HousingWire took home three gold awards in the international trade journalism competition known as the Tabbies — winning for best feature, best profile and best special section, according to the Trade Association Business Publications International.
It also won two gold and three silver awards in the American Society of Business Press Editors, or 2012 AZBEE awards.
The 2012 TABPI/Tabbies competition featured nearly 500 entries from multiple countries. HousingWire was one of just six publications that took home four or more awards.
HW won a Tabbie gold for a feature article by reporter Jon Prior, “The future for community banks. Is there one?” The story, which ran in the October 2011 magazine, examined the challenges facing community banks from the point of view of community leaders who’d lost their local banks as well as from the bankers themselves.
Judges said the article “tackles a dry topic and makes it interesting. Many sources, especially those that are small-town people affected by their banks” and that the article was “compelling, interesting and well-written. The tone throughout is captivating and it captures an essence that few writers are able to portray. The lead and the interviews are wonderfully written, and the writer went above and beyond to paint a picture that tells a story and a lesson.”
Editor Jacob Gaffney won gold for his profile of controversial New York Times economist Paul Krugman, whose views often conflict with those in the mortgage finance industry. Krugman, a featured speaker at HousingWire’s 2011 REthink Symposium, was portrayed on the cover of HW’s July 2011 magazine.
Judges said, “The startling opening spread with Paul Krugman’s full-page photo sets the tone for the incredibly well-written piece. I believe the article brings out both the professional and personal side of Krugman — something that I haven’t seen before.”
The other gold in the Tabbies competition was for HousingWire’s September 2011 “Influential Women of the Housing Economy” special section. The inaugural issue, spearheaded by Executive Editor Kerry Curry, featured 25 influential women who are making a difference in the housing economy. It will return to HousingWire again this September.
Judges commented that “each profile was written clearly with excellent focus on these strong women in the housing market. The photos illustrate the articles beautifully, and the layout is both inviting and easy to navigate. Well done.”
Another said, “Sharp, clean design complements this innovative coverage. Great photos, great profile writing.”
HousingWire was also honored with a bronze award for its opening spread of “The 1% Responds,” which was designed by Art Director Rosangel de Moreira. The layout also received a West gold award from ASBPE for its design. HW received honorable mentions for Benjamin Vincent’s illustration of President Obama on the cover of the November 2011 issue (also a national gold and West gold winner in ASBPE) and for photographer Darren Braun’s portrait of Paul Krugman on the July 2011 cover.
ASBPE also honored Chief Creative Officer Greg Lakloufi, Art Director Rosangel de Moreira and designers Jessica Fung and Dorothy Parciak with a national silver/West gold for magazine redesign. HW’s flagship magazine went through a complete redesign that was unveiled in December 2011.
De Moreira also won West silver AZBEE for her design of “Foreign Exchange,” a feature story about foreign real estate buyers in the October 2011 issue while designer Jessica Fung won a West silver award for her design of “Rethinking the Dream,” an article about pent-up apartment demand in the August 2011 issue.
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