Webster Awards: Vancouver Sun columnist Daphne Braham wins commentator of the year

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Veteran Vancouver Sun columnist Daphne Bramham was named commentator of the year at the 2023 Webster Awards, B.C.’s biggest journalism honours.

Bramham was among winners in 14 categories at this year’s Websters, including four new categories for best news reporting, excellence in investigative journalism, excellence in arts and culture reporting and excellence in feature reporting.

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The Webster Awards were handed out at a live event Tuesday night, hosted by Paul Haysom of CHEK TV and Gloria Macarenko of CBC Radio. Macarenko also hosted a fireside chat with renowned anchor and journalist Lisa LaFlamme.

Dozens of submissions came in from print, radio and podcast, TV and online media sources covering a wide array of topics and issues. The winners’ work can be viewed at jackwebster.com.

Here is the complete list of winners and the work for which they were honoured:

Best News Reporting of the Year, Presented in Memory of Keith Bradbury: Sarah MacDonald, Clayton Little, Global B.C. for Failed in Life and Death: The Story of Noelle O’Soup

Excellence in Investigative Journalism: Nancy Macdonald, Mike Hager, The Globe and Mail for The Blue Wall of Police Accountability

Excellence in Arts and Culture Reporting: Marsha Lederman, The Globe and Mail for Arts in the Crosshairs

Excellence in Feature Reporting: J.B. MacKinnon, Hakai Institute for The Demon River

Excellence in Health Reporting: Paul Johnson, Cody Chaban, Global B.C. for Diversion of Drugs

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Excellence in Technology Reporting: Kate Wilson, Vancouver Tech Journal for Microsoft president Brad Smith is leading the vision of a connected Cascadia

Excellence in Legal Journalism: Francesca Fionda, The Narwhal for This Court Case Could Change the Future of Mining in B.C.

Excellence in Environment Reporting: Ainslie Cruickshank, The Narwhal for The worst house guests: European green crabs are invading B.C. waters

Excellence in Reporting in a Language other than English: Harjinder Thind, Pooja Sekhon, Gurvinder Hanjra, RedFM for Surrey Health Care in Crisis — An In Depth Report

Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Reporting: Amanda Follett Hosgood, The Tyee for 70 Years after the Flood: Cheslatta’s Fight to Reclaim Its Territory

Excellence in Community Reporting, Presented by the Al Roadburg Foundation: Anna McKenzie, Shalu Mehta, IndigiNews for Two-part series: Community rallies for Carsyn Seaweed

Excellence in Multimedia Journalism: Matt Simmons, The Narwhal for The complicated truth about pipelines crossing Wet’suwet’en territory

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Commentator of the Year — City Mike Award, Presented in memory of Linda Webster: Daphne Bramham, Vancouver Sun

Excellence in Business, Industry & Labour Reporting, Endowed by Jean Cormier: Nicola Jones, Hakai Magazine for Banking on the Seaweed Rush.

Also honoured this year were Frances Bula, winner of the 2023 Bruce Hutchison Lifetime Achievement Award; the Global Reporting Centre, which won the 2023 Bill Good Award; and Sophie Lui of Global B.C., who won the 2023 Shelley Fralic Award.

The Jack Webster Foundation was established in 1986 after the retirement of its namesake, who was Western Canada’s best-known and most influential reporter.

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