News Release Tool Earns Nanaimo “Spirit of Innovation Award”

September 28, 2015

NANAIMO – A News Release tool envisioned and developed by staff at the City of Nanaimo has received the Spirit of Innovation Award by the Municipal Information Systems Association of British Columbia (MISA). The City’s News Release Creator was recognized for its innovative and collaborative approach for preparing, approving and sharing information. Using any desktop or mobile device, the tool provides coordinated access to communication resources that staff can task to send announcements to the traditional media as well as the City’s nearly 10,000 Twitter followers, while posting all announcements to a dedicated newsroom on the City’s website.

“The Spirit of Innovation Award was established to recognize local governments who find unique ways of applying technology to challenges in municipal operations.  This marks the fourth time that the City of Nanaimo has won this award since 1998, showing Nanaimo’s longstanding focus on innovation,” explained Barbara Davey, President of the Municipal Information Systems Association of British Columbia.

“It’s not often you issue a news release on the topic of writing news releases, but this occasion is indeed special.  MISA’s recognition has confirmed the innovative nature of this tool and the value of the planning and work that went into its creation,” stated Philip Cooper the city’s Communication Manager.

Key Points:

  • Since its introduction in March 2014, the News Release Creator has processed over 375 announcements discussing department updates in every business area, decisions of Council, new projects and emergency alerts. This exceeds the combined number of news releases issued during the previous four years.
  • MISA BC exists to promote greater co-operation among local government staff in the IT field by sharing information and developing common solutions on a broader and cost-effective scale. The City of Nanaimo regularly shares ideas and solutions within the MISA membership.
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