NATIONAL MAGAZINE AWARDS 2007 WINNERS ANNOUNCED

NEW YORK, NY (May 1, 2007)—The American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) this evening presented the 2007 National Magazine Awards, the industrys most prestigious editorial honor, at a gala black-tie event.  The 42nd annual award ceremony, held at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th Street, in New York City, was attended by more than 1,000 editors, publishers, industry professionals and guests.

The National Magazine Awards honor magazines, whether in print or online, that consistently demonstrate superior execution of editorial objectives, innovative editorial techniques, noteworthy journalistic enterprise, and imaginative design.  The Ellies (named after the Alexander Calder Stabile Elephant, which is ASMEs symbol of the award) were presented to 19 print and online magazines across 25 categories.

The 2007 National Magazine Award winners are:

• National Geographic for General Excellence (over 2,000,000 circulation)
• Rolling Stone for General Excellence (1,000,000 to 2,000,000 circulation)
• Wired for General Excellence (500,000 to 1,000,000 circulation)
• New York for General Excellence (250,000 to 500,000 circulation)
• Foreign Policy for General Excellence (100,000 to 250,000 circulation)
• Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists for General Excellence (under 100,000 circulation)
• Glamour for Personal Service
• O, The Oprah Magazine for Leisure Interests
• Esquire for Reporting
• Vanity Fair for Public Interest
• GQ for Feature Writing
• New York for Profile Writing
• The Georgia Review for Essays
• Vanity Fair for Columns and Commentary
• The Nation for Reviews and Criticism
• New York for Magazine Section
• Departures for Single-Topic Issue
• New York for Design
• National Geographic for Photography
• The Paris Review for Photojournalism
• City for Photo Portfolio
• McSweeneys for Fiction
• Beliefnet.com for General Excellence Online
• BusinessWeek.com for Interactive Service
• nymag.com for Interactive Feature

New York received seven nominations and won five awards.  Esquire received seven nominations and won one award. National Geographic had five nominations and Vanity Fair four, and they won two awards each.  Beliefnet.com; Departures;McSweeneys; O, The Oprah Magazine; and The Paris Review were awarded their first Ellie.

This years program attracted 1,774 entries from 334 print and online magazines. The 127 finalists and 25 winners were chosen by more than 270 editors, art directors, educators and online media experts.

A number of the award recipients have received multiple Ellies throughout the years. Through 2007, Esquire has received 19 awards; National Geographic has received 15 awards; New York has received 14 awards; Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair have received 13 awards each; BusinessWeek has received nine awards; Glamour has received six awards; Wired has received five awards; GQ and The Nation have received four awards each; Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, City, Foreign Policy andThe Georgia Review have received two awards each.

Barnes & Noble is the exclusive sponsor of the 2007 awards.  In addition to their support of the event, they will host a panel discussion with writers from winning and finalist magazines on May 4 at 7 p.m.  The panel discussion will take place at the Lincoln Triangle Barnes & Noble in Manhattan (1972 Broadway at 66th Street).

This year marks the debut of several new categories at the awards. They include:

• Photojournalism, which recognizes the documentation of an event or subject in real time
• A separate category, Photo Portfolio, honors creative photography and photo illustrations such as fashion, art photography, and portraiture
• Interactive Service and Interactive Feature, two new online-only categories designed to honor the enterprising multimedia features magazines are creating online

A selection of this years articles from National Magazine Award finalists and winners will be published in ASMEs eighth anthology The Best American Writing 2007 (Fall, Columbia University Press).

Following are the 2007 National Magazine Award winners with judges citations. (Note that editors listed held that position at the time the issue was published in 2006.)

GENERAL EXCELLENCE This category recognizes overall excellence in magazines.  The award honors the effectiveness with which writing, reporting, editing and design all come together to command readers attention and fulfill the magazines unique editorial mission.

Over 2,000,000 circulation

National Geographic: Chris Johns, editor-in-chief, for May, November, December issues.

Biblical intrigue. Frostbitten toes. Royal renovations. Deadly seals. National Geographics mix of broad, relevant, quietly passionate and gloriously presented editorial delivers on its promise to encourage readers to know and care about and for the world.

1,000,000 to 2,000,000 circulation

Rolling Stone: Jann S. Wenner, editor and publisher; Will Dana, managing editor for May 4, May 18-June 1, November 16 issues.

In its 1000th-issue year, Rolling Stone remains as forward-looking as ever.  Whether its a scathing critique of George W. Bush, a pop-culture profile of Nick Lachey, or a music or movie review, the magazine is uniformly smart, deeply reported and beautifully written.  With its iconic photography and arresting editorial voice, Rolling Stone is above all original and bold.

500,000 to 1,000,000 circulation

Wired: Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief, for August, November, December issues.

Wired brings depth and delight to any topic, from clever gadgets to world-changing ideas. At a time when technology is more pervasive than ever, the magazine guides its readers with a friendly voice, an engaging design, and a free-ranging intelligence.

250,000 to 500,000 circulation

New York: Adam Moss, editor-in-chief, for May 22, July 17, September 18 issues.

From probing the tortured negotiations behind the citys 9/11 memorial and the embattled nerve center of The New York Times, to the buzzy, reconfigured Intelligencer and the innovative Strategist service sections, New York revels in the diversity, sexiness and intensity of the city it covers. It is nothing less than a redefinition of the city magazine.

100,000 to 250,000 circulation

Foreign Policy: Moiss Nam, editor-in-chief, for May/June, September/October, November/December issues.

Foreign Policy deftly wrestles today's dilemmas onto the page with confidence, originality and style. With its groundbreaking reporting, think-again take on global politics, and easy-to-absorb infographics, the magazine offers readers an informed perspective on the grand and grave issues of our time. Always authoritative but never heavy-handed, Foreign Policy delivers on its mission to take readers beyond the facts to understand how the world works.

Under 100,000 circulation

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Mark Strauss, editor, for May/June, July/August, September/October issues.

Six decades after its founding by a group of physicists, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists remains steadfast in its clarion call that the world has not yet tamed the nuclear beast.  The Bulletin remains relevant today because of its persuasive insight into the range of causes for our eroding global security.  Its iconic atomic clock now ticks more urgently than ever.

PERSONAL SERVICE This category recognizes excellence in service journalism. The advice or instruction presented should help readers improve the quality of their personal lives.

Glamour: Cynthia Leive, editor-in-chief, for What No One Ever Tells You About Breast Implants, by Liz Welch, November.

In this balanced and meticulously reported account of the very serious health risks of breast implant surgery, Liz Welch follows the patient from consult to the surgical procedure, giving the reader a graphic account of what to expect. Including a wealth of practical information and sound guidance, the article helps young women make an informed decision about one of todays most common cosmetic surgeries.

LEISURE INTERESTS This category recognizes excellent service journalism about leisure-time pursuits. The practical advice or instruction presented should help readers enjoy hobbies or other recreational interests.

O, The Oprah Magazine: Oprah Winfrey, founder and editorial director; Amy Gross, editor-in-chief, for Reading: A Love Story, July.

There are collectors of books. There are fans of authors. But true love is reserved for readingthe actual act, the process, feel, sounds, and journey of words on a page. O perfectly captures the magic of that affair, stirring new passions and rekindling old flames for an audience that relies on the magazine to inspire them to seek the sublime joys of life. Beginning with a letter from Harper Lee, Reading: A Love Story had us at Hello.

REPORTING This category recognizes excellence in reporting. It honors the enterprise, exclusive reporting and intelligent analysis that a magazine exhibits in covering an event, a situation or a problem of contemporary interest and significance.

Esquire: David Granger, editor-in-chief, for The School, by C.J. Chivers, June.

In The School, C. J. Chivers recounts, in astonishing and chilling detail, the progress of the three-day siege by Chechen terrorists at School No. 1 in the Russian town of Beslan. Told with economy yet packed with detail, The School presents scenes and images that compel the readers attention, and may haunt them for decades to come.

PUBLIC INTEREST This category recognizes journalism that sheds new light on an issue of public importance and has the potential to affect national or local debate or policy.

Vanity Fair: Graydon Carter, editor, for Rules of Engagement, by William Langewiesche, November.

With brutal precision, moral clarity and tremendous literary force, William Langeswiesche reconstructs the events leading up to a massacre of Iraqi civilians at the hands of battle-scarred U.S. Marines.  By creating a microcosm of the American occupation, he helps us understand not just what happened at Haditha, but what it tells us about the war and why the occupation has gone so disastrously wrong.

FEATURE WRITING This category recognizes excellence in feature writing. It honors the stylishness and originality with which the author treats his or her subject.

GQ: Jim Nelson, editor-in-chief, for The Other Side of Hate, by Andrew Corsello, July.

Andrew Corsello offers a harrowing portrait of a country, Zimbabwe, torn apart by a madman, and of two men a white farmer and a fiery black priest who resist the hatred around them. Transformed by their faith, they overcome their own prejudices and achieve a forgiveness that is a model of goodness.

PROFILE WRITING This category recognizes excellence in profile writing. It honors the vividness and perceptiveness with which the writer brings his or her subject to life.

New York: Adam Moss, editor-in-chief, for Karl Lagerfeld, Boy Prince of Fashion, by Vanessa Grigoriadis, February 13.

With sparkling, elegant prose, Vanessa Grigoriadis creates a revealing portrait of fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld and the rarified world he inhabits, that is, by turns, comic and surprisingly poignant. Amidst a field of accomplished finalists, this gem stands out for its innovative structure and impressively economical use of detail. As Lagerfeld himself might say, It's dee-vine.

ESSAYS This category recognizes excellence in essay writing on topics ranging from the personal to the political. Whatever the subject, emphasis should be placed on the authors eloquence, perspective, fresh thinking and unique voice.

The Georgia Review: Stephen Corey, acting editor, for Russell and Mary, by Michael Donohue, Fall/Winter.

A Brooklyn man rescues a box of papers from his landladys home after she dies. Inside he finds her late husbands letters, drawings, and other scraps, from which he pieces together a stunning portrait of the mans desires, dreams and disappointments. We all die twice, author Michael Donahue says, first in body and second when no one remains alive who knew us. In this extraordinary essay, two ordinary people come heartbreakingly back to life.

COLUMNS and COMMENTARY This category recognizes excellence in short-form political, social, economic or humorous commentary. The award honors the eloquence, force of argument and succinctness with which the writer presents his or her views.

Vanity Fair: Graydon Carter, editor, for three columns by Christopher Hitchens, Childhoods End, January; The Vietnam Syndrome, August; Oriana Fallaci and the Art of Interview, December.

Whether describing terrors inflicted on Ugandan children, bearing witness to the lingering effects of Agent Orange, or noting the passing of a great political interviewer, Christopher Hitchens incisive eloquence and expansive intellect puts his controversial subjects into context and reveals their larger meaning.

REVIEWS and CRITICISM This category recognizes excellence in criticism of art, books, movies, television, theater, music, dance, food, dining, fashion, products and the like. It honors the knowledge, persuasiveness and original voice that the critic brings to his or her reviews.

The Nation: Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor and publisher, for three reviews by Stuart Klawans, Down These Mean Streets, October 23; The Tracks of My Tears, November 20; Coming to America! December 4.

Stuart Klawans brings a fans passion and a far-ranging intellect to his witty writing about film. From high culture to low, his reviews place what we see in contextand make us excited about the movies all over again.

MAGAZINE SECTION This category recognizes the excellence of a regular department or editorial section of a magazine, either front or back-of-book and composed of a variety of elements, both text and visual.  Selection is based on the sections voice, originality, design and packaging.

New York: Adam Moss, editor-in-chief, for its Strategist section, June 12, July 24, December 11.

The Strategista frisky blend of old devices reinvented and fresh formats newly minteddelivers savvy, useful advice to getting the most out of life in the city. Service information has never been so much funor so eagerly anticipated by both newcomers and native New Yorkers alike.

SINGLE-TOPIC ISSUE This category recognizes magazines that have devoted an issue to an in-depth examination of one topic. It honors the ambition, comprehensiveness and imagination with which a magazine treats its subject.

Departures: Richard David Story, editor-in-chief, for The Latin Issue: South America 2006, October.

From cover to cover, the Latin issue of Departures gift wraps a continent and delivers it as the best present a discerning traveler could ever want.  With imagination and flair, the editors set a new standard for single-topic issue.  Ay, caramba!

DESIGN This category recognizes excellence in magazine design. It honors the effectiveness of overall design, artwork, graphics and typography in enhancing a magazines unique mission and personality.

New York: Adam Moss, editor-in-chief; Luke Hayman, design director, for April 3, April 17, November 6 issues.

New Yorks design is not about the grid, the typography, or the photography as much as it is an essential component of its editorial voice.  Every aspect of the design, every element on every page, brings an integral part of the magazines content forward for its readers. Week after week it reflects the energies and experiences of New York in all its complexity and diversity.

PHOTOGRAPHY This category recognizes excellence in magazine photography.  It honors the effectiveness of photography, photojournalism and photo illustration in enhancing a magazines unique mission and personality.

National Geographic: Chris Johns, editor-in-chief; David Griffin, senior editor, photography; Susan A. Smith, deputy director, photography, for May, November, December issues.

After a century, National Geographic managed to do the unthinkable and elevate the level of its own wondrous brand of photography. Never has the magazines imagery been more relevant and brilliantly used to tell the epic story of our planet. The various chapters of that story include everything from James Nachtweys inspiring and heartbreaking photographs of medical personnel in Iraq to Maria Stenzels breathtaking images of penguins in the South Sandwich Islands.

PHOTOJOURNALISM This category recognizes the informative photographic documentation of an event or subject in real-time.

The Paris Review: Philip Gourevitch, editor, for Kibera, by Jonas Bendiksen, Winter.

In Kibera, a documentary of life in a Nairobi slum, photographer Jonas Bendiksen comes close to capturing the entire city in all of its decrepitude and humanity. Bendiksens evocative, painterly pictures exquisitely framed, shrouded in shadow and dim deep color move from broad landscapes to more discreet intimate moments, to tell a complex story that simply stuns.

PHOTO PORTFOLIO This category honors creative photography and photo illustration (including portraiture or specially produced layouts on fashion, food, decorating, travel, design, the arts, etc.).

City: John McDonald, editorial director and publisher; Fabrice G. Frere, creative director and COO; Adriana Jacoud, art director; Sarah Greenfield, photo editor, for White Heat, photographed by Horacio Salinas, April.

When it comes to creative photography, CITY magazine competes on another level, and in White Heat, Horacio Salinas plays with the very idea of what a fashion shoot can be.  A series of clever contrastsblack and white, industrial and delicate, iconic and etherealturn a few items of clothing into a simple, graceful and fully realized artistic vision.

FICTION This category recognizes excellence in magazine fiction writing.  It honors the quality of a publications literary selections.

McSweeneys: Dave Eggers, editor, for Wild Child by T.C. Boyle, April; To Sit, Unmoving by Susan Steinberg, July; The Strange Career of Dr. Raju Gopalarajan by Rajesh Parameswaran, September.

From two children at loose ends on the streets of San Juan, to a make-believe medic playing a chilling game of doctor in a Southern strip mall, to a feral child being civilized in 18th century France, McSweeneys exotic tales grab hold of the reader with an unabashed love of storytelling that at once charms and chastens.

GENERAL EXCELLENCE ONLINE This category recognizes outstanding magazine Internet sites, as well as online-only magazines that have a significant amount of original content.

Beliefnet.com: Steven Waldman, co-founder and editor-in-chief

Beliefnet.com is remarkable in both its focus on spirituality, inspiration and faith, and its ability to unite a diverse audience under one digital roof. Its strong content and web-friendly presentation feel rich and satisfying. Packed with provocative commentary, unique blogs, user-generated material, original videos and inspirational talks, the site soothes and amuses in features as far-ranging as Preachers and Teachers, coverage of the DaVinci Code, the Jovialities and The Virtual Talmud. The site is one of a kind.

INTERACTIVE SERVICE A new category this year, it recognizes service features on the web. The category honors a sites creative use of multimedia technology, user involvement, personalization and/or community tools.

BusinessWeek.com B-School Channel: Stephen J. Adler, editor-in-chief

Building on BusinessWeek magazines annual rankings, BusinessWeek.coms B Schools is a deeply rich and satisfying environment that really makes the gradecombining authoritative information with a treasure trove of resources and a highly engaged community. Through its multilayered rankings, school searches allowing instant access to articles and profiles, student blogs giving would-be B-schoolers unique insights, and its Best Places to Launch a Career table, B-Schools is interactive service at its best.

INTERACTIVE FEATURE A new category this year, it honors multi-media editorial web features focusing on news, entertainment, and other subjects that do not offer practical instruction.

nymag.com: Show & Talk fashion week blog (http://nymag.com/): Adam Moss, editor-in-chief, New York; Ben Williams & Kelly Maloni, co-editors, nymag.com

In its editors own words, nymag.com covered fashion week as if it were a presidential election. Focused around a constantly updated acerbic blog, Show & Talk provided readers with wall-to-wall coverage of the shows, including commentary videos, personalized photo albums, and compelling interactive features, such as The Fashion Week Approval Matrix. Show & Talk took its readers into the heart of fashion week, without having to leave their desks, and established nymag.com as a leader during this frenzied bi-annual media event.