BizTimes Milwaukee won six journalism and design awards in the Alliance of Area Business Publishers’ 2020 Editorial Excellence Awards competition.
The annual competition recognizes excellence in journalism and design achieved by regional business publications. The competition is judged by 24 members of the University of Missouri School of Journalism faculty. There were 448 entries in this year’s competition submitted by 34 business publications in the U.S., Canada and Australia.
The awards were presented as part of the AABP’s annual summer conference, held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to see info about all of the contest winners.
BizTimes Milwaukee received the following awards:
A Gold (first place) award in the Best Website category. This category is not broken down by size or publication type, it includes all of the AABP members. The Silver Award for Best Website went to Crain’s Chicago Business and the Bronze Award went to Providence Business News. Judges’ comments about BizTimes.com: “Readers never have to look far to find exactly what they are looking for on this website. It’s clean design and easy-to-follow navigation lead readers to industry-specific content at a glance. Editorial content is updated, with a focus on topical and breaking news, including connecting small business owners with advice and resources during times of uncertainty. The website also shows the publication’s priority on photos, connecting its readers visually with the people behind the stories.”
BizTimes Milwaukee associate editor Lauren Anderson won a Gold Award in the Best Body of Work Single Writer category for medium-sized publications. Anderson’s work in 2019 included six cover stories: “Hiring felons,” “Milwaukee’s crumbling cultural assets,” “Wish you were ‘beer,’” “Representation matters,” “The nursing home funding crisis,” and “Cult brands.” Judges’ comments: “Putting a face to the issue is a hallmark of this writer’s work. Even on difficult topics, like hiring felons or nursing home care, she finds the right voice to add to the story. Her writing skills breathe new life into formula stories as well, including ones on local history and the business community sentiment.”
BizTimes Milwaukee art director Shelly Tabor and graphic designer Alex Schneider won a Gold Award in the Best Overall Design – Medium Newspapers category. Judges’ comments: “Wonderful, slick covers grab attention and draw readers into the publication. The attractive, unusual table of contents and solid front of book sections immediately create a presence. Great use of white space, excellent photography, and restrained typography help create clean and appealing design. Particularly elegant designs were ‘Wish You Were Beer’ and ‘Biz Tracker.’”
BizTimes Milwaukee received a Silver Award in the Best Newspaper – Medium Tabloids category. The award recognizes overall excellence for a printed publication. Judges’ comments: “Excellent cover stories and strong design highlight every issue. Whether covering Medicaid’s impact on nursing homes or pushing for the inclusion of minorities in the workforce and the boardroom, readers can count on thoughtful stories with many perspectives. Beyond the covers, the inside is well-designed, intriguing and easy to navigate.”
Tabor and Schneider won a Silver Award in the Best Feature Layout Newspaper category for the layout of a cover story on BILTRITE Furniture.
Judges’ comments: “The opening family portrait is inviting and full of life, creating a warm connection between the subject and reader. The family tree graphic provides important information while blending well into the layout. Colors are coordinated throughout the spreads, helping to tie together the historical and current visual components.”
BizTimes Milwaukee also won a Silver Award in the Best Ancillary Publication category for medium-sized publications for STUFF Made and Built in Southeastern Wisconsin. Judges’ comments: “This publication is full of informative and interesting material from beginning to end, with emphasis on telling stories in just the right format. Quizzes, graphics, short stories, and longer articles combine with excellent events listings at the back of the book to make this a complete package.”
BizTimes Milwaukee won seven awards in the 2019 AABP competition.
Earlier this year, BizTimes Milwaukee won four awards in the Milwaukee Press Club Excellence in Wisconsin Journalism competition. Associate editor Arthur Thomas won three awards and reporter Maredithe Meyer won one award.
