Gleaner reporter claims golden New Journalist Award

Only two years into her career as a reporter at The Daily Gleaner in Fredericton, NB, Tara Chislett has already forged a glittering reputation.

She has won gold in claiming the 2013 Jim MacNeill New Journalist Award, belatedly presented in a newsroom ceremony last week by Bill Skerrett, executive director of the Atlantic Journalism Awards (AJA) program.

“Your stories are packed with detail and you speak to the people affected by news developments,” wrote Kevin Ward, chair of the AJA program, in a congratulatory letter that praised her for consistently achieving a high standard of excellence.

“The story you wrote on the fire at St. Ann’s Parish in Kingsclear is a good example. You found Matthew Onwugigbo watching the blaze, hands stuffed in his pockets, wondering how he would hold a service that weekend. Your story brought a human face to a community dealing with disaster.”

Chislett, who covers education and general news, started at the Gleaner in August 2012. She won a silver in the sports reporting category at last year’s AJAs for her follow-up coverage of a horrific accident that claimed the lives of seven members of a high school sports team and their coach’s wife.

Ward, Atlantic Bureau chief of The Canadian Press, referenced that as well in his letter: “You also dig to gauge the impact of government policies, such as the story you wrote about how schools and parents have been affected by the ban on 15-passenger vans in New Brunswick, despite widespread support for the policy.”

The award’s namesake ran a community newspaper in Prince Edward Island and took a special interest in nurturing the careers of young journalists.

“I am delighted that Tara won the 2013 Jim MacNeill New Journalist Award,” says Stephen Llewellyn, president of the Fredericton Typographical Union. “She is an excellent journalist and, despite being the youngest member, she is a strong believer in the union movement and an active member of the Local. Anyone who thinks young people don’t believe in unions or understand the importance of unions should sit down and talk to Tara for a few minutes.”

Chislett, who was presented the framed certificate several months after the official ceremonies took place, told her newsroom colleagues: “This award belongs to all of us. You have all helped me learn.”

Llewellyn was himself a 2013 AJA winner, claiming a silver, as did Don MacPherson, the Local’s vice-president.

Other CWA Canada members who claimed AJA gold this year:

Nadine Fownes of The Chronicle Herald for Long-Term Care (Best Page Presentation);
Cindy Wilson of the (Saint John) Telegraph-Journal for Escapee (PhotoJournalism Spot News);
The Canadian Press team, Halifax, for Capsized Fishing Boat (Breaking/Spot News - Print);
Frances Willick, Selena Ross of The Chronicle Herald for Rehtaeh Parsons (Enterprise Reporting - Print);
Federico Cahis, Steve Bruce of CBC P.E.I. for Stanhope beach resort fire (TV Breaking/Spot News);
Rachel Cave of CBC N.B. for Not Working (TV Enterprise Reporting);
Myfanwy Davies, Christina Harnett of CBC N.B. for Remembering Christopher: Every Day is Remembrance Day (Radio Feature Writing);
Brett Bundale of The Chronicle Herald for Fracking, For and Against (Business Reporting);
Mari Ito, Dean Gallant, Nancy Waugh, Mackenzie Grisdale, Doug Kirby of CBC N.S. for Road to Nowhere: The Cogswell Street Interchange (Multimedia Feature); and
Anthony Germain of CBC Newfoundland tied for the Best Information News Radio program for his NDP interview.