...

(UWO), was trying to revive the university's recently defunct President's Medal for Canadian Magazine Journalism. His original idea was to create a new award divided into English and French counterparts. But MacFarlane eventually developed a proposal for a series of magazine awards, whose salient features were that the program would be bilingual – and therefore truly national – and would recognize individual excellence in the many aspects of the magazine industry – writers, illustrators, editors, photographers and

art directors Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of what ...

. MacFarlane together with

John S. Crosbie John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

, president of the Magazine Association of Canada, secured the participation of the

Canadian Periodical Publishers Association Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

(CPPA), representing 193 Canadian magazines, and CPPA's former president

Michael de Pencier Michael Christian de Pencier, (born January 19, 1935) is an entrepreneur, environmental investor, and publisher. He is the grandson of Archbishop Adam de Pencier and brother-in-law of Richard A. N. Bonnycastle. Born in Toronto, Ontario, de Pen ...

. MacFarlane reached out to his counterpart at Université Laval,

Roger de la Garde Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...

Alan Edmunds Alan may refer to: People *Alan (surname), an English and Turkish surname *Alan (given name), an English given name **List of people with given name Alan ''Following are people commonly referred to solely by "Alan" or by a homonymous name.'' *Al ...

, head of the Periodical Writers Association of Canada ( PWAC), and veteran newsman

Pierre Berton Pierre Francis de Marigny Berton, CC, O.Ont. (July 12, 1920 – November 30, 2004) was a Canadian writer, journalist and broadcaster. Berton wrote 50 best-selling books, mainly about Canadiana, Canadian history and popular culture. He also wr ...

, among others. As the collective effort began to take shape across the country, by the spring of 1977 the National Magazine Awards had developed a clear mandate. On 14 November 1977, National Magazine Awards Foundation received its charter of non-profit foundation status from the

Government of Ontario The government of Ontario (french: Gouvernement de l'Ontario) is the body responsible for the administration of the Canadian province of Ontario. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown—represented in the province by the lieutenant governor� ...

. In 2015, the NMAF established the Digital Publishing Awards, to promote and reward the achievements of those who create digital publishing content in Canada. The National Magazine Awards celebrated 40 years of awarding Canadian creators in 2017. The 40th anniversary event was co-hosted by

Kim Pittaway Kim or KIM may refer to: Names * Kim (given name) * Kim (surname) ** Kim (Korean surname) *** Kim family (disambiguation), several dynasties **** Kim family (North Korea), the rulers of North Korea since Kim Il-sung in 1948 ** Kim, Vietnamese ...

, and D.B. Scott. Alicia Elliott delivered the keynote address. AS of 2022, the National Media Awards have been given to journalists, illustrators and photographers for 45 years.

First awards

There were more than 1300 entries to the first National Magazine Awards for the year 1977. 62 judges evaluated the entries and awarded winners in 14 categories. The first National Magazine Awards gala was held on Thursday, 11 May 1978 at the

Hotel Toronto A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...

. Pierre Berton emceed the event, where the 660 guests dined and danced to Jack Collins and his five-piece band. Before presenting the awards, Berton proclaimed to the audience, "In a bold departure from tradition, there are to be no thank you speeches. We can do that because we are giving money, not some cheap statuette." If any winner started to talk on stage, Berton reportedly waved a large hook in the speaker's direction. Awards were handed down in 14 categories (with separate French- and English-language winners for the President's Award for General Magazine Articles). 11 different magazines won awards. The NMAF also honoured outstanding achievement by a magazine: L'actualité (French) and

Harrowsmith ''Harrowsmith Country Life'' was a magazine that explored and showcased country living. Originally called ''Harrowsmith'', the magazine was heralded as a back-to-the-land and environmental issues platform. In 1976, founder James M. Lawrence cut ...

(English) took the awards.

Major winners of the National Magazine Awards

The now-defunct '' Saturday Night'' is the all-time leader in awards, with 129 gold awards. '' Toronto Life'' magazine leads all current publications with 108 gold awards. Writer Robert Fulford is the all-time individual leader with 14 gold awards. The NMAF also maintains
searchable archive
of all past winners an
tallies
of magazines and creators who have won the most National Magazine Awards.

Magazine of the Year

Each year the National Magazine Awards concludes with the naming of Canada's Magazine of the Year. Previous winners are: *1982: '' Equinox'' *1983: ''

Vancouver Magazine ''Vancouver Magazine'' is an English-language lifestyle magazine focused on Vancouver, British Columbia and the Lower Mainland. ''Vancouver Magazine'' describes its mission as informing, guiding and entertaining residents of a "dynamic, internati ...

'' *1984: '' Saturday Night'' *1985: '' Toronto Life'' *1986: '' Quill & Quire'' *1987: '' Report on Business Magazine'' *1988: '' Applied Arts Quarterly'' *1989: '' Toronto Life'' *1990: ''

West Magazine ''San Jose Mercury News West Magazine'', also referred to as ''West'' and ''West Magazine'', was a Sunday magazine published by ''San Jose Mercury News'' from 1982 to 1997. ''West Magazine'' received numerous awards and was recognized both for its ...

'' *1991: ''

Idler The Idler refers to someone idle: * An idle game * A slacker, a person who habitually avoids work * Idler-wheel, a system used to transmit the rotation of the main shaft of a motor to another rotating device * Idler circuit, a circuit in a paramet ...

'' *1992: ''

Cottage Life ''Cottage Life'' is a Canadian magazine focusing on cottage lifestyle content. First published in the summer of 1988, the publication features how-to articles, buying guides, and tips on aspects of cottage living and lifestyle. Formally published ...

'' *1993: '' Owl'' and Chickadee'' *1994: '' Canadian Art'' *1995: '' Canadian House & Home'' *1996: ''

Canadian Living ''Canadian Living'' is a monthly Canadian lifestyle magazine, which publishes articles relating to food, fashion, crafts, and health and family advice. History and profile The magazine was created by Clem Compton-Smith and his business partner, ...

'' *1997: ''

'' *1998: '' Adbusters'' *1999: ''

Chatelaine Chatelaine may refer to: * Chatelaine (chain), a set of short chains on a belt worn by women and men for carrying keys, thimble and/or sewing kit, etc. *Chatelaine (horse), a racehorse * ''Chatelaine'' (magazine), an English-language Canadian wom ...

'' *2000: ''

Azure Azure may refer to: Colour * Azure (color), a hue of blue ** Azure (heraldry) ** Shades of azure, shades and variations Arts and media * ''Azure'' (Art Farmer and Fritz Pauer album), 1987 * Azure (Gary Peacock and Marilyn Crispell album), 2013 ...

'' *2001: '' Canadian Geographic'' *2002: ''

Outpost Magazine ''Outpost Magazine'' is a Canadian adventure-travel publication based out of Toronto, Ontario. Published six times a year, it is known for its longform adventure narratives from across the world, often with a Canadian perspective. History The fi ...

'' *2003: '' Border Crossings'' *2004: '' Maisonneuve'' *2005: ''

Maclean's ''Maclean's'', founded in 1905, is a Canadian news magazine reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events. Its founder, publisher John Bayne Maclean, established the magazine to provide a uniquely Canadian perspe ...

'' *2006: '' The Walrus'' *2007: '' Toronto Life'' *2008: '' AlbertaViews'' *2009: '' Up Here'' *2010: '' MoneySense'' *2011: '' Maisonneuve'' *2012: ''

Corporate Knights Corporate Knights is a media and research company based in Toronto, Canada, focused on advancing a sustainable economy. The company publishes an award-winning magazine,  ''Corporate Knights'', and produces global rankings, research reports, a ...

'' *2013: ''

'' *2014: '' Nouveau Projet'' *2015:'' Maisonneuve'' *2016: ''

Outstanding Achievement

Each year since 1990 the NMAF has awarded the Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement, which recognizes an individual's innovation and creativity through contributions to the Canadian magazine industry. The winners since 1990 are: *1990

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*1991

*1992

Lloyd Hodgkinson Lloyd, Lloyd's, or Lloyds may refer to: People * Lloyd (name), a variation of the Welsh word ' or ', which means "grey" or "brown" ** List of people with given name Lloyd ** List of people with surname Lloyd * Lloyd (singer) (born 1986), America ...

*1993

Barbara Moon Barbara may refer to: People * Barbara (given name) * Barbara (painter) (1915–2002), pseudonym of Olga Biglieri, Italian futurist painter * Barbara (singer) (1930–1997), French singer * Barbara Popović (born 2000), also known mononymously ...

*1994 Don Obe *1995

Jean Paré Jean Paré, CM (December 7, 1927 – December 24, 2022) was a Canadian caterer, author of the '' Company's Coming'' cookbook series, and founder of Company's Coming Publishing Limited. She was one of the top-selling cookbook authors in t ...

*1996 Catherine Keachie *1997 James Ireland *1998 Robert Fulford *1999

Lynn Cunningham Lynn may refer to: People and fictional characters * Lynn (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Lynn (surname) * The Lynns, a 1990s American country music duo consisting of twin sisters Peggy and Patsy Lynn * Lynn ( ...

*2000

Peter C. Newman Peter Charles Newman (born May 10, 1929) is a Canadian journalist and writer. Life and career Born in Vienna, Austria, Newman emigrated from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia to Canada in 1940 as a Jewish refugee. His parents were Wanda Maria and O ...

*2001

Ken Rodmell Ken or KEN may refer to: Entertainment * ''Ken'' (album), a 2017 album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer. * ''Ken'' (film), 1964 Japanese film. * ''Ken'' (magazine), a large-format political magazine. * Ken Masters, a main character in t ...

*2002

Al Zikovitz AL, Al, Ål or al may stand for: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Al (''Aladdin'') or Aladdin, the main character in Disney's ''Aladdin'' media * Al (''EastEnders''), a minor character in the British soap opera * Al (''Fullmetal ...

*2003 Sally Armstrong *2004 Paul Jones *2005 John Macfarlane *2006 Neville Gilfoy *2007 Charles Oberdorf *2008 Cynthia Brouse *2009

Terry Sellwood Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a diminutive nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence or Terrier (masculine). People Male * Terry Albritton (1955–2005), ...

*2010 D.B. Scott *2011 Heather Robertson *2012

Stephen Trumper Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; h ...

*2013 Kim Jernigan *2014 Michael Fox *2015

*2016 Penny Caldwell

Other information

The submissions process for the National Magazine Awards is generally open from December until the second week of January. Nominations are announced in the spring, and the awards gala is held in June in Toronto.

References

External links

National Magazine Awards
{{Authority control Canadian journalism awards Canadian non-fiction literary awards Literary awards for magazines Awards established in 1982 1982 establishments in Ontario