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NEW YORK, THE NEW YORKER LEAD ELLIE PACK - NATIONAL MAGAZINE AWARD 2018 WINNERS ANNOUNCEDNational Magazine Award 2018 winners announced; CNN’s Don Lemon hosts presentationNEW YORK, NY (March 13, 2018)—The winners of the 2018 National Magazine Awards for Print and Digital Media were announced today at the Ellie Awards Annual Luncheon at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. New York and The New Yorker both won three Ellies. GQ was the only other publication to receive more than one award, winning two. The awards presentation was hosted by Don Lemon, the anchor of “CNN Tonight With Don Lemon.” Known as the Ellies for the elephant-shaped statuettes presented to each winner, the National Magazine Awards are sponsored by the American Society of Magazine Editors in association with the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and are administered by ASME. This was the 53rd presentation of the awards. The first award was presented to Look in 1966; the first award for digital journalism was presented to Money in 1997. This year 58 media organizations were honored as finalists in 20 categories, including two new categories, Social Media and Digital Innovation; 16 print and digital publications won awards. The Ellies lunch featured the presentation of the Magazine Editors’ Hall of Fame Award to the founding editor of Metropolitan Home, Saveur and Garden Design, Dorothy Kalins. Danny Meyer, the chief executive officer of the Union Square Hospitality Group and founder of Shake Shack, presented the award to Kalins on behalf of ASME. Also honored were the winner of the inaugural ASME Award for Fiction, Zoetrope: All-Story, edited by Michael Ray, and the recipients of the 2018 ASME Next Awards for Journalists Under 30: Forbes’ Dan Alexander, Glamour’s Lauren Chan, Slate’s Aymann Ismail and Katy Waldman and TheAtlantic.com's Vann R. Newkirk II. Four publications received the most prestigious honor, General Excellence. The four magazines were The New Yorker, which won its seventh General Excellence award, in the News, Sports and Entertainment category; T, The New York Times Style Magazine, which won its first General Excellence award, in the Service and Lifestyle category; San Francisco which won its second General Excellence award, in the Special Interest category; and Aperture, which won its second General Excellence award as well, in the Literature, Science and Politics category. The New Yorker also won its eighth Ellie for Public Interest and its first for Feature Photography. The magazine received the award for Public Interest for Ronan Farrow’s reporting on Harvey Weinstein and the award for Feature Photography for Philip Montgomery’s photo-essay “Faces of an Epidemic.” The New Yorker has now received 44 Ellies since David Remnick was appointed editor in 1998. New York won its fourth Ellie for Columns and Commentary, for Rebecca Traister’s columns on gender and power, its fourth for Website and its seventh for Magazine Section for The Strategist (the magazine has also received two Ellies in Magazine Section for The Culture Pages). New York has now won 40 Ellies since Adam Moss was named editor in chief in 2004. GQ won the Ellie for Feature Writing, the magazine’s second in the category since Jim Nelson was named editor in chief in 2003, for Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah’s story “A Most American Terrorist: The Making of Dylann Roof” (Ghansah was also nominated this year in the Essays and Criticism category, for her article for ELLE “Her Eyes Were Watching the Stars”). In addition, GQ won its third Ellie for Design, having previously won the award in 2011 and 2012. Other repeat winners were The Atlantic for “Lola’s Story,” by Alex Tizon, in Essays and Criticism (last won by The Atlantic in 2013 for “Fear of a Black President,” by Ta-Nehisi Coates); Cosmopolitan for "How to Run for Office" in Personal Service (previously won by Cosmopolitan in 2014 for “Your Cosmo Guide to Contraception”); National Geographic for “Gender Revolution” in Single-Topic Issue (last won by National Geographic in 2011 for “Water: Our Thirsty World”); The New York Times Magazine for “The Uncounted,” by Azmat Khan and Anand Gopal, in Reporting (last won by The New York Times Magazine in 2014 for “The Dream Boat,” by Luke Mogelson); and W in Photography (previously won by W in 1998, 2006 and 2011). The honorees also included Texas Monthly, which won the Ellie for Leisure Interests for the first time for “The Golden Age of BBQ,” by Daniel Vaughn and Patricia Sharpe, and TIME and Mic, which jointly won the Ellie for Video, both for the first time, for “Life After Addiction,” by Aja Harris and Paul Moakley. The inaugural award for Social Media was won by SELF for developing a cross-platform community focused on health and wellness. The award in the second new category, Digital Innovation, was won by SB Nation for “17776: An American Football Story,” by Jon Bois. The awards for Mic and SB Nation were not only their first Ellies but their first nominations as well. Editors accepting Ellie Awards for their publications were Aperture’s Michael Famighetti; The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg; Cosmopolitan’s Michele Promaulayko; GQ’s Jim Nelson; National Geographic's Susan Goldberg; New York's Adam Moss; The New York Times Magazine's Jake Silverstein; The New Yorker’s David Remnick; San Francisco’s Jon Steinberg; SB Nation’s Elena Bergeron; SELF’s Carolyn Kylstra; T, The New York Times Style Magazine’s Hanya Yanagihara; Texas Monthly’s Tim Taliaferro; TIME’s Edward Felsenthal; and W’s Stefano Tonchi. Twenty titles received multiple Ellie nominations this year, led by New York with 10. The New Yorker received eight nominations, followed by The Atlantic and National Geographic, both with five. Other multi-finalists included Bon Appétit, The New York Times Magazine and TIME, each with four, and The California Sunday Magazine, ESPN The Magazine, The Marshall Project, Virginia Quarterly Review and Vogue, each with three. Seven titles got two nominations: Bicycling, GQ, Harper’s Magazine, Pitchfork, Seventeen, Texas Monthly and Wired. The finalists also included 5280, Aperture, Backpacker, BuzzFeed News, Columbia Journalism Review, Consumer Reports, Cosmopolitan, Eater, Elle, GQ Style, Grist, HuffPost Highline, Inc., Longreads, Martha Stewart Weddings, Men’s Health, Mother Jones, National Geographic Traveler, The New Republic, The Outline, Outside, Oxford American, Popular Science, San Francisco, Saveur, SB Nation, SELF, Smithsonian, T, The New York Times Style Magazine, Teen Vogue, TMC Pulse, Vanity Fair, W and Women’s Health. One media organization—the nonprofit newsroom ProPublica—was nominated three times for articles published in partnership with other print or digital publications, including National Geographic, The New York Times Magazine and NPR. The Investigative Fund was nominated twice for articles published by The California Sunday Magazine and Harper’s Magazine. Mic and Epic Magazine were nominated for partnerships with TIME and Wired, respectively. Nine media organizations were first-time finalists: Epic Magazine, Grist, the Investigative Fund, Longreads, Mic, NPR, The Outline, SB Nation and TMC Pulse. Digital-first finalists included BuzzFeed News, Eater, Epic Magazine, Grist, HuffPost Highline, Longreads, The Marshall Project, Mic, The Outline, Pitchfork, ProPublica, SB Nation, SELF and Seventeen. “Thorough reporting, entertaining writing, striking photographs, elegant design, dedicated journalists, loyal readers—what we saw today at the Ellies lunch was the best of magazine media,” said Sid Holt, chief executive of ASME. “Whether you’re looking for an analysis of the latest White House drama or instructions on how to roast a chicken, Americans know where to find it, and that’s in print magazines and on magazine websites and social feeds.” This year 281 national and regional publications entered the Ellie Awards, submitting 1,368 print and digital entries. The Ellies were judged by 269 print- and digital-magazine editors, art directors, photo editors and journalism educators who met on January 10 and 11 at the Columbia School of Journalism to choose the 2018 finalists and winners. The nominations were announced in a 90-minute Twittercast @asme1963 on February 1. A complete list of the judges is posted on the Ellies website after the winners are announced. The judging was led by the following journalists and educators: Rachel Barrett, Editor in Chief, Country Living; David Brindley, Managing Editor, National Geographic; Maile Carpenter, Editor in Chief, Food Network Magazine and The Pioneer Woman Magazine; Bob Cohn, President, The Atlantic; Jonathan Dorn, Chief Innovation Officer, Active Interest Media; Bethany Heitman, Editor in Chief, PeopleStyle; Mark Jannot, Vice President, Content, National Audubon Society; Clara Jeffery, Editor in Chief, Mother Jones; Amanda Kludt, Editor in Chief, Eater; Cindi Leive, Journalist; Janice Min, Strategist, Eldridge Industries; James Oseland, Editor in Chief, World Food; Alison Overholt, Vice President and Editor in Chief, ESPN The Magazine and espnW; Jessie Price, Editor in Chief, EatingWell; Jake Silverstein, Editor in Chief, The New York Times Magazine; Susan Spencer, Editor in Chief, Woman’s Day; Nicholas Thompson, Editor in Chief, Wired; Duy Linh Tu, Director, Digital Media Program, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism; Julia Turner, Editor in Chief, Slate; and Charles F. Whitaker, Associate Dean, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University. The results of the judging were sanctioned by the National Magazine Awards Board. The members of the 2018 board were: Steve Coll, Dean and Henry R. Luce Professor of Journalism, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism; Lucy Schulte Danziger, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Hintd; Edward Felsenthal, Editor in Chief, TIME; Jon Gluck, Executive Director, Talent Acquisition and Editorial Development, Hearst Magazines; Mark Jannot, Vice President, Content, National Audubon Society; Christopher Keyes, Vice President and Editor, Outside; Amy Keller Laird; Cindi Leive, Journalist; Stephen Orr, Editor in Chief, Better Homes and Gardens; Nicholas Thompson, Editor in Chief, Wired; Abi Wright, Executive Director, Prizes, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism; and Sid Holt, Chief Executive, American Society of Magazine Editors, ex officio. Intended to advance the practice of journalism and promote the value of magazine media to readers and advertisers, the Ellies honor print and digital publications that consistently demonstrate superior execution of editorial objectives, innovative techniques, noteworthy journalistic enterprise and imaginative art direction. Originally limited to print magazines, the Ellies now recognize magazine-quality journalism published in any medium. Each National Magazine Award winner receives a copper reproduction of Alexander Calder's stabile "Elephant," the symbol of the awards since 1970. Made in 1942, “Elephant” was purchased from the artist and presented to ASME by Cowles Publishing Company, Time Inc., Newsweek and McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, the publishers of the first four winners of the National Magazine Award: Look, LIFE, Newsweek and American Machinist. "Elephant" is currently on display at ASME's New York City offices. Ellie Awards Annual Luncheon ticket sales provide support for the Osborn Elliott Scholarship at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Named in honor of the former Newsweek editor, ASME president and Columbia dean, the scholarship is awarded to students who intend to pursue careers in magazine journalism. Ellie Awards 2018 FinalistsGeneral Excellence News, Sports and Entertainment Winner: The New Yorker Award Citation: Breaking some of the biggest stories of the year both online and in print, The New Yorker continued to shape not just the conversation but the culture. Finalists: The Atlantic; The California Sunday Magazine; National Geographic; New York Service and Lifestyle Winner: T, The New York Times Style Magazine Award Citation: Whether exploring exquisite spaces or clandestine destinations, T, The New York Times Style Magazine offered an immersive, sometimes rebellious vision of beauty. Finalists: Bon Appétit; Eater; Saveur; Teen Vogue Special Interest Winner: San Francisco Award Citation: With its large format, lush photography, bold design and ambitious journalism, San Francisco both served and challenged its readers. Finalists: Bicycling; Inc.; Outside; Texas Monthly Literature, Science and Politics Winner: Aperture Award Citation: Each specially themed issue of Aperture demonstrated the important role the magazine plays as an advocate for contemporary photography. Finalists: The Marshall Project; Oxford American; Popular Science; Virginia Quarterly Review Design Winner: GQ Award Citation: Always fresh, consistently innovative, GQ continued to deliver a unique combination of spectacular typography, lively photography and exciting design. Finalists: Bon Appétit; ESPN The Magazine; Men’s Health; Wired Photography Winner: W Award Citation: With its inventive and unexpected approach to photography, W challenged the way we see and experience popular culture. Finalists: GQ Style; National Geographic; New York; Virginia Quarterly Review Feature Photography Winner: The New Yorker for “Faces of an Epidemic,” photographs by Philip Montgomery, October 30 at newyorker.com Award Citation: With images cinematic in their intensity, The New Yorker created a wrenching visual narrative depicting an American community devastated by the opioid crisis. Finalists: The New Republic for “Charlottesville’s Faces of Hate,” photographs by Mark Peterson, August 14 at newrepublic.com; New York for “The 43-Day Fashion Shoot,” photographs by Holly Andres, August 20 at thecut.com; TIME for “Death Reigns on the Streets of Duterte’s Philippines,” photographs by James Nachtwey, January 16; Vogue for “American Women,” photographs by Lynsey Addario, Evgenia Arbugaeva, Daniel Arnold, Jonas Bendiksen, Cass Bird, Charlie Engman, Alex Majoli, Bella Newman, Jackie Nickerson, Benjamin Rasmussen, Stefan Ruiz, Alessandra Sanguinetti, Lorna Simpson, Deanna and Ed Templeton and Mayan Toledano, March 8 at vogue.com Magazine Section Winner: New York for “The Strategist” Award Citation: The Strategist is an elegantly orchestrated, relentlessly clever celebration of New York City’s material world. This is truly inspired magazine making. Finalists: Backpacker for “The Play List”; Bon Appétit for “Starters”; Martha Stewart Weddings for “Planner”; New York for “The Culture Pages” Personal Service Winner: Cosmopolitan for “How to Run for Office,” by Laura Brounstein, Meredith Bryan and Jessica Goodman for Cosmopolitan and Amy Odell, Lori Fradkin and Emma Barker for cosmopolitan.com, November print issue and October 10 at cosmopolitan.com Award Citation: With advice and encouragement from women on both sides of the political divide, this timely call-to-action galvanized readers into taking control of their electoral future. Finalists: Consumer Reports for “Too Many Meds? America’s Love Affair With Prescription Medication,” by Teresa Carr, “How to Get Off Prescription Drugs,” by Teresa Carr and Ginger Skinner, "Give Your Drugs a Checkup: Reviewing Your Medication List Can Prevent Errors," by Teresa Carr, “From Pill Organizers to Apps, How to Manage Your Meds," by Ginger Skinner, and “12 Times to Try Lifestyle Changes Before Medication,” by Teresa Carr and Ginger Skinner, August 3 at consumerreports.org; Grist for “Ask Umbra's 21-Day Apathy Detox,” by Eve Andrews, Amelia Bates, Vishakha Darbha, Amy McDermott, Daniel Penner, Darby Minow Smith and Kate Yoder, April 17 at grist.org; Seventeen for “This Is a Story About Suicide,” by Andrea Stanley, November/December; Women’s Health for “Wakey Wakey!,” article by Malia Jacobson, December print issue, “Sleep Center" package, December 11 at womenshealthmag.com, and “Wakey Wakey!” video, December 11 at facebook.com/womenshealthmagazine Leisure Interests Winner: Texas Monthly for “The Golden Age of BBQ,” by Daniel Vaughn and Patricia Sharpe, June Award Citation: Texas Monthly’s exhaustive research, transparent methodology, sharp writing and mouth-watering photography delighted casual and serious char-broiled foodies alike. Finalists: 5280 for “The 5280 Guide to Four Corners,” by Kasey Cordell, September; Bicycling for “How Cycling Works,” October; Bon Appétit for “A Simple Roast Chicken,” by Amiel Stanek, October; New York for “The Encyclopedia of Vegan Food,” by Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite, November 13-26 Single-Topic Issue Winner: National Geographic for “Gender Revolution,” January Award Citation: Balancing empathy with hard data, National Geographic’s “Gender Revolution” was the definitive examination of a complex and still controversial subject. Finalists: The California Sunday Magazine for “A Teenage Life,” December 3; Columbia Journalism Review for “The Trump Issue,” Fall; New York for “My New York,” October 16-29; The New York Times Magazine for “The New York Issue,” June 4 Website Winner: New York Award Citation: New York’s innovative verticals offer daily coverage that is newsy, voicey, comprehensive and fun. This is one of the liveliest magazine experiences on the web. Finalists: The Marshall Project; National Geographic; Pitchfork; Vogue Social Media Winner: SELF Award Citation: Each platform was used to best effect, but it was inclusivity, diversity and a commitment to portraying real women’s lived experiences that drove SELF’s social media strategy. Finalists: Mother Jones; The New Yorker; Seventeen; TIME Video Winner: TIME and Mic for “Life After Addiction,” video by Aja Harris and Paul Moakley, November 8 at time.com Award Citation: Tightly edited and visually compelling, this multilayered narrative of physical and emotional addiction provided hope for those setting out on the hard road to recovery. Finalists: The Atlantic for “What Will Happen to Undocumented Doctors?,” video by Jeremy Raff, February 2; The New Yorker for “A Fever Dream at Beautycon,” video by Tim Hussin, September 18; The Outline for “The Republican Who Quit the Party Because of Trump,” March 22; Vogue for “We Are All Fabulous . . . ,” video by Oliver Hadlee Pearch, February 24, “Paris, Je T’aime,” video by Gordon von Steiner, July 20, and “Workin’ 9 to 5 . . . Inside the Vogue Office!,” video by Charlotte Wales, September 25 Digital Innovation Winner: SB Nation for “17776: An American Football Story,” by Jon Bois, July 5 Award Citation: The judges called this an extraordinary combination of art, fiction and technology, an online acid trip that had to be experienced to be believed. Finalists: HuffPost Highline for “FML,” by Michael Hobbes, December 14; The Marshall Project with Condé Nast Entertainment and Participant Media for “We Are Witnesses,” by Jenny Carchman, October 26 at themarshallproject.org/witnesses; National Geographic Traveler for “North: An Illustrated Travelogue,” by Christoph Niemann, April 4; TIME for “Finding Home: 3 Babies, 3 Families, 1 Year,” photographs by Lynsey Addario, reporting by Aryn Baker, video by Francesca Trianni, December 18 Reporting Winner: The New York Times Magazine for “The Uncounted,” by Azmat Khan and Anand Gopal, November 19 Award Citation: Meticulously reported and movingly told, this investigation of the U.S.-led campaign against the Islamic State found that far more civilians had been killed by airstrikes than the Pentagon would acknowledge. The judges deemed this a stunning and important work of journalism. Finalists: The California Sunday Magazine with the Investigative Fund for “Below Deck,” by Lizzie Presser, February 5; ESPN The Magazine for “Sin City or Bust,” April 24, “Standing Down,” November 13, and “Roger Goodell Has a Jerry Jones Problem,” December 4, by Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham; Harper’s Magazine with the Investigative Fund for “Ghost Nation,” by Nick Turse, July; National Geographic and ProPublica for “How the U.S. Triggered a Massacre in Mexico,” by Ginger Thompson, June 12 at nationalgeographic.com/magazine; The New York Times Magazine with ProPublica for “Kushnerville,” by Alec MacGillis, May 28; The New Yorker for “On the Brink,” by Evan Osnos, September 18 Feature Writing Winner: GQ for “A Most American Terrorist: The Making of Dylann Roof,” by Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah, September Award Citation: Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah’s reporting on the culture of white supremacy that shaped Dylann Roof was emotionally, morally and even physically brave, while her writing was bracing, startling and brilliantly structured. Finalists: The Atlantic for “My President Was Black,” by Ta-Nehisi Coates, January/February; The Atlantic for “A Death at Penn State,” by Caitlin Flanagan, November; The New York Times Magazine for “The Mailroom,” by Jeanne Marie Laskas, January 22; TMC Pulse for “Alan Dickson's Final Days,” by Alexandra Becker, July; Virginia Quarterly Review for “The Useful Village,” by Ben Mauk, Spring; Wired with Epic Magazine, “Love in the Time of Robots,” by Alex Mar, November Essays and Criticism Winner: The Atlantic for “Lola’s Story,” by Alex Tizon, June Award Citation: Combining personal confession with unflinching reporting, the late Alex Tizon’s essay—one of the most widely read pieces in the history of The Atlantic—movingly explored issues of race, colonialism, immigration and, ultimately, human freedom. Finalists: ELLE for “Her Eyes Were Watching the Stars,” by Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah, June; New York for “The Uninhabitable Earth,” by David Wallace-Wells, July 10-23; The New Yorker for “Losing Streak,” by Kathryn Schulz, February 13 and 20; Smithsonian for “What Ever Happened to the Russian Revolution?” by Ian Frazier, October Columns and Commentary Winner: New York for three columns by Rebecca Traister: “Why the Harvey Weinstein Sexual-Harassment Allegations Didn’t Come Out Until Now,” October 5, “Your Reckoning. And Mine.,” November 12, and “This Moment Isn’t (Just) About Sex. It’s Really About Work,” December 10, at thecut.com Award Citation: In a year when issues of gender and sexuality dominated the national conversation, no one shaped that exchange more than Rebecca Traister. Her wise and provocative columns helped make sense of a cultural transformation. Finalists: BuzzFeed News for three columns by Bim Adewunmi: “How the Oscar Flub Demonstrates the Limits of Black Graciousness,” March 1, “How Oprah Got Her Acting Groove Back,” April 10, and “Maria Sharapova's Rivalry With Serena Williams Is in Her Head,” September 9; ESPN The Magazine for three columns by Howard Bryant: “The Williams Movement,” February 27, “Power Play,” April 24, and “How Is This Still a Debate?” December 4; Longreads for three columns by Laurie Penny: “The Horizon of Desire” October 10, “We’re All Mad Here: Weinstein, Women, and the Language of Lunacy,” October 23, and “The Unforgiving Minute,” November 7; Pitchfork for three columns by Jayson Greene: “Is Rihanna the Most Influential Pop Singer of the Past Decade?” April 5, “Can Music Heal Trauma? Exploring the Therapeutic Powers of Sound,” September 20, and “Do Androids Dream of Electric Guitars? Exploring the Future of Musical A.I.,” June 12 Public Interest Winner: The New Yorker for “Abuses of Power,” October 23 print issue, “Weighing the Costs of Speaking Out About Harvey Weinstein,” October 27 at newyorker.com, and “Harvey Weinstein’s Army of Spies,” November 6 at newyorker.com, by Ronan Farrow Award Citation: Ronan Farrow’s reporting helped spark the national discussion about gender and power. Farrow gave Harvey Weinstein’s accusers room to tell their stories, confirming jaw-dropping details about the machinery Weinstein used to silence his victims. Finalists: Harper’s Magazine for “Where Health Care Won’t Go,” by Helen Ouyang, June; The New Yorker for “The Takeover,” by Rachel Aviv, October 9; ProPublica and NPR for “The Last Person You’d Expect to Die in Childbirth,” by Nina Martin, ProPublica, and Renee Montagne, NPR, May 12, “Lost Mothers,” by Nina Martin, Emma Cillekens and Alessandra Freitas, July 17, and “Nothing Protects Black Women From Dying in Pregnancy and Childbirth,” by Nina Martin, ProPublica, and Renee Montagne, NPR, December 7, at propublica.org; Vanity Fair for “The 5th Risk,” September, and “Made in the U.S.D.A.,” December, by Michael Lewis All publication dates 2017 unless otherwise indicated About ASME The American Society of Magazine Editors is the principal organization for magazine journalists in the United States. The members of ASME include the editorial leaders of most major consumer and business magazines published in print and on digital platforms. Founded in 1963, ASME works to defend the First Amendment, protect editorial independence and support the development of journalism. ASME sponsors the National Magazine Awards for Print and Digital Media in association with the Columbia Journalism School and publishes the ASME Guidelines for Editors and Publishers. About Columbia Journalism School For over a century, the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism has been preparing journalists with instruction and training that stresses academic rigor, ethics, journalistic inquiry and professional practice. Founded with a gift from Joseph Pulitzer, the school opened its doors in 1912 and offers master of science, master of arts and doctor of philosophy degrees. Learn more at journalism.columbia.edu. Contacts: Sid Holt Susan Russ |