Magazine Takes Industry's Top Prize
May 5 - NEWSWEEK won the National Magazine Award for General Excellence on Wednesday, the industry's most sought-after prize. In recognizing NEWSWEEK, the judges said the magazine is an
"essential guide" for readers in a fast-changing world.
"Drawing on a strong and recognized team of writers, editors and photographers, Newsweek offered fact and context to help guide readers through the glut of unfolding news on the war in Iraq," the judges wrote in their citation. "In a challenging year, Newsweek proves once again that a weekly newsmagazine can be an essential guide in navigating our fast-changing world."
NEWSWEEK was honored for the three issues centered on the war in Iraq: "Bush & God" (March 10), about President George W. Bush's faith and how it affects how he governs; "Shock & Awe" (March 31), about the start of the war, and "Bush's $87 Billion Mess" (Nov. 3), an investigative piece on waste, inefficiency and corruption in the reconstruction of Iraq. General Excellence honors the effectiveness with which writing, reporting, editing, photography and design all come together to command readers' attention and fulfill the magazine's unique editorial mission.
In accepting the award, NEWSWEEK Editor Mark Whitaker talked about two types of courage that his colleagues displayed this year in their coverage of Iraq. "First of all, the courage of our reporters in our Washington bureau and editors here in New York, who asked very tough questions about this war, about both the motives and the consequences, not just after the fact but while it was taking place and before it happened; and also the remarkable personal courage of our correspondents on the ground in Iraq."
He saluted NEWSWEEK's correspondents in Baghdad, Correspondent-at-Large and Baghdad Bureau Chief Rod Nordland and Baghdad Correspondent Melinda Liu. "It's a personal privilege for me to be able to work with professionals like them, and I'd like to dedicate this award to them."
NEWSWEEK last won the General Excellence award in 2002 for coverage of September 11 and the weeks that followed. With this win, NEWSWEEK has now received 10 "Ellies," more than any other newsweekly. The tally of nominations for NEWSWEEK stands at 43.
This year, NEWSWEEK won the General Excellence award among publications with circulation over 2 million, beating out Martha Stewart Living; National Geographic; O, the Oprah Magazine, and Time. In all, NEWSWEEK received three nominations in three categories. The others were public interest and columns and commentary.
© 2004 Newsweek, Inc
