2012 Jesse H. Neal Award winners speak out
March 20, 2012 - Last Friday the b-to-b industry celebrated the 58th Annual Jesse H. Neal Annual Business Awards, honoring the best in business-to-business journalism. While earning the industry’s highest editorial honor is always a thrill, many recipients said it was especially meaningful to do so during a time of drastic change in editorial roles and story-telling.
“One word to describe a Neal is ‘affirming’ but in a larger context, it’s an honor to be recognized at a time when the industry is in transformation and we are no longer thinking about single stories, but talking about narratives and content across multimedia platforms,” said Michael Fielding, managing editor of meatingplace. “It’s a really exciting time to be part of the industry.”
ABM added more than 11 new Neal Award categories in recent years to accommodate the changing nature of b-to-b journalism, including awards for social media and mobile. “It feels fantastic to win for best website and best use of mobile, especially for our iPad app,” said Jessica Zemler, editor of e-media at dvm360.com. “We have such a fantastic team that has really pushed the envelope and this award is for them.”
Many of the winners showcased the ability of b-to-b media to be integral to larger issues. McGraw-Hill’s ArchitecturalRecord won the Grand Neal Award and Best Integrated Package award for “New York: The Death and Life of a Great American City.”
“We wanted to do something special about New York City not just to commemorate 9/11 but to celebrate the achievement and design of the city,” said editor in chief Cathleen McGuigan. “I think we did it in a lively and interesting way, and apparently the judges thought so too.”
“We are extremely proud of this award and I want to publicly thank the firefighters who contributed their stories,” said Jeff Barrington, associate publisher and editorial director at Cygnus Business Media, of Firehouse winning for Best Integrated Package with its 9/11 Anniversary coverage. “It was a difficult story for them to tell about the horrible events of 9/11, and we give them a lot of credit for coming forward and sharing their stories.”
View video highlights from the 2012 Neal Awards, and interviews with select winners, above.
ABM has also created a full gallery of 2012 Neal Award winners and finalists.
By Matt Kinsman