SABEW, Society of American Business Editors and Writers, Inc.

The Quincy Patriot Ledger offers strong consistent local coverage, often tied to national events. The small staff distinguishes itself with special sections. One of a major deregulation of the Massachusetts auto insurance market provided clear-eyed advice to readers/consumers while demonstrating a sophisticated mastery of the economic and regulatory issues involved.

[5235DN]

Arizona Daily Star

Contributors: Tim Steller, Business Editor;

Judges’ comments:

The Arizona Daily Star provides consistent and sophisticated business coverage and provided more coverage of the financial crisis than most other small dailies. Especially note worthy was its investigation of a car dealership that routinely ripped off consumers and employed ex-convicts. In addition, its aggressive coverage of the impact of the wave of flight reductions that swept the nation over the summer was first rate.

[5060DN]

Salt Lake Tribune, The

Contributors: Michael Limon, Business Editor;

Judges’ comments:

The Salt Lake City Tribune distinguishes itself with enterprise. A major staff effort revisiting the impact of a highly publicized raid on a meat processing plan that employed illegal aliens was first rate, with sharp-eyed coverage of the impact on communities and people-including a compelling story on those who returned to Mexico. A sophisticated look at the safety of Utah banks deserves praise but would have been more impactful if it had concentrated on those in trouble rather than trying to reassure workers. It would be interesting to know what has changed since the story was published.

[5483DN]

Judges

Scott Wenger - New York Daily News
Greg David - Crain's New York Business

General Excellence: Medium

Miami Herald, The

Contributors: Lisa Gibbs, Business Editor;

Judges’ comments:

The investigative piece about the criminal records of mortgage professionals was first rate ("Borrowers betrayed," page 1A July 20). This is the type of investigative work that only local and regional papers can do well, and this item uncovered a real problem in state regulation that directly impacted Florida homeowners. This was great reading. Other noteworthy items also appeared on 1A, such as "Dismal days," on Sept. 24, explaining the bleak outlook for Cuba following hurricanes Gusatav and Ike. It's nice to see a paper make the effort to report from difficult places. In "Home sales bounce back," Oct. 25, the use of a single home as an example of the slide in home prices was a perfect way to illustrate the stark reality of the housing market in Florida. The graphics were a nice addition for such a numbers-driven story. We'd like to see more space dedicated to local coverage (meaning less wire copy), but with resources the way they are at newspapers, the hard-hitting news the Miami Herald produced far outweighs what was excluded.

[5433DN]

Grand Rapids Press

Contributors: Nancy Crawley, Business Editor;

Judges’ comments:

The Grand Rapids Press does a wonderful job focusing on the news and information happening within its immediate region. The staff-written stories were short, to the point, and made clear the local impact. This is the type of news readers can't find anywhere else, making the Grand Rapids Press more valuable to its audience.

[5158DN]

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Contributors: Margaret M Santjer, Business Editor;

Judges’ comments:

Great coverage of the MSFT-YHOO deal/debacle. In general, the P-I covers the big companies in its area very well (and gets it right!). We'd like to see more local business coverage.

[5057DN]

Judges

Michelle LaRoche - Dow Jones Newswires
Paul Harloff - Associated Press
Ken Bensinger - Los Angeles Times

General Excellence: Large

Rocky Mountain News (Denver CO)

Contributors: Rob Reuteman, Business Editor;

Judges’ comments:

The Rocky Mountain News delivered intensely to readers, despite extraordinary pressures from the paper's financial woes. Not just the big stories were covered, but the section offered solid, consistent coverage of day-to-day business and personal finance and investing. It is the non-centerpiece stories, produced day in and day out, that tell your audience that a newspaper's business section is in touch across the market and make the section a must-read. A hallmark of the section's success was its ability to find people who were affected by the national and global forces that affect us all. Stories were crisp. Editors used wire copy judiciously. Photography was considered and interesting, suggesting that editors and the folks with cameras easily communicated with another -- to the reader's benefit. The section overall featured useful, clear and clean graphics. In addition, the highly efficient organization of the section told readers that the editors understood not just the local market and economy but how the national economy affected everyone.

[5372DN]

Detroit Free Press

Contributors: Randy Essex, Business Editor;

Judges’ comments:

The Detroit Free Press seemingly makes no distinction between "news" and "business news." Local, state and national business issues and economic challenges are a fundamental part of everyday coverage. The paper's business coverage is consistent, aggressive and comprehensive, and its editors bring smart resources to bear on how stories are displayed and enhanced by photography and graphics. The paper is well-poised to pounce on breaking news with speed and expertise. Enterprise, depth of knowledge and a commitment to the community's interests drive the Free Press approach to business coverage.

[5117DN]

Kansas City Star, The

Contributors: Chris Lester, Business Editor;

Judges’ comments:

The Kansas City Star is committed to aggressively covering business and economic stories that affect its community, from the U. S. Capitol and Wall Street to the corner store. The newspaper has a staff of capable business writers who can handle a wide variety of stories, from the macro to the micro. The Star's designers adopted the color orange for the business section, and use it to great effect. When the stock market took the nation on a wild ride during one week in September, The Star filled the top third of page one with a timeline backed by the business section's signature orange color. The Star gets the big stories right, but it also goes deep, filling inside pages with staff-written stories and briefs. The diversity of business stories in The Star is noteworthy. This paper goes where many daily business sections rarely tread, offering comprehensive stories on such things as endowment spending, federal grants and the business of hospitals.

[5123DN]

Judges

Don Nelson - Skagit Valley Herald
Charley Blaine - MSN Money
George Erb - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle WA)

General Excellence: Giant

Star Tribune

Contributors: Eric Wieffering, Assistant Managing Editor, Business;

Judges’ comments:

This is an excellent example of what a local business section can be. It took the big national stories and brought them home to readers with clear, intelligible writing. And it tackled local and regional stories with gusto. The editors picked their targets and deployed their resources wisely. Notably, this staff did a remarkable job of storytelling, from exploring local scandals and scoundrels, to capturing the economic angst at a coffee shop. The coverage was very readable, with bold graphics and design.

[5317DN]

Washington Post

Contributors: Greg Schneider, Deputy AME - Business;

Judges’ comments:

This paper truly rose to the occasion, jumping on the economic meltdown and covering it with energy and authority. Playing to its strength, the Post recognized the Washington angles and explored all of them. The staff took us behind the scenes as regulators, policy-makers and politicians wrestled with the challenges. But they didn't stop there; they also reported from Wall Street and Main Street. We are not the first to appreciate Steven Pearlstein's excellent columns, but his analysis was noteworthy and readable as the crisis was unfolding.

[5050DN]

New York Times, The

Contributors: Larry Ingrassia, Business Editor;

Judges’ comments:

Depth and breadth. Comprehensive and incisive. Authoritative and engaging. These words came to mind as we read this section. This paper truly sets the agenda. With the financial crisis, it was quick to recognize that the world had changed, and it didn't hesitate to state that, explain it and analyze it. The Times takes advantage of an outstanding stable of editors and columnists, and they write with clarity and insight. We were particularly impressed with the rapid dissection of the Madoff scandal, written by Diana Henriques just days after the massive Ponzi scheme was disclosed.

[5464DN]

Judges

Rex Seline - Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Mark Vamos - Southern Methodist University Meadows School of the Arts
Chris Callahan - Arizona State University - Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication

General Excellence: Weekly

Philadelphia Business Journal

Contributors: Bernie Dagenais, Editor;

Judges’ comments:

The Philadelphia Business Journal impresses because of its interesting mix of enterprise and general news. From immigration to crime, this weekly tackles unlikely topics for a business publication - but that's the secret to its quality, standout coverage. The newspaper took a look at the influence of crime on business, called, "The price of crime,” which impressively dug deep into the economic costs of crime. Also, the newspaper clearly is dedicated to covering minorities and immigration. The newspaper devoted an entire issue to minority issues. Also, the teasers on the front page gives readers lots of options.

[5343WN]

Cincinnati Business Courier

Contributors: Rob Daumeyer, Editor;

Judges’ comments:

The Cincinnati Business Courier is clearly a paper with reporters who know their beats. The weekly is consistently excellent with in-depth reporting, smart insider columns and novel stories. Industry expertise is displayed across beats in interviews with top CEOs. The judges particularly liked the health-care coverage for its breadth and expertise. The “Empty Promise” story made for good accountability reporting. Another story, “Bench Strength,” about judicial inefficiency was not a story one would expect from a business weekly, but the topic affects bottom lines, as the Courier story showed. This sophisticated analysis gave decision-makers a tool for sizing up the judicial IQ of local courts.

[5156WN]

Indianapolis Business Journal

Contributors: Tom Harton, Editor;

Judges’ comments:

The Indianapolis Business Journal was a clear standout for its consistently excellent page one enterprise with depth and variety. The design had a good mix of illustrations and photos to draw in readers. In one issue, the paper gave a color-coded breakout of each economic industry and how it would be affected by the recession. It also had a strong selection of stories including news and profiles. The judges particularly liked the story about hospitals having trouble in the down economy and “mystery at charter homes” for its tawdry tale that went behind the lawsuits and liens.

[5164WN]

Judges

Marcelene Edwards - News Tribune, The (Tacoma WA)
Andrea James - Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Leah Beth Ward - Yakima Herald-Republic

General Excellence: Magazine Small

Bloomberg Markets

Contributors: Laura Colby, Managing Editor;

Judges’ comments:

If the definition of an excellent magazine is "something you want to read rather than something you have to read," then this monthly's massive masthead truly delivers the goods -- and then some. Bloomberg Markets’ monthly mix of smart, substantive, stylishly presented stories and packages included well-timed and highly skeptical takedowns of the Dubai real estate bubble and a terrific look at loopholes in the FDIC's insured-deposits program that former banking regulators have exploited to build their own bank-servicing businesses. Sharp, clean, easy to follow design.

[5038ME]

Judges

Glenn Coleman - Financial Week
Suzanne Woolley - Business Week
Kendall Hamersly - Miami Herald, The

General Excellence: Magazine Giant

Business Week

Contributors: Stephen J Adler, Editor-in-Chief;

Judges’ comments:

The combination of consistently strong, timely and thoughtful coverage with readable design makes Business Week a winner. The magazine routinely delivers excellent investigative reporting, such as a November piece on hackers stealing NASA’s secrets. Its stories related to the financial crisis, such as a look at moves by subprime lenders into FHA financing, seem relevant even months later. The solid mix of reporting and analysis that isn’t afraid of charts and graphs and doesn’t mistake style for substance -- as so many other business magazines -- feels just right for these times.

[5193ME]

Judges

George Haj - Houston Chronicle
Ronald Fink - Financial Week
Kevin Delaney - Wall Street Journal, The

General Excellence: Online Small

Crain's Chicago Business

Contributors: Brandon Copple, Managing Editor;

Judges’ comments:

A "must-read" site for anyone interested in business news in Chicagoland. There's a wealth of well-produced content here - text-driven breaking news, as you would expected, but also digital-only features that leave the competition in the dust - well-developed blogs, strong online video, searchable data and intelligent use of user comments. In all, this is a smart, sharply produced site.

Crain's Chicago Business Web Site Username: contest Password: contest

[GE26]

Judges

Tara Siegel Bernard - New York Times, The
John Kimelman - Barrons.com
Tom Davidson - Tribune Interactive

General Excellence: Online Medium

Bloomberg News

Contributors: Matt Winkler, Editor in Chief, Bloomberg News; Janet Guyon, Managing Editor;

Judges’ comments:

Bloomberg.com isn't the prettiest website, but boy is it useful. The company knows its target audience - financial junkies - and provides it with a staggering amount of information. The data and news are well-organized on the site, which lets visitors sort by topic, industry and region. It highlights the most popular subjects with tags, such as Madoff and environment. The coverage is aggressive; reporters do yeoman's work, digging up minor and major scoops on a vast range of companies across the globe. They avoid flowery writing, land interviews with industry titans and ask tough questions, but they also step back to investigate and explain, such as in a series of stories on the Stanford Investment Group scandal. Perhaps the gem of the website is its deep well of financial data. Some is locked behind a subscriber wall, but much of it is free. It's unfailingly accurate and up-to-date.

Bloomberg website

[GE11]

Judges

Anne Stanley - MarketWatch
Chris Gaither - Los Angeles Times

General Excellence: Online Large

St. Petersburg Times

Contributors: Robert Trigaux, Business Editor;

Judges’ comments:

This site offers a clear focus on its region and seems to know its market extremely well. Neighborhood Watch page, group content, multimedia and overall look are impressive, especially for a site that is local in nature. In addition, this in-depth coverage of the community can serve as an example of how news can be presented in attractive and comfortable fashion to viewers who have previously been more accustomed to reading newspapers.

Neighborhood Watch: Home prices | tampabay.com - St. Petersburg Times and tbt* (Start your search here/click to go to: Pinellas or Pasco. Then choose neighborhood.)

Special Report: Paycheck to Paycheck | tampabay.com - St. Petersburg Times and tbt* (Top half of page: Video series launched in 2008)

Florida Bank Ratings | tampabay.com - St. Petersburg Times and tbt* (Full page)

Business | tampabay.com - St. Petersburg Times and tbt* (Full page)

[GE7]

Business Week

Contributors: John Byrne, Executive Editor, Editor-in-Chief;

Judges’ comments:

The site is innovative, featuring good interactivy and depth of issues. Viewer involvement has increased significantly, which is a credit to the site's accessibility and content. It represents a marriage of strong writers with intelligent technology. In an era of many look-alike sites, this one works hard to distinguish itself and succeeds at reaching that goal. Provided solid journalism in a momentous year for business news.

BusinessWeek.com

[GE53]

BNET.com

Contributors: Jeffrey Davis, Editor;

Judges’ comments:

Though launched in just 2007, this site has established itself as a noteworthy resource for business executives seeking practical information. Going beyond its unique and sophisticated look, it also encourages active participation by viewers. Material is well-organized and top-notch, focusing on what is new and exciting. This is a great new player on the business information scene that has a style all its own.

Jeffrey Davis (All original content under main tabs: Management, Strategy, Work Life, Industries. )

[GE60]

Judges

Andrew Leckey - Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism
Sreenath Sreenivasan - Columbia University
Neil Budde - DailyMe, Inc.

Enterprise

Enterprise: Small

Blade, The: "Down but Not Out"

Contributors: Gary Pakulski;

Judges’ comments:

A broad look at the statewide business community, putting the problems in perspective. The depth of examination is compelling. The stories are relevant, beyond the routine, enterprising, significant.

The (Toledo) Blade_Down but not Out.pdf (4.67 MB)

[5073EN]

Press Democrat, The (Santa Rosa CA): "For Exchange Bank, Wrong Time, Wrong Place"

Contributors: Kevin McCallum;

Judges’ comments:

A solid professional piece of research and writing, this enterprise effort goes behind the scenes to tell how a well-connected local bank's expansion plans backfired. The result: suspension of dividends, which funded the scholarship program at the local junior college. This shows good research and organization -- and the Page One photograph is a stark indicator of the bank's troubles.

Exchange letter.doc (88 KB) exchange1.pdf (1.08 MB) exchange2.pdf (562 KB) exchange3.pdf (1.06 MB)

[5173EN]

Salt Lake Tribune, The: "Liquor"

Contributors: Dawn House;

Judges’ comments:

This defines the term enterprise: Take on a hot-button topic, expose the facts and watch people squirm. Workers in Utah's state-owned liquor monopoly stores are underpaid, and seriously so. Of all fulltime workers, 35 percent earn enough to be only near or at the poverty level; the fate is the same for 90 percent of part-timers. Further, the state liquor board is deeply involved in its own form of protectionism -- moral protectionism, to be precise. The Salt Lake Tribune did a commendable job of examining a touchy subject in Utah. It did so without holding back to protect itself from possible economic or social backlash. Outstanding package, particularly in a conservative state that might have not have been particularly open to this topic. It provided a special perspective, from businesses to underpaid state employees. It also touched on religious underpinnings on the governing board.

booze E1.pdf (3.48 MB) booze jump E3.pdf (2.91 MB) liquor A1.pdf (3.92 MB) liquor jump A10.pdf (3.32 MB)

[5392EN]

Judges

Jim Medina - Ventura County Star
Gil Rudawsky - Rocky Mountain News (Denver CO)

Enterprise: Medium

Charlotte Observer, The: "The Good Deal That Wasn't"

Contributors: Rick Rothacker;

Judges’ comments:

This piece is the Winner for the Category.Panel comments: Rothacker’s story is the clear winner in this category. It is a wonderful look inside a not-so-golden deal. Rothacker uses a well-structured, well-reported piece to show the psychology that can take hold within a big company -- even when that works against its own interests. He does an excellent job of weaving first-hand accounts and dry facts into a lengthy but compelling read. Beyond Wachovia, the story shows how solid banks and bankers were lured into the subprime mortgage market - and the high price they paid when it collapsed.

10A-1st-Dec21-State-Asection-10.pdf (282 KB) 11A-1st-Dec21-State-Asection-11.pdf (216 KB) 1A-1st-Dec21-State-Asection-01.pdf (347 KB)

[5128EN]

Detroit News: "Ford Inside Story"

Contributors: Bryce G. Hoffman;

Judges’ comments:

In what must have been an avalanche of Detroit failure stories in the local press, this one reads surprisingly clear-headed: an inside, authoritative account of the debate inside Ford. Hoffman dives right in and takes the reader into the hard decision facing Alan Mulally as he tries to find a solution for Ford. Does Mulally cut to the bone, or try and forge ahead with new investments Ford believe it? Readers could feel the pressure as they read and Hoffman introduces readers to the human drama at the top of the corporate ladder without losing sight of the bigger picture.

Ford Inside Story Page 13A.pdf.pdf (182 KB) Ford Inside Story Page 1A.pdf.pdf (319 KB)

[5521EN]

San Antonio Express-News: "Enterprise "

Contributors: Jennifer Hiller;

Judges’ comments:

This story is a finalist.Hiller writes a very important story about an extremely high-profile person in her community. The piece is sharp without seeming accusatory or shrill. Notably her story was followed by other, similar stories from the national press, looking at Cisneros and others who helped fuel the subprime debacle. At the same time, Cisneros provides a golden opportunity to revisit the age-old problem of acquiescent board members. Hiller lists all the warning signs at Countrywide ahead of the subprime lending crisis, and ultimately shows how the need for vigorous corporate governance is painfully relearned in a downturn.

NewEnt.pdf (902 KB)

[5564EN]

Judges

James Jelter - MarketWatch
Susanne Craig - Wall Street Journal, The
Kyle Pope - Portfolio Magazine

Enterprise: Large

Detroit Free Press: "Pattern of harassment"

Contributors: Tim Higgins;

Judges’ comments:

In "Pattern of Harassment?", Detroit Free Press business writer Tim Higgins meticulously and evenhandedly explored repeated allegations by workers that they had been sexually harassed by both company and union officials at Chrysler Corp.'s Toledo North Assembly Plant. Higgins' careful examination showed that though civil rights investigators and courts found not every complaint to be persuasive, the plant fell short of Chrysler's goal, as a spokesman described it, of "zero tolerance...for harassment of any kind."

Jeep_entry.pdf (2.00 MB)

[5320EN]

Sacramento Bee, The: "Nail gun safety under fire"

Contributors: Andrew McIntosh;

Judges’ comments:

Anyone who has ever worked with an air-powered nail gun knows two things: It's a lot more efficient than a hammer -- and, potentially, a lot more dangerous. Sacramento Bee reporter Andrew McIntosh used the tragic death of construction worker Manuel Murillo as an occasion to examine the safety record of nail guns, which injure 42,000 Americans a year at an estimated cost of $338 million in medical bills and workers' compensation payments. This exhaustively researched and well-told story makes a strong case for safer -- and proven -- nail gun technology.

Nail Gun Project.doc (101 KB)

[5350EN]

Orange County Register, The: "Washington Mutual funded home flippers"

Contributors: John Gittelsohn;

Judges’ comments:

"WaMu Loaned Millions to O.C. Home Flippers With Fraud History" offered a fascinating peek into unscrupulous real estate speculation and careless lending practices that contributed to the collapse of California's out-of-control residential housing market. In this thorough investigation, the Orange County Register's John Gittelsohn uncovered excesses that provide insight into the flimsy foundation that underpinned America's historic -- and temporary -- housing and financial boom.

2009 SABEW enterprise.PDF (707 KB) Story -- text only.doc (118 KB) StoryPDF P1.pdf (1.29 MB) StoryPDF P2.pdf (538 KB) StoryPDF P3.pdf (332 KB)

[5427EN]

Judges

Bob Arnold - Standard & Poors
Jolie Solomon - More Magazine
Tom Foster - Fast Company

Enterprise: Giant

Washington Post: "Banking Regulator Played Advocate Over Enforcer"

Contributors: Binyamin Appelbaum, Staff Writer; Ellen Nakashima, Staff Writer;

Judges’ comments:

This story is dynamite on all fronts and sheds new light on an issue. The writers clearly understand the intricacies of bank regulators, and they document the lapses in vivid detail. This story shows how the Office of Thrift Supervision adopted a strategy of accommodating the firms it regulated, failed to check destructive excesses and ignored evidence of mounting problems. Though filled with the alphabet soup of bank regulators, compelling writing keeps readers hooked until the end. And telling the story of the regulatory environment through the eyes of one regulator was an excellent way to focus. This is a model of enterprise reporting. It represents the first truly comprehensive examination of the OTS and holds this agency accountable.

SABEW- Appelbaum-Nakashima 11-23-2008_1.pdf (330 KB) SABEW- Appelbaum-Nakashima 11-23-2008_2.pdf (224 KB) SABEW- Appelbaum-Nakashima 11-23-2008_3.pdf (433 KB) SABEW- Letter of Nomination, Appelbaum-Nakashima.pdf (22 KB)

[5085EN]

Wall Street Journal, The: "The Weekend That Wall Street Died"

Contributors: Susanne Craig; Jeffrey McCracken, News Editor; Aaron Lucchetti, Reporter; Kate Kelly, Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

The Weekend That Wall Street Died is the kind of story you wait your whole life for, and when you get it, you hit it out of the park. It is a riveting account of a September weekend of round-the-clock secret negotiations by the CEOs of America’s giant investment banks as they struggled to keep their firms afloat. Through deep sourcing and a wonderful behind-the-scenes storytelling style, the writers take readers from the beginning of the financial crisis, over two days of hell and through to the end. Incredible detail based on interviews with Wall Street executives, traders, regulators, investors and others, and a narrative structure that fits all the pieces together in a way no one else has done makes this story a clear winner. The accumulation of sources along with the depth of knowledge and years of experience of these reporters covering Wall Street makes this story definitive.

Weekend_Dec29.pdf (1.09 MB) Weekend_Dec29pgA10jump.pdf (524 KB) Weekend_Dec29pgA9jump.pdf (586 KB)

[5177EN]

Boston Globe, The: "The Partners Effect Nov. 16"

Contributors: Thomas Farragher, Editor; Scott Allen, Reporter; Marcella Bombardieri, Reporter; Michael Rezendes, Reporter; Liz Kowalczyk, Reporter; Jeffrey Krasner, Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

While health care writing can be dense and impossible, this piece reads like a conversation. Excellent details and explanations about the health care industry were slipped in as part of the tapestry of the story. The Globe team demonstrated real digging when they obtained a long-private database of confidential insurance data that showed a few hospitals, including Partners HealthCare, were being paid much more by insurers for health care procedures even though in many cases they were no better than average. Strong investigative reporting and clear writing about a complicated subject along with information-packed graphics brought the story home to the Globe's readers.

SABEW News Projects Partners 11-16 letter.doc (28 KB) SABEW Partners 11-16 1.pdf (1.26 MB) SABEW Partners 11-16 2.pdf (384 KB) SABEW Partners 11-16 3.pdf (886 KB)

[5448EN]

Judges

Mary Jane Pardue - Missouri State University
Christine Romans - CNN Business News
Brian Rhoads - Thomson Reuters America Inc. Institutional

Enterprise: Weekly

Crain's Chicago Business: "McD's eye-opener"

Contributors: David Sterrett;

Judges’ comments:

In this investigative enterprise piece, David Sterrett concisely outlined the challenges McDonald’s faces with their gourmet coffee roll out. He followed internal documents obtained to Kansas City - a test market cited - and talked to McDonald’s customers. Then he rounded out the reporting with strong expert interviews, and pulled it all together in a succinctly written story.

McD's eye-opener.doc (26 KB) cb29p01.pdf (1.72 MB) cb29p08.pdf (1.47 MB)

[5108EN]

Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal: "Finding Growth In Green"

Contributors: Bill King;

Judges’ comments:

Green is an issue that has been written about in every industry, but the Sports Business Journal did an excellent job relating the size and scope of green efforts by sports franchises to their readers. Bill King provided specific examples and strong sourcing in a well written story that took readers to the field and helped them visualize the impact of the energy saving measures.

GreenPageDesign_11.10.09pdf.pdf (1.73 MB)

[5260EN]

Los Angeles Business Journal: "IndyMac's Last Gasps"

Contributors: Richard Clough;

Judges’ comments:

The story of IndyMac’s failure quickly grabbed the attention of national media, and yet it was the hometown business journal that provided the insider sourcing to tell a compelling story of the spectacular breakdown. Banking reporter Richard Clough did an excellent job of weaving together the publicly known facts and newly obtained insider perspective. He also effectively captured the personality of chief executive Michael Perry, through the viewpoint of his colleagues, and his role in the company’s demise.

21_labj20080915_4c.pdf (428 KB) 22_labj20080915_4c.pdf (368 KB) 23_labj20080915_4c.pdf (138 KB) 24_labj20080915_4c.pdf (167 KB) 25_labj20080915_4c.pdf (267 KB) 26_labj20080915_4c.pdf (97 KB) 27_labj20080915_4c.pdf (489 KB) 28_labj20080915_4c.pdf (105 KB) SABEW-letter-09-Enterprise.doc (150 KB)

[5428EN]

Judges

Linda Fung - Dow Jones Newswires
Karen Mracek - Des Moines Register, The
Binyamin Appelbaum - Washington Post

Enterprise: Magazine Small

Bloomberg Markets: "Schools Flunk Finance"

Contributors: William Selway; Martin Z. Braun;

Judges’ comments:

Bloomberg Markets’ “Schools Flunk Finance” does two things that are still all-too-rare in financial journalism: It lifts the veil on complex Wall Street deals, showing not only how they work but how the bank makes it money. And it vividly demonstrates the real-world consequences of all this financial engineering.The judges were impressed by the writers’ richly detailed reporting, which covered every conceivable base: the schools’ struggles, the impact of lobbyists, the alleged “churning,” how the pitch worked, and why school boards were so susceptible. It is a story that ought to make readers angry, and regulators pay attention.

2009 SABEW Enterprise Schools Flunk Finance letter.doc (63 KB) 2009 SABEW Enterprise Schools Flunk Finance.pdf (988 KB)

[5028EN]

Judges

Chris Oster - MSN Money
Patrick Regnier - Money Magazine
Kendall Hamersly - Miami Herald, The

Enterprise: Magazine Giant

Fast Company: "China Storms Africa"

Contributors: Richard Behar;

Judges’ comments:

Truly outstanding work that combines research, on-the-ground reporting and analysis to lay bare global relationships and trade that could doom American business and political will in Africa -- if not the entire world -- one day. The article takes readers from ignorant to informed in an engaging read that proved World Bank statistics can be compelling when used effectively. “China Storms Africa” stands out for its idiosyncratic writing style and great sense of place.

Fast Company June 2008 China Storms Africa.pdf (18.20 MB)

[5130EN]

Business Week: "The Watchdogs Who Warned Us"

Contributors: Robert Berner;

Judges’ comments:

"The Watchdogs Who Warned Us" shed light on a complicated and previously unexplored subject. The legal rulings on federal power pre-empting state's rights are not sexy, but this well-reporrted account showed how they played a big role in the housing crisis.

The Watchdogs Who Warned Us.pdf (795 KB)

[5334EN]

Judges

Jim Watters - San Diego Union-Tribune, The
Mary Rajkumar - Associated Press
Marion Asnes - Financial Planning Magazine

Enterprise: Real Time

Bloomberg News: "?China Lets Child Workers Die Digging in Congo Mines for Copper?"

Contributors: Simon Clark; Michael Smith; Franz Wild;

Judges’ comments:

This was a difficult story to report and to tell, and it's clear the reporter talked with a lot of different sources - and a lot of reluctant sources - to nail it. Responses were guarded at best, both from Chinese government officials and from corporations doing business in that part of Africa. The ability to build a compelling narrative, especially given the type of story it was and the difficulty in getting it and verifying it, was impressive.

2009 SABEW Enterprise China Lets Child Workers Die.doc (2.18 MB) 2009 SABEW Enterprise China in Africa ltr.doc (92 KB)

[5025EN]

Bloomberg News: "?Ten Days Changed Wall Street as Bernanke Saw ?Massive Failure??"

Contributors: John Helyar, Editor-at-Large; Alison Fitzgerald, Reporter; Mark Pittman, Reporter; Serena Saitto, Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

The writers captured not only the details and the news of what was happening, but the emotion, fear and surprise among various players such as Bernanke and the Lehman staffers. This story is a fine example of taking multiple news events and crafting a cohesive narrative that gives people the full context and impact of the news. This has the on-the-ground details with the birds-eye view and serves the reader quite well. It is a business story with sweep and impact that will become a rich piece of information for researchers trying to make sense of this "Great Recession."

2009 SABEW Enterprise 10 Days letter.doc (89 KB) 2009 SABEW EnterpriseTen Days Changed Wall Street.doc (35.49 MB)

[5026EN]

Associated Press: "Weak Rules Cripple Appraiser Oversight"

Contributors: Mitch Weiss;

Judges’ comments:

Fantastic reporting and sourcing with some very good writing. Weiss shows that the problem goes way beyond fixing the appraisal and oversight system. The problem is there is no energy and teeth and follow-through with the existing system, and as much as people bang the gong, no one seems to care.

2008 Sabew Mitch Weiss story photos.pdf (90 KB) SABEW 2009 mitch weiss appraisers.pdf (112 KB)

[5139EN]

Judges

Michael Benbow - Herald, The (Everett, WA)
Jim Granelli - Los Angeles Times (CA) Institutional

Breaking News

Breaking News: Small

Morning Call, The: "Bulldog Bolts"

Contributors: Tyrone Richardson; Darryl Isherwood; Daniel Patrick Sheehan; Scott Kraus; Patrick Lester; Greg Karp; John Micek;

Judges’ comments:

This package really gave me the sense that I understood the history and importance of Mack Trucks to Allentown. It covered all the bases in an extremely well-written fashion. The human element was addressed with some well-chosen examples. Impact on the NC town that's winning what Allentown is losing is also examined well. This one would hold up well in a national publication for readers who had never heard of Allentown. The weave of history and tradition with the news is nice.

20080815-NATIONAL-A-001--TMC-TMC-FIFTH.PDF (435 KB) 20080815-NATIONAL-A-006--TMC-TMC-FIRST.PDF (159 KB) 20080815-NATIONAL-A-007--TMC-TMC-FIRST.PDF (456 KB) 20080815-NATIONAL-A-009--TMC-TMC-FIRST.PDF (495 KB) SABEW cover.doc (21 KB)

[5375BR]

Contributors: Ilene Aleshire, Business Editor; Sherri Buri McDonald, Reporter; Diane Dietz, Reporter; Edward Russo, Reporter; Anne Williams, Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

The Register-Guard's coverage of the Hynix plant closure did a really good job of showing how big a blow the closure was. The stories kept the national economic and tech outlook on the horizon while really focusing on the local aspect. The reaction from workers was nicely woven into the main story and gave the coverage a human face. The stories also looked ahead, addressing issues of importance to local readers in a fairly complete and effective way. Each story is discreet and doesn't overlap with the other stories very much, if at all.

A_01_RG_Thu_0724.pdf (3.74 MB) A_04_RG_Thu_0724.pdf (1.31 MB) A_05_RG_Thu_0724.pdf (1.22 MB) Contest entry.pdf (38 KB)

[5380BR]

Judges

John Schoen - MSNBC.com
Chris Noble - MarketWatch
Rami Grunbaum - Seattle Times, The

Breaking News: Medium

San Jose Mercury News: "Microsoft Bids for Yahoo"

Contributors: Chris O'Brien, Staff Writer; Pete Carey, Staff Writer; Vindu Goel, Business Columnist; Pai, Graphic Artist; Dean Takahashi, Business Columnist; Troy Wolverton, Staff Writer; Mark Boslet, Staff Writer; Jack Davis, Data Analyst;

Judges’ comments:

This package hit all the major angles hard. Writing is authoritative in the mainbar, and also user-friendly for those not familiar with Microsoft, Yahoo and Google's different operations and how they compete. There is a lot of consumer-orientated information here -- as in what the proposed Microsoft-Yahoo deal might mean for users of the services. The team on this comprehensive package also added appropriate sidebars on the cultural differences between the two companies, antitrust issues and hostile bids becoming more prevalent in this industry. Plus two columnists weighing in on the deal, and its significance for the region, the workers and the stockholders. Infographics add to the readers' understanding of the scope of the deal.

Yahoo_02_02_2008.pdf (417 KB)

[5016BR]

Charlotte Observer, The: "WHIPLASH"

Contributors: Rick Rothacker; Christina Rexrode; Jen Aronoff; Kerry Hall; Bill Pitzer; Elizabeth Leland; Eric Frazier; Lisa Zagaroli; Jefferson George; Doug Smith; Patrick Scott; Tony Mecia;

Judges’ comments:

Strong effort in this reporting on the unexpected twist involving the bid for Wachovia by Wells Fargo, overriding a previous agreement with Citigroup. The mainbar is very thorough in explaining what has happened to change things overnight for Wachovia, its stockholders and its workers. This is what a mainbar should do. It was well-written, very thorough, had great details and touched a little bit on the angles that the sidebars expanded on. The front-page sidebar offers a strong behind-the-scene insight of how the proposed deal went down, and was very readable. Lots of angles in the other sidebars --shareholders, legal issues, congressional reaction, employees. Even a fun sidebar on the Charlotte vs. San Francisco banking rivalry and city comparisons.

1A-1st-Oct04-Final-Asection-01.pdf (382 KB) 1D-1st-Oct04-State-Business-01.pdf (266 KB) 2D-1st-Oct04-State-Business-02.pdf (167 KB) 4A-1st-Oct04-Final-Asection-04.pdf (338 KB) 5A-1st-Oct04-State-Asection-05.pdf (438 KB) 6A-1st-Oct04-State-Asection-06.pdf (235 KB) letter.doc (21 KB)

[5133BR]

Detroit News: "Survival Roadmap"

Contributors: David Shepardson, Washington Bureau Chief; Christine Tierney, Global Auto Reporter; Gordon Trowbridge, Washington Bureau; Alisa Priddle, Chrysler Reporter; Bryce G. Hoffman, Ford Reporter; Robert Snell, GM Reporter; Daniel Howes, Business Columnist and Associate Business Editor;

Judges’ comments:

The reporters did a fast turnaround in analyzing the business plans of the Big 3 automakers to deliver this package on the prospects for the company, the auto industry in general, and the Michigan and U.S. economies. This was a very detailed package, including the broad overview and three logical sidebars on GM, Ford and Chrysler, with more detail on each of the plans. Plus a columnist weighs in on the industry's troubles, offering insight into developments that in the months ahead would become the direction of the industry. The 1A infographic nicely summarizes the three companies' situations for readers. Good expert comments throughout this package.

SABEW SurvivalRoadmap.pdf (315 KB) SABEWSurvivalLetter.doc (27 KB) SurvivalRoadmap Page 9A.pdf.pdf (195 KB) SurvivalRoadmapPage 8A.pdf.pdf (329 KB)

[5514BR]

Judges

Galen Meyer - Bloomberg News
David Berman - Florida Today
Pamela Luecke - Washington & Lee University

Breaking News: Large

Detroit Free Press: "Two breaking stories"

Contributors: Katherine Yung, Staff Writer; Ellen Creager, Travel Writer; Tim Higgins, Staff Writer; Brent Snavely, Staff Writer; Jewel Gopwani, Staff Writer; Mark Phelan, Columnist;

Judges’ comments:

News of a partnership between struggling U.S. automaker Chrysler LLC and Japanese manufacturer Nissan Motor Co., came late in around 3:30 p.m. and took auto industry watchers, including those at the Free Press, by surprise with a tightly guarded announcement. The Free Press business staff jumped into gear to report a development that could be a significant boost for a major Detroit employer, and emerged with a package that included a main story about the news, Chrysler worker reaction and a knowledgeable overview of the significance of the deal by the newspaper's auto columnist. Just as that package was wrapped up and as deadline neared for the paper's first edition, a second major story broke: the consummation of a rumored merger between Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines, the city's largest carrier. In the deal, Detroit would become Delta's second-largest hub. The outcome was these two business stories filling better than two-thirds of that day's A1. The Free Press business staff on that day showed its mettle, its tirelessness, its flexibility and a deep respect for its duty to inform the newspaper's readership of two very bright spots in an increasing knell of dreary economic news.

0415_breaking_entry.pdf (2.29 MB)

[5220BR]

Baltimore Sun: "Constellation Energy sale"

Contributors: Hanah Cho, Reporter; Andrea Walker, Reporter; Dan Thanh Dang, Reporter; Jay Hancock, Reporter/Columnist; Jamie Smith Hopkins, Reporter; Robert Little, Reporter; Sumathi Reddy, Reporter; Annie Linsky, Reporter; Scott Calvert, Reporter; Trif Alatzas, Editor; Bernie Kohn, Editor; Howard Libit, Editor; David Nitkin, Editor;

Judges’ comments:

When Maryland's largest electric utility turned to one of Warren Buffett's companies to be acquired, Maryland residents had no better place to turn than The Sun to find out why this deal between Constellation and MidAmerican was going down and what it meant for them. On the day after the proposed acquisition was announced, The Sun had explored just about every angle imaginable to this story, from what the deal might mean for Constellation's nuclear ambitions to MidAmerican's track record in community service in its home city of Des Moines, Iowa. Perhaps most importantly, the business staff clearly described how Constellation found itself at this crisis point. Writing about utilities and energy trading is not an easy task, and yet the Sun's journalists wrote with a clear and approachable style that would make the coverage readable for folks who don't normally check out the business section. While the deal eventually fizzled, the Sun's no-holds barred approach shows that readers can count on the paper to tell them all they need to know about the big events affecting Maryland's corporate world and how those events affect their own lives.

Day1.Page1.pdf (1.67 MB) Day1.Page10.pdf (1.20 MB) Day1.Page11.pdf (1.31 MB) Day1.Page12.pdf (1.27 MB) Day2.Page1.pdf (1.35 MB) Day2.Page10.pdf (463 KB) Day3.Page1.pdf (2.45 MB) Day3.Page19.pdf (576 KB) Day4.Page1.pdf (1.89 MB) Day4.Page10.pdf (1.20 MB) Day5.Page1.pdf (893 KB) Day5.Page17.pdf (382 KB) constellation.coverletter.doc (78 KB)

[5469BR]

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Farewell to the King"

Contributors: Jeremiah McWilliams, Business Reporter; Jeffrey Tomich, Business Reporter; Angela Tablac, Business Reporter; David Nicklaus, Business Columnist; Tim Logan, Business Reporter; Matthew Hathaway, Metro Reporter; Jake Wagman, Metro Reporter; Robert Kelly, Metro Reporter; Greg Jonsson, Metro Reporter; David Hunn, Metro Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

The staff at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch drove home the value of being prepared with its powerful and intelligent coverage of the purchase of American icon Anheuser-Busch by global brewer InBev. When anticipation of a deal mounted on Sunday, July 13, the business staff came into the office and started digging. Business reporters, who had built a database of experts and affected parties, developed stories on the deal. The stories conveyed the historical complexity of the deal in a readable style. Stories by the business and metro desks covered the impact on the entire brewing process, from farmers to workers, from distributors to bartenders and customers. Historical stories showed the paper's intimate understanding of the Anheuser-Busch operations, including a telling profile of August A. Busch IV. Clear and informative graphics and timelines filled out a complete package. The newspaper's institutional knowledge of Anheuser-Busch, developed over decades of coverage, permeated the package. The newspaper's preparation for the historic story and deadline execution made it one of the best in a year of big breaking business stories.

Bud.pdf (1.34 MB) Bud2.pdf (2.06 MB) Bud3.pdf (1.82 MB) Bud4.pdf (449 KB) Bud5.pdf (459 KB) Bud6.pdf (690 KB) bibjudgebud.doc (30 KB)

[5493BR]

Judges

Grove Potter - Buffalo News, The
Jon Chesto - Patriot Ledger, The (Quincy MA)
Kristina Campbell - McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Breaking News: Giant

Washington Post: "Wall Street's Crisis Lands In Washington"

Contributors: Jonathan Weisman; Paul Kane; Lori Montgomery; Joel Achenbach; Ashley Surdin; Edward Cody; Mary Jordan; Steven Pearlstein; Neil Irwin; David Cho; Dan Eggen; Michael Abramowitz;

Judges’ comments:

The Post's coverage of Sept. 29 showed clearly and compellingly what happened on Capitol Hill and on trading floors around the world. The use of graphics and storytelling helped readers understand what happened on a frightening, confusing day. The Post's coverage explained how lawmakers rebelled against the bailout plan and why the public had lost trust of elected officials. And Steve Pearlstein's column foreshadowed the economic earthquake to come.

SABEW- Breaking News 09-30-2008_1.pdf (189 KB) SABEW- Breaking News 09-30-2008_2.pdf (275 KB) SABEW- Breaking News 09-30-2008_3.pdf (170 KB) SABEW- Breaking News 09-30-2008_4.pdf (151 KB) SABEW- Breaking News 09-30-2008_5.pdf (463 KB) SABEW- Breaking News 09-30-2008_6.pdf (177 KB) SABEW- Breaking News 09-30-2008_7.pdf (145 KB) SABEW- Breaking News stories.doc (20 KB) SABEW- Letter of Nomination, Breaking News.pdf (43 KB)

[5091BR]

Wall Street Journal, The: "Financial Crisis 2008"

Contributors: Carrick Mollenkamp, Reporter; Susanne Craig, News Editor; Serena Ng, Reporter; Aaron Lucchetti, Reporter; Matthew Karnitschnig, Reporter; Dan Fitzpatrick, Reporter; Deborah Solomon, Reporter; Dennis K. Berman, Deputy Editor - Money ; Liam Pleven, Reporter; Peter Lattman, Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

The Journal presented a very clear look at complicated events that transpired over the weekend, from Paulson's ultimatum to the Bank of America deal to buy Merrill Lynch. The reporting gave readers an inside look, reporting such details as the scene in the men's bathroom at the Fed. The coverage provided historical perspective as well as forward-looking analysis.

AIG_Sept15_pgC1.pdf (641 KB) AIG_Sept15_pgC2jump.pdf (259 KB) Crisis_Sept15_pgA1.pdf (820 KB) Crisis_Sept15_pgA18jump.pdf (421 KB) Crisis_Sept15_pgA19jumps.pdf (261 KB)

[5174BR]

New York Times, The: "Wall Street/Financial Crisis"

Contributors: Eric Dash, Reporter; Jenny Anderson, Reporter; Vikas Bajaj, Reporter; Andrew Ross Sorkin, Reporter; Michael Barbaro, Reporter; Michael J. de la Merced, Reporter; Louise Story, Reporter; Ben White, Reporter; Floyd Norris, Reporter; Gretchen Morgenson, Reporter; Mary Williams Walsh, Reporter; David M. Herszenhorn, Reporter; Carl Hulse, Reporter; Peter S. Goodman, Reporter; Diana B. Henriques, Reporter; Hilda Wang, Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

The Times presented an exhaustive and compelling look at a "frantic weekend" on Wall Street. The package combined careful analysis with detailed drama of the atmosphere on the street. The coverage brought readers into the negotiating room, told them the story of Merrill Lynch's fall, and explained what could happen next.

Breaking-Wall_Street.pdf (18.44 MB)

[5467BR]

Judges

Ron Carter - Columbus Dispatch, The
Alexander Davis - MarketWatch
Lynn Hicks - Des Moines Register, The

Breaking News: Weekly

Triangle Business Journal (Raleigh-Durham NC): " A Troubled Town"

Contributors: Adam Linker, Reporter; Lee Weisbecker, Reporter; Amanda Jones Hoyle, Reporter; Dale Gibson, Editor;

Judges’ comments:

It's clear that the Triangle Business Journal set out to put a face on the recession by giving such a thorough treatment to the closing of a Pilgrim's Pride plant -- and that goal was accomplished. The reporters helped us travel to Siler City by reading these richly detailed stories. They gave readers a deeper sense of how the closing of a chicken processing plant can ripple through the economy of an entire town, affecting everyone from Hispanic immigrant workers to poultry farmers and the local government. It can be difficult to pull together these kinds of stories on any time-table, let alone a short one. Judging by the date when this came out (April 18), it seems they had a little time to plan this -- since the closing of the plant was announced in March. Still, these reporters must have been juggling other work while doing this, and given the overall quality of the stories, it is a very strong package.

bib.breaking_news.2009.pdf (586 KB)

[5007BR]

Financial Week: "From Crunch to Crisis"

Contributors: Beth Braverman, Reporter; Mark Bruno, Reporter; Tim Catts, Reporter; Marine Cole, Reporter; Hilary Johnson, Reporter; Matthew Monks, Reporter; Neil Roland, Reporter; Nicholas Rummell , Reporter; Matthew Scott, Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

Financial Week reporters managed to crank out a ton of very clear and concrete explanation of all the ramifications of the credit crunch. In some cases, their reporting was prescient. We marveled at the ingenuity involved in tracking down a dentist who served Wall Street clients and finding out about canceled appointments. Also, the story about GM's massive and messy debt load, and all the possible ugly effects it could pose for the overall securities market, showed tremendous insight into the overall crisis. These stories are also littered with concrete examples of how the crunch is affecting particular companies and investment funds, information which is not easy to unearth. The package could have been helped by having one overview story with possibly shorter sidebars. A fine piece of team reporting.

Sabew Cover Letter- Breaking News- 9.29.08.doc (668 KB) Sabew- Breaking News-From Crunch to Crisis.pdf (343 KB)

[5034BR]

Pacific Coast Business Times: "Gap Fire Coverage"

Contributors: Stephen Nellis, Staff Writer; Barbara Pearson, Staff Writer; Henry Dubroff, Editor; Emily Rancer, Assistant Managing Editor; Ray Estrada, Managing Editor;

Judges’ comments:

The reporting was strong and presented in an interesting way with a lot of compelling human drama. A tremendous amount of work and dedication went into the coverage of a natural disaster that also affected businesses in the area. The letter from the editor helped influence us in recognizing the work of the Pacific Coast Business Times.

BreakingNewsLetter.doc (26 KB) pcbt_breaking_news.pdf (5.90 MB)

[5146BR]

Judges

Stephen Trousdale - San Jose Mercury News
Christie Smythe - Portfolio Media/Law360 Newswires
Paola Banchero - University of Alaska - Anchorage

Breaking News: Real Time

Thomson Reuters America Inc. Institutional: "GM/Chrysler Deal Hopes Rise, then Shattered"

Contributors: David Baily, Correspondent; Kevin Krolickie, Detroit Bureau Chief; Jui Chakravorty, Correspondent; Poornima Gupta, Correspondent; Kim Soyoung, Correspondent; Nick Carey, Correspondent;

Judges’ comments:

This package on the potential for a GM/Chrysler deal broke significant new ground with exclusive details of the negotiations between the two auto companies and the federal government. The stories were comprehensively reported and smoothly written, impressive given the many twists and turns of the story. Besides landing scoops, the reporters were able to see all the angles, and put their exclusives in the larger context of the federal auto bailout and a troubled industry. Although the stories relied heavily on unattributed sources - and the judges would have like to have seen more precise descriptions of those sources - the stories' accuracy speaks to the quality of the information those sources provided.

Autos Coverage_SABEW_Breaking News.pdf (59 KB)

[5358BR]

Thomson Reuters America Inc. Institutional: "Microhoo: How the Blockbuster Deal Blew Up"

Contributors: Anupreeta Das, Correspondent; Michele Gershberg, Correspondent;

Judges’ comments:

This package of stories on the Microsoft/Yahoo tap dance were a terrific example of great execution on a breaking news story, offering not just high news value, but also great analysis. In addition, these pieces were so replete with intimate details of the negotiations that you sometimes felt the reporters had been in the room. By giving readers a sense of the people and personalities beyond the numbers, the writers were able to distinguish themselves by taking a narrative approach to what was otherwise a deadline-driven story.

MSFT_SABEW Final.pdf (105 KB)

[5535BR]

Judges

Sarah Bartlett - CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
Judith Dobrzynski - New York Times, The
Leslie Wayne - New York Times, The

Project

Project: Small

Akron Beacon-Journal: "The American Dream"

Contributors: David Giffels; David Knox; Betty Lin-Fisher; Mark J. Price; Tracy Wheeler; Cheryl Powell; Lisa Abraham; Kim Hone-McMahan; Mary Beth Breckenridge; Bill Lilley; Katie Byard; Jim Mackinnon; Dennis Willard;

Judges’ comments:

Wow. Talk about dedication to a community. This isn't a project, it's a movement, with the Beacon-Journal leading the charge to turn Akron into a 'savings community.' It's refreshing to read a paper advocating so effectively for the needs of people in its community - who could ever cancel a subscription to a newspaper that cares this much about its readers? This series is a model for how newspapers can remain vital to readers, and a concept that could be applicable to other reader needst. The fact that it was published in 2008, as the economy went into a tailspin only underscores its timeliness. I'm sure that Akron is better off than other communities facing the recession because of the frank conversation convened by the Beacon-Journal. Bravo.

AkronBeaconJournal08.pdf (47.73 MB)

[5160PR]

Press Democrat, The (Santa Rosa CA): "Life Savings Lost to Fraud/The Money Trail"

Contributors: Kevin McCallum, Staff Writer;

Judges’ comments:

Great digging, great details, great writing, great work. You read stories like these and just want to scream "run!" as the victims are introduced. Good explanation of how Armitage's scheme worked. The fact he preyed on the elderly made this story even more heartbreaking. Stories on ponzi schemes can be confusing, but these were clear and reader-friendly.

AGA letter.doc (87 KB) aga1.1.pdf (1.49 MB) aga1.2.pdf (94 KB) aga2.1.pdf (1.07 MB) aga2.2.pdf (290 KB) aga2.3.pdf (454 KB)

[5172PR]

Salt Lake Tribune, The: "Hidden Dangers"

Contributors: Steven Oberbeck;

Judges’ comments:

An incredible revelation of a powerful company abdicating its responsibility to a community and its safety. The company ignoring the advice of its lawyers and covertly buying up houses while public officials looked the other way is a shocking tale - all Hollywood needs is for the dam to break to turn this into a screenplay.

hidden dangers A1.pdf (3.19 MB) hidden jump A11.pdf (2.03 MB) hidden jump A8.pdf (3.94 MB) hidden jump A9.pdf (3.45 MB) kennecott A10.pdf (4.72 MB)

[5390PR]

Judges

Rebecca Mowbray - Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans LA)
Clytie Bunyan - Oklahoman, The
Steve Silkin - Los Angeles Business Journal

Project: Medium

Charlotte Observer, The: "The Cruelest Cuts"

Contributors: Ames Alexander; Kerry Hall; Franco Ordonez; John Simmons; Peter St. Onge; Ted Mellnik; Reid Creager; Rogelio Aranda; Holly Farrant; Bill Pitzer; Dave Puckett; Dave Enna; Tony Lone Fight; Marion Paynter; Maria David; Jim Walser; Gary Schwab; Mitch Weiss; Glenn Burkins; Patrick Scott;

Judges’ comments:

This series is the definition of what a great project should be - deeply researched, broad in scope yet with loads of specific anecdotes, well organized and well written. It's obvious that substantial time and effort was devoted to this series of articles, which by itself doesn't warrant any award. But it's clear that a tremendous amount of thought and creativity was put into this project, which was original and thought provoking, and one that you really wanted to keep reading. The fact that people were called on the carpet as a result of the reporting speaks to its importance and effectiveness. Simply put, journalism at its best.

5267PR-CharlotteObserver.pdf (45.36 MB) sabewprojectletter.doc (41 KB)

[5267PR]

Detroit News: "Russian Revolution"

Contributors: Christine Tierney;

Judges’ comments:

A gutsy, thorough article about a subject that has received little if any coverage: automakers competing for the fast-growing Russian car market. As many journalists have learned, criticizing the Russian government is dangerous, but Christine Tierney spoke to a wide range of sources to get the goods on the troubled alliances between automakers in well-developed but saturated markets like the United States, France, Japan and their Russian counterparts. Especially when one considers the limited resources The Detroit News has at its disposal, this is impressive work.

Russian Revolution Day One Page 1A.pdf.pdf (407 KB) Russian Revolution Day One Page 6A.pdf.pdf (405 KB) Russian Revolution Day One Page 7A.pdf.pdf (380 KB) Russian Revolution Day Two Page 1A.pdf.pdf (450 KB) Russian Revolution Day Two Page 6A.pdf.pdf (609 KB) Russian Revolution Day Two Page 7A.pdf.pdf (149 KB) SABEWRussiaLetter.doc (30 KB)

[5522PR]

Miami Herald, The: "Borrowers Betrayed"

Contributors: Matthew Haggman; Rob Barry; Jack Dolan;

Judges’ comments:

Outstanding and exhaustive reporting on the local impact of what was clearly the most important story of the year - the mortgage meltdown. This enterprising package was well presented and had strong narrative threads throughout. The reporters did a great job combing state records and then following up to show how financial regulators allowed a criminal class to prey on those least able to defend themselves. And the series produced results by forcing state officials to address the lack of oversight of the lending industry.

Part1page1.pdf (1.13 MB) Part1page2(2).pdf (1.52 MB) Part1page2.pdf (1.52 MB) Part1page3.pdf (1.51 MB) Part1page4.pdf (352 KB) Part1page5.pdf (583 KB) Part2page1.pdf (1.04 MB) Part2page2.pdf (467 KB) Part2page3.pdf (2.49 MB) Part2page4.pdf (3.16 MB) Part3page1.pdf (1.11 MB) Part3page2.pdf (1.59 MB) Part3page3.pdf (542 KB) Part4page1.pdf (1.28 MB) Part4page2.pdf (1.36 MB) Part5page1.pdf (767 KB) Part5page2.pdf (4.08 MB) Part5page3.pdf (1.76 MB) letter.doc (31 KB)

[5588PR]

Judges

Tom Granahan - Source Media
Dan Freed - TheStreet.com
Michael Brunker - MSNBC.com

Project: Large

Seattle Times, The: "MRSA: Culture of resistance"

Contributors: Michael J. Berens; Ken Armstrong;

Judges’ comments:

The judges felt this entry exemplified fearless and throrough investigative reporting at its best. In exposing the lurking threat of a dangerous germ at area hospitals, the Times unraveled a very real and compelling story that may literally save lives. It was well-told and exhaustively researched with great facts and figures that also put a human face on the contagion. It was enhanced by great use of charts and boxes and smart use of the web as an adjunct. Not only was it a stellar example of enterprise reporting, it also stands on its own as laudable public-service journalism.

MRSAsabew.pdf (14.15 MB)

[5131PR]

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "Easy Money"

Contributors: Cary Spivak, Investigative Business Reporter; Dan Bice, Columnist; Ben Poston, Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

From its opening paragaphs, this story was a winner and stood out in a sea of coverage about the subprime mortgage mess. It took a step-by-step approach of outlining just how these loans got approved but did so in an enlightening way, always bringing us back to the human side of the pain it caused. The Journal Sentinel took a widely reported national story and through great reporting, evocative photos and helpful grahics filtered it through a local prism. Simply put, it generated good old-fashioned outrage among the judges--always a sign that the piece has hit a nerve.

JS-EasyMoney1a.pdf (1.08 MB) JS-EasyMoney1b.pdf (616 KB) JS-EasyMoney1c.pdf (1.08 MB) JS-EasyMoney2a.pdf (1.43 MB) JS-EasyMoney2b.pdf (1.13 MB) JS-EasyMoney2c.pdf (1.33 MB) JS-EasyMoney3a.pdf (1.44 MB) JS-EasyMoney3b.pdf (1.48 MB) JS-EasyMoneyLetter.doc (28 KB)

[5406PR]

Baltimore Sun: "Hospital debt"

Contributors: Fred Schulte, Reporter; James Drew, Reporter; Bernie Kohn, Editor;

Judges’ comments:

This series exposed charity-care hospitals that improperly billed those who could not afford to pay by telling the story through the eyes of its victims. It required incredible spadework, digging through hundreds of thousands of lawsuits, yet the result is clear, readable and hits on all the major angles and players involved. In the words of one of our judges, "This hit a trifecta of human interest, government accountability and hospital problems."

Day1.Page1.pdf (1.96 MB) Day1.Page22.pdf (1.72 MB) Day1.Page23.pdf (1,008 KB) Day2.Page1.pdf (1.51 MB) Day2.Page10.pdf (965 KB) Day2.Page11.pdf (801 KB) Day3.Page1.pdf (1.26 MB) Day3.Page10.pdf (1.83 MB) Day3.Page11.pdf (2.21 MB) hospitaldebt.coverletter.doc (79 KB)

[5466PR]

Judges

Judann Pollack - Advertising Age
Martin Kady - Politico.com
Sharon Bernstein - Los Angeles Times (CA) Institutional

Project: Giant

Los Angeles Times (CA) Institutional: "Shedding Risk"

Contributors: Michael Hiltzik; Lisa Girion, Staff Writer; Daniel Costello, Former Staff Writer;

Judges’ comments:

A highly informative, well written series on a subject that matters to everyone: health insurance. Excellent reporting shows how insurance companies are weeding out the policy holders who need help most in favor of helping the companies' bottom line, understandable in a free enterprise system but harmful, even devastating to the folks excluded. Very timely in light of the current public debate about universal health care. Impact reported on public opinion and public policy.

risk.doc (142 KB)

[5294PR]

Boston Globe, The: "Partners Spotlight series"

Contributors: Thomas Farragher, Editor; Scott Allen, Reporter; Marcella Bombardieri, Reporter; Michael Rezendes, Reporter; Liz Kowalczyk, Reporter; Jeffrey Krasner, Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

This courageous series took on the most prestigious hospitals, both Harvard-affiliated, and health insurance companies in Massachusetts, describing how they collaborated to raise insurance rates to provide higher reimbursements to hospitals for care that provided no better results than other hospitals'. According to the series, the hospitals are using their increased revenues to establish new facilities in Massachusetts communities that already have hospitals, threatening to undermine their finances. The series had impact on public opinion, healthcare industry leaders, and public officials. Good corroboration is on page 1 of the The New York Times of March 14, 2009, describing Massachusetts' efforts to rein in runaway healthcare costs, and specifically crediting The Globe's series with prompting action by Governor Patrick. Good investigative reporting and well written.

SABEW News Projects Partners series letter.doc (28 KB) SABEW Partners 11-16 1.pdf (1.26 MB) SABEW Partners 11-16 2.pdf (384 KB) SABEW Partners 11-16 3.pdf (886 KB) SABEW Partners 11-20 1.pdf (1.08 MB) SABEW Partners 11-20 2.pdf (1.15 MB) SABEW Partners 12-28 1.pdf (772 KB) SABEW Partners 12-28 2.pdf (457 KB) SABEW Partners 12-28 3.pdf (449 KB)

[5447PR]

New York Times, The: "Reckoning"

Contributors: Gretchen Morgenson, Reporter; Peter S. Goodman, Reporter; Eric Dash, Reporter; Julie Creswell, Reporter; Charles Duhigg, Reporter; Carter Dougherty, Reporter; Jo Becker, Reporter; Sheryl Gay Stolberg, Reporter; Stephen Labaton, Reporter; Kitty Bennett, Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

Witnessing our financial system falling apart, readers desperately seek context and insight to understand what went wrong. The Times' "The reckoning" provides an exemplary public service by exhaustively plummeting the root causes of the financial crisis. "The feckoning" supplies in-depth reporting conveyed with authority and human detail, pinpointing the greed, conflict of interest, and risk-promoting public policy that set the stage for the nation's financial collapse. The scope of the project is remarkable. From an analysis of the Bush philosophy of the ownership society to regulation-averse views of former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan to the synthetic CDOs purchased by a local school department's pension fund in Wisconsin, the projects shows how financial risk was either discounted or misunderstood. Its reporting of CitiGroup's failings - especially its lax risk management - is searing. In perhaps the most impressive installment of the project, "The reckoning" connects the dots between unwitting small-time institutional investment decisions and a vast network of global financial players.

Projects-Reckoning.pdf (21.53 MB)

[5486PR]

Judges

George Donnelly - Boston Business Journal
Rex Seline - Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Joe Mathewson - Northwestern University

Project: Weekly

Orlando Business Journal: "Water Woes"

Contributors: Bill Orben, Associate Managing Editor; Denise Hicks, Research Director; Anjali Fluker, Staff Writer; Dan Ping, Former Staff Writer; Chris Kauffmann, Staff Writer; Tiffany Beck, Former Staff Writer;

Judges’ comments:

In its "Water woes" package, the Orlando Business Journal tackles the complex and important issue of water development and consumption in central Florida. The package lays out the scale of the problem, including the costs and technologies involved in developing water resources. It includes a list of 25 of the largest corporate water users-though, unfortunately, the paper was not able to access Walt Disney World Resorts' water-consumption statistics. The authors also identify policy alternatives for developing water resources and reducing consumption.The package is well written. In addition, it includes a number of visual elements that make it particularly accessible.

SABEW.pdf (18.29 MB)

[5163PR]

Philadelphia Business Journal: "Price of Crime project"

Contributors: Bernard Dagenais, Editor; Dell Poncet, Managing Editor; John Spencer, Design Editor; Frank Devlin, Associate Editor; Sonja Sherwood, Associate Editor; Athena D. Merritt, Staff Writer; Natalie Kostelni, Staff Writer; Jeff Blumenthal, Staff Writer; John George, Staff Writer; Peter Key, Staff Writer; Peter Van Allen, Staff Writer;

Judges’ comments:

"The price of crime" takes a fresh, multi-faceted look at the impact of property crimes and violence on Philadelphia's economy. In more than 20 related articles, the weekly explores not only how crime affects business but also how government and business - from local corporations, banks, and colleges down to the Tastykake thrift store - can help address the problems that give rise to it.

Project.pdf (7.62 MB)

[5405PR]

Cincinnati Business Courier: "Empty Promise"

Contributors: Lucy May, Senior Reporter; Dan Monk, Senior Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

"Empty promise" took a close look at a unique program that attempts to address a glut of vacant buildings, and laid out the problems associated with it. The initial story stood out for its inclusion of real people impacted by the law, its comprehensive take on the issue and its strong sourcing and writing. The follow-up pieces showed the project spurred city officials and neighborhood advocates to act to try to find ways to improve the law's results.

081508p01_vacant.pdf (1.73 MB)

[5555PR]

Judges

Andrea Gabor - Baruch College/CUNY
Eileen Connelly - Associated Press
Greg Daugherty - Consumer Reports

Project: Real Time

Bloomberg News: "Broken Promises"

Contributors: William Selway; Martin Z. Braun;

Judges’ comments:

This package delivers outrage. As the government spends billions bailing out financial firms, we have these school districts and municipalities stiffed with deals they didn't understand -- or didn't bother to investigate. It correctly pointed out that JPMorgan's practices were at odds with the glow surrounding the bank under Jamie Dimon's leadership.

2009 SABEW Hidden Swap Fees by JPMorgan Morgan Stanley.doc (1.09 MB) 2009 SABEW Projects Broken Promises letter.doc (100 KB) 2009 SABEW Projects Broken Promises print Table of Contents.doc (25 KB) 2009 SABEW Projects FBI Probe of JPMorgan Fees Focuses on Swaps.doc (30.25 MB) 2009 SABEW Projects JPMorgan Swap Deals Spur Probe.doc (48.40 MB)

[5032PR]

Bloomberg News: "Recipe for Famine"

Contributors: Bloomberg News, Staff;

Judges’ comments:

This is the kind of reporting that reminds you how important investigative journalism is to society and what's at stake when media outlets shutter or trim their staffs. "Comprehensive" is an overused word, but this series is a catalog of waste and misplaced priorities that interfere with the basic human need to have food to eat and contribute to the ultimate indignity - the loss of human life. A powerful global effort.

2009 SABEW Famine1 Dead Children Linked to Aid Policy in Africa.doc (36.77 MB) 2009 SABEW Famine2 How Famine Lurked Behind Vienna Toast.doc (34.46 MB) 2009 SABEW Famine3 World Banks Wrong Advice Left Silos Empty.doc (31.03 MB) 2009 SABEW Famine4 Government Bribes in Cameroon Divert Funds From Food.doc (40.75 MB) 2009 SABEW Famine5 Wasting Enough Rice to Feed 184 Million.doc (64.57 MB) 2009 SABEW Famine6 Corn Futures Spark Riots.doc (87.30 MB) 2009 SABEW Famine7 Eating Isnt an Option When Minnesota Corn.doc (65.40 MB) 2009 SABEW Projects Recipe for Famine Table of Contents.doc (27 KB) 2009 SABEW Projects Recipe for Famine letter.doc (98 KB)

[5033PR]

Associated Press: "Meltdown 101 Project"

Contributors: Eric Carvin, Associated Press Top Stories Desk Editor; Chris Rugaber, AP Business Reporter; Alan Zibel, AP Business Reporter; Rachel Beck, AP Business Reporter; Madlen Read, AP Business Reporter; Ellen Simon, AP Business Reporter; David Pitt, AP Business Reporter; Marcy Gordon, AP Business Reporter; Mark Jewell, AP Business Reporter; Marty Crutsinger, AP Business Reporter; Jeannine Aversa, AP Business Reporter; Janna Elphinstone, AP Business Reporter; Dirk Lammers, AP Business Reporter; Shaila Dani, AP Business Reporter; Candice Choi, AP Business Reporter; Andrew Miga, AP Business Reporter; Dennis Conrad, AP Business Reporter; Dave Carpenter, AP Business Reporter; John Porretto, AP Business Reporter; Kimberly Johnson, AP Business Reporter; Vinnee Tong, AP Business Reporter; Chris Bain, AP Business Reporter; Deborah Yao, AP Business Reporter; Joe Bel Bruno, AP Business Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

Perhaps no other entry was of greater service to the general reader. Meltdown 101 lives up to its name: FYI finance information about the economic crisis. An exhaustive effort.

SABEW 2009 meltdown101s final.pdf (519 KB)

[5141PR]

Judges

David Milstead - Rocky Mountain News (Denver CO)
Mike Cote - ColoradoBiz
James Overstreet - Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis TN)

Column

Column: Small

Morning Call, The: "Spending Smart"

Contributors: Greg Karp;

Judges’ comments:

Greg Karp writes personal finance the old-fashioned way, with strong reporting, useful information and a host of links so readers can follow up on his research. In one column, he helped readers understand the pressing issue of moving to digital TV, explaining conversion options far more simply and effectively than many other colleagues around the country. The judges particularly liked his analysis of how unlimited cell-phone plans are a waste of money for many users. In that piece, Karp compared the cost per minute of pre-paid plans and of unlimited plans when consumers use fewer than 400 minutes per month - a topic the judges found surprising, interesting and well executed.

20080217-BUSINESS-D-001--TMC-TMC-FIRST.PDF (218 KB) 20080217-BUSINESS-D-002--TMC-TMC-FIRST.PDF (132 KB) 20080504-BUSINESS-D-001--TMC-TMC-FIRST.PDF (177 KB) 20080504-BUSINESS-D-002--TMC-TMC-FIRST.PDF (406 KB) 20080824-BUSINESS-D-001--TMC-TMC-FIRST.PDF (226 KB) 20080824-BUSINESS-D-002--TMC-TMC-FIRST.PDF (432 KB) 20081214-NATIONAL-A-017--TMC-TMC-FIRST.PDF (172 KB) 20081214-NATIONAL-A-020--TMC-TMC-FIRST.PDF (169 KB) BIB Entry Small #5376CO.doc (27 KB)

[5376CO]

Patriot Ledger, The (Quincy MA): "Mass. Market (weekly column)"

Contributors: Jon Chesto;

Judges’ comments:

Jon Chesto engages readers with a clear, confident voice and a strong sense of the community he describes. He excels at connecting local issues to national stories - using a surge in small local banks to illuminate the banking crisis and a local oil company's plans to allow customers to buy gas at a fixed rate to highlight rising gas prices. Chesto is funny, turning a year-end column into a recap of the year's wackiest business stories. He is hard hitting. And he is poignant, as in a column about how work on the Big Dig ruined a "once-proud" local construction company. Modern Continental, he writes, was forced to move from opulent offices overlooking the Charles River to a subterranean space near the Boston border: "This is how a failed dream so often ends - not with a bang, but with an empty silence in a dark, basement room on the outskirts of town."

chestocolumns2008-b.pdf (2.72 MB)

[5449CO]

Judges

Henry Dubroff - Pacific Coast Business Times
Abigail Goldman - Los Angeles Times (CA) Institutional
Jamie Heller - Wall Street Journal, The

Column: Medium

Sun Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale FL): "Series of columns"

Contributors: Harriet Johnson Brackey;

Judges’ comments:

Harriet Brackey-Johnson helps readers navigate the complexities of the economy and personal finance with deft, demonstrating a keen knowledge of her topics without speaking down to readers. More importantly, she delivers real utility, speaking directly to the issues affecting average people. Her column on the panel of financial planners who took readers' questions for three hours offered real insight into their fears and practical solutions for overcoming them.

DEC1408.pdf (417 KB) DEC1408JUMP.pdf (521 KB) DEC2808.pdf (467 KB) DEC2808JUMP.pdf (359 KB) OCT1208.pdf (330 KB) OCT1208JUMP.pdf (230 KB) SEPT1608.pdf (505 KB) SEPT1608JUMP.pdf (553 KB)

[5185CO]

Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "Column"

Contributors: Mitchell Schnurman;

Judges’ comments:

Mitchell Schnurman's no-holds-barred style is both lively and engaging. He covers a range of topics with the acumen of a beat reporter and the moxie of a watchdog. His column about buying a share of Radio Shack to gain entry to the annual shareholders meeting just to hear its elusive CEO was a standout; it gave readers a view of something most would never witness.

lettertojudges.doc (25 KB) mitch1.doc (31 KB) mitch2.doc (30 KB) mitch3.doc (29 KB) mitch4.doc (31 KB)

[5470CO]

Hartford Courant, The: "Haar columns"

Contributors: Dan Haar;

Judges’ comments:

Dan Haar's unadorned, clearly told stories of real people in tough times resonate far beyond the usual business news audience and stood out in a strong field of entries. He offers a nice balance of on-the-street reporting and focused opinion -- from his piece on how the relentless drone of recession coverage amplifies the angst among working people to the economic realities that remain for minorities in the Obama era. That he manages this while serving as the paper's Business editor makes his work all the more impressive.

Haar note.doc (1 KB) Haar1.pdf (355 KB) Haar2.pdf (393 KB) Haar3.pdf (235 KB) Haar4.pdf (217 KB)

[5589CO]

Judges

John Stancavage - Tulsa World
Mark Pothier - Boston Globe, The
Abigail Goldman - Los Angeles Times (CA) Institutional
Robbie DiMesio - Oregonian, The

Column: Large

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Nicklaus Business Column"

Contributors: David Nicklaus;

Judges’ comments:

The juding panel is unanimous: This is is the No. 1 columnist. Here’s a columnist who consistently goes beyond the obvious. David Nicklaus has command of his subject matter and has a clear opinion. His columns are on a variety of topics, each is well written, and he’s not afraid to take an unconventional stand, such as when he told St. Louisians, in effect, to “get over it” when Anheuser-Busch was up for sale. If you believe that a local business columnist should actually write about local business and do so with insight and verve, you can’t do much better than Nicklaus.

nick0615.doc (25 KB) nick1005.doc (25 KB) nick1014.doc (24 KB) nick1209.doc (24 KB)

[5178CO]

Denver Post, The: "Al Lewis business columns"

Contributors: Al Lewis;

Judges’ comments:

Al Lewis is a fine, lively writer who finds a way to make an issue come alive. Rather than simply carping about how Qwest is inattentive to details, Lewis wrote about the Ph.D. in applied statistics who can’t make sense of his monthly bill from Qwest and then can’t get an explanation that makes sense, even from the CEO.

SABEW column letter.doc (21 KB) dp_lewis_2008_columns.pdf (2.49 MB)

[5196CO]

Detroit Free Press: "Tom Walsh columns"

Contributors: Tom Walsh;

Judges’ comments:

Tom Walsh is one Detroit columnist who is no apologist for the auto industry. But he’s no shrill antagonist, either. He manages to point out the automakers’ shortcomings in a way that is mature, informed and powerful. What’s more, he even manages to break some news.

Walsh_entry.pdf (4.09 MB)

[5322CO]

Judges

Charles Crumpley - Los Angeles Business Journal
K.A. Turner - Press-Register (Mobile AL)
Joseph Rebello - International Finance Corporation

Column: Giant

Washington Post: "Decoding the Financial Crisis"

Contributors: Steven Pearlstein;

Judges’ comments:

Much is expected from a commentator who is near the seat of power when government rides to the rescue, and Steven Pearlstein of the Washington Post rose to the occasion. He brought an unrivaled mix of insight and populism, expert anaylsis and edgy opinion, to economic events that shook the world. He scoffed at business leaders who use the "Perfect Storm" as an alibi for their failures. He captured the disgust of a nation that had no choice but to bail out Wall Street, conceding that part of him was saying, "Burn, baby, burn." He had the courage to mock Alan Greenspan, along with the details to back it up. A top Treasury official told Pearlstein that he was either very well-sourced or incredibly knowledgeable. As his editor said, he's both.

SABEW- Letter of nomination, Pearlstein.pdf (52 KB) SABEW- Pearlstein (Mandatory Date) 12-10-2008_1.pdf (547 KB) SABEW- Pearlstein (Mandatory Date) 12-10-2008_2.pdf (97 KB) SABEW- Pearlstein 02-20-2008_1.pdf (280 KB) SABEW- Pearlstein 02-20-2008_2.pdf (113 KB) SABEW- Pearlstein 08-15-2008_1.pdf (292 KB) SABEW- Pearlstein 08-15-2008_2.pdf (111 KB) SABEW- Pearlstein 09-24-2008_1.pdf (206 KB) SABEW- Pearlstein 09-24-2008_2.pdf (114 KB)

[5062CO]

New York Times, The: "Sorkin"

Contributors: Andrew Ross Sorkin;

Judges’ comments:

For the most important financial story in a generation, Andrew Ross Sorkin of The New York Times produced some of the most important journalism. His columns consistently led the pack, challenged conventional wisdom and helped set the public agenda. He labeled the initial, three-page Treasury bailout plan the "financial equivalent of the Patriot Act." He reported that banks were hoarding bailout cash, rather than lend it, to brace for a worsening economy. Very early, he proposed a government-supervised bankruptcy for ailing automakers, an that idea may yet take hold. As his editor said, government officials and corporate executives tried all year to spin their way out of the mess they created, but Sorkin would have none of it.

Column-Sorkin.pdf (7.80 MB)

[5516CO]

New York Times, The: "Morgenson"

Contributors: Gretchen Morgenson;

Judges’ comments:

Gretchen Morgenson's columns in The New York Times were distinguished by her willingness and ability to engage with the dirty details of how business works. Her column on GE Capital, a mandatory entry, managed to explain the risks of its business model clearly despite the unit's famous opacity. The short sale column also benefits from her ability to engage with nuts and bolts. She makes, very early on, points that lead readers to the conclusion, since shown to be correct, that the real estate situation was not going to improve. Her work was an island of specificity in an ocean of generalization when it comes to comment on the crisis.

Column-Moregenson.pdf (5.58 MB)

[5518CO]

Judges

Chris Lester - Kansas City Star, The
Mitchell Schnurman - Fort Worth Star-Telegram
James Saft - Thomson Reuters America Inc. Institutional

Column: Weekly

Crain's Chicago Business: "Columns"

Contributors: Greg Hinz;

Judges’ comments:

Hinz's expertise and the way he is plugged into the local scene was a standout. He takes some dry government issues that might otherwise be ignored and he really relates them to readers' lives. And he raises questions that need to be addressed. That's what you want from a columnist.

Hinz columns.doc (26 KB) cb21p02.pdf (775 KB) cb26p02.pdf (891 KB) cb49p02.pdf (1.35 MB) cb50p02.pdf (389 KB)

[5112CO]

San Francisco Business Times: "Four humor columns: "Awaiting the Feb. 29 revolution," "America needs tough economic love," "Wily Traveler trips over costs," "Is America's recovery in the oven?""

Contributors: Steve Symanovich;

Judges’ comments:

A very engaging writer with good, entertaining approaches. You keep reading his work because of his clever efforts. It's very effective in getting across his points and it moves his writing beyond the traditional business coverage.

EditorsNotebook2008-highres.pdf (1.82 MB)

[5366CO]

Advertising Age: "The Media Guy"

Contributors: Simon Dumenco;

Judges’ comments:

He addresses some important trends with sharp and clear writing. He's plugged into the online world and readers can depend on him to give them what they need to know. He's confident enough in what he knows to provide clear analysis without being too heavy handed. His writing is very approachable.

AABIB2008NewsColumn.doc (20 KB)

[5593CO]

Judges

Trif Alatzas - Baltimore Sun
Brian Cronk - Dow Jones Newswires
Anita Bruzzese - Freelance

Column: Real Time

Bloomberg News: "When Numbers Mislead"

Contributors: Jonathan Weil;

Judges’ comments:

Jonathan Weil's prose is engaging and distinctive, which is no small task given that he's often writing about complicating accounting issues. Weil takes his readers on an expedition into company's balance sheets. He pinpointed inflated asset valuations at Time Warner, derivative-related obfuscation at AIG and deferred tax calculations that inflated asset values at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Most importantly, he exposed the problems before they became apparent to the market at large and resulted in takeovers, bailouts and restatements.

2009 SABEW Columns Jonathan Weil Table of Contents.doc (24 KB) 2009 SABEW Columns Jonathan Weil letter.doc (939 KB) 2009 SABEW Columns Weil AIGs Explanation of Losses Doesnt Ring True.doc (707 KB) 2009 SABEW Columns Weil Freddie Fannie Fair Values Hardly Look Fair.doc (1.87 MB) 2009 SABEW Columns Weil No Chrysler Bailout Until It Opens Up Its Books.doc (144 KB) 2009 SABEW Columns Weil Time Warners Books Full of Bias.doc (844 KB)

[5037CO]

MSN Money: "Dealing with Challenging Times Columns"

Contributors: Liz Pulliam Weston;

Judges’ comments:

Liz Pulliam Weston has developed a successful recipe for her MSN Money personal finance column: Take an important yet complicated topic, break it down to its basic components, put it in language the average reader can understand, explain why the problem exists and what readers can do to help themselves. Her columns are relevant, authoritative, well researched, and presented in an inviting manner.

SABEW_Entry_MSN Money Weston Realtime Column.pdf (181 KB)

[5273CO]

Dow Jones Newswires: "The World According to Al"

Contributors: Al Lewis;

Judges’ comments:

Al Lewis' acerbic wit, institutional knowledge and breezy, conversational prose set him apart. Whether chronicling the dubious behavior of a corporate executive or the dreams of an oddball junk collector, he excels at allowing the voice and personalities of his subjects shine through. His column, "The worst thing to say is..." should be required reading for financial journalists who too often let such canned statements go untested.

SABEW 2008 -- Columns -- Lewis.doc (106 KB)

[5500CO]

Judges

George Gombossy - Hartford Courant, The
Sarah Webster - Detroit Free Press
Jeffrey Tomich - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Student

Student Publications

University of North Carolina: "Private giving could slide"

Contributors: Laura Marcinek;

Judges’ comments:

This is a real cause-and-effect story. It has good numbers, a strong graphic, good comparisons and good explanation of what lower donations will mean for the university and what the university is doing to shore up its donor base. In addition, this story is ahead of the curve, predictive rather than reactive.It's not too long, Quotes are strong. Includes good historical perspective from earlier recessions.It's well-reported, though it could have used a donor voice or two.This entry is easily the best of the lot.

SABEW contest.doc (23 KB)

[5015ST]

Judges

David Wilson - Bloomberg News
Beth Hunt - American City Business Journals
David Morrow - TheStreet.com

Professional Pubs

University of North Carolina: "The Adult-Care Gap"

Contributors: Catarina Saraiva;

Judges’ comments:

The lead, short and to the point, sucked in the reader. The rest of the story didn't let go. While the facts and figures necessary to support the theme were there in abundance, they were back-end loaded so the reader wasn't overwhelmed. Focusing on Kirby provided a much-needed human element without resorting to pathos.Stories are complete, filled with numbers, statistics, anecdotes, strong examples. Package tells a complete story. Writing is good. Reporting is deep and thorough. Mainbar: Topic is relevant, told from perspective of business owner. Good quotes. Good comparison with adult-care facilities for the wealthy.Sidebar: Good numbers, good comparisons, great quotes ("You can imagine, then, who I have to hire. You can't get quality people.")This is excellent work.

Editor's Letter.doc (16 KB) Story - Adult Care Gap.pdf (194 KB)

[5081ST]

Judges

David Wilson - Bloomberg News
Beth Hunt - American City Business Journals
David Morrow - TheStreet.com

Breaking News

Small | Medium | Large

Breaking News: Small

Portland Business Journal

Contributors: Andy Giegerich, Reporter; Erik Siemers, Reporter; Matthew Kish, Managing editor;

Judges’ comments:

When one of Portland’s biggest employers closed its factory, the Portland Business Journal was prepared. Within minutes, it broke the story on its Web site and updated the story throughout the day. The staff had been investigating the plant for months and was in a perfect position to tell the inside story that the competition couldn’t.

Freightliner closing Swan Island plant

[IBN10]

Charlotte Observer, The

Contributors: Rick Rothacker; Christina Rexrode; Jefferson George; Kirsten Valle; Jen Aronoff; Stella M. Hopkins; Fred Clasen-Kelly; Kerry Hall; Doug Smith; Deirdre McGruder; Trevor Freeze; Tony Lone Fight;

Judges’ comments:

The Charlotte Observer staff showed strength and depth with the collapse of Wachovia and its on-again, off-again marriage proposals. The online entry from that Oct. 9 evening when Citigroup backed away from its engagement to Wachovia and left Wells Fargo the winner of the nation’s Nov. 4 bank demonstrated a good understanding of the troubled industry. It had both national scope and local perspective. Its package of graphics and visuals helped sell the importance of the story.

WELLS FARGO WINS WACHOVIA (cp lead)

[IBN7]

Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle WA)

Contributors: Kirsten Grind; Eric Engleman;

Judges’ comments:

The Puget Sound Business Journal had just gone to press with Washington Mutual failed. But the staff was prepared and turned to the Web to publish a compelling report that brought the national story home. Thanks to obvious sourcing and preparation, they were able to analyze the Seattle-based institution’s failure and the possible ripple effects on other banks, the local real estate market and even philanthropy. No base was left uncovered in the well organized package of stories.

Thursday: WaMu seized by regulators and sold off (Top)

WaMu sale will affect other banks, real estate, economy, philanthropy; depositors protected (Top)

Regulators explain reasons behind WaMu seizure and sale (Top)

[IBN33]

Judges

Dennis Fulton - Dallas Morning News
John Schoen - MSNBC.com
Eric Convey - Boston Business Journal

Breaking News: Medium

Judges

Mark Watanabe - Seattle Times, The
Robin Phillips - Arizona Republic, The
Bill Hennelly - TheStreet.com

Breaking News: Large

New York Times, The

Contributors: Staff of The New York Times/nytimes.com;

Judges’ comments:

The Times' coverage provides a model for how to cover a breaking news story online. The reporting team was on the story immediately and updates came fast and furious throughout the day. Key developments were chronicled as they happened, and just as importantly, stories contained context and analysis. The Times didn't simply cover breaking events, but helped readers understand why they mattered and what could come next. The Times' team distinguished itself by helping its audience make sense of a complicated and historic day, and by doing so as events unfolded.

Sunday, Sept. 14: 11:52 A.M. (Lehman story, updated 11:34 a.m.)

Sunday, Sept. 14: 1:05 P.M. (DealBook breaks news of Barclays withdrawal)

Sunday, Sept. 14: 4:22 P.M. (DealBook reports Bank of America/Merrill Lynch talks (this is updated post))

Sunday, Sept. 14: 1:55 P.M. (New Lehman story, 1:45 p.m., leading home page)

Sunday, Sept. 14, 4:52 P.M. (New Merrill Lynch story, 4:47 p.m.; adds Short Selling story)

Sunday, Sept. 14: 5:05 P.M. (DealBook reports on plans for A.I.G. restructuring)

Sunday, Sept. 14: 6:54 P.M. (New lead story on Lehman, 6:45 p.m.; new A.I.G. story, 6:24 p.m.)

Sunday, Sept. 14: 8:52 P.M. (Continued updates; new story, "Nation's Financial Industry Gripped by Fear")

Sunday, Sept. 14: Floyd Norris (Floyd Norris commentary, at 3:50 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.)

Sunday, Sept. 14: DealBook (DealBook's collected posts for the day)

Monday, Sept. 15: 12:07 A.M. (End of the day: added news analysis, two sidebars)

[IBN10]

Judges

Mary Cornatzer - News & Observer, The (Raleigh NC)
Mark Horvit - Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc.
David Ingram - Legal Times

Project

Small | Medium | Large

Project: Small

The Industry Standard

Contributors: David Cotriss, Contributing Writer; Mark Henricks, Contributing Writer; Ian Lamont, Contributing Writer;

Judges’ comments:

A very timely idea -- a look back at the last bust from the vantage point of the current bust. Some of the stories about What Went Wrong were fascinating (money laundering by Russian mobsters helped sink Flooz -- who knew?), and the user comments often added more insight on how and why these dot-bombs detonated -- an example of how interactivity can enhance the overall package. It would have been nice, though, to explicitly draw lessons on why these companies failed, and perhaps tie them to the current troubled. And for this category, the judges would have liked to see greater use of audio, video or other multimedia tools.

Where are they now? (Main introduction, includes links to other profiles in the special project and series.)

Where are they now: Pets.com

Where are they now: TheGlobe.com

Where are they now: CMGI

[IPR7]

Crain's Chicago Business

Contributors: Jeff Hartvigsen, Multimedia Producer; Michelle Evans, Associate Research Director; Matt Carmichael, Research Director; Erik Unger, Photographer; Jennifer Fletcher, Associate Multimedia Producer;

Judges’ comments:

A wonderful example of how to use multiple multimedia to enliven what could have read like an almanac. The judges were especially impressed with the interactive maps of the Chicago metro area, which conveyed a tremendous amount of information in an easy-to-use format, and the alderman's video tour of Lincoln Square. The whole package not only conveyed a sense of real authority -- "This is *the* place to go to learn about living and working in Chicago" -- but an appreciation for what multimedia tools best served each particular type of information.

Market Facts ((this is the main page))

Market Facts--Interactive Maps

Market Facts--Interactive Tour of Lincoln Square

Market Facts--Skyline Tour

Market Facts--Chicago Facts

Market Facts--Commercial Real Estate

Market Facts--Economy (Personal)

Market Facts--Finance

Market Facts--Economy (Business)

Market Facts--Global

Market Facts--Health Care

Market Facts--Jobs

Market Facts--Media

Market Facts--Residential Real Estate

Market Facts--Schools

Market Facts--Small Business

Market Facts--Technology

Market Facts--Travel

Market Facts--Utilities

Market Facts--Women in Business

[IPR8]

Crain's Chicago Business

Contributors: Michelle Evans; Allison Riggio; Melissa Phee; Jeff Hartvigsen; Jennifer Fletcher; Stephen J. Serio; Matthew Carmichael;

Judges’ comments:

The judges were impressed with the way this package took a rather tired idea -- "best places to work" -- and used multimedia to perk it up. The Google tour gave us a fascinating look inside this ubiquitous yet rather opaque company, and the "confessionals" videos were great ways to hear directly from actual people. All in all, a great example of how the Web can take a cliche assignment and infuse it with color, depth and authenticity.

Best Places to Work #2: Microsoft Corp. Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work 2008 (*this is the main section page) Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #3: Transwestern Commercial Services Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #1: Google Inc. Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #4: Diamond Management Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #5: Wrightwood Capital Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #6: Staubach Co. Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #7: William Blair Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #8: Resources Global Professionals Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #9: Assurance Agency Ltd. Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #10: Upshot Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #11: System Development Integration Inc. Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #12: ThoughtWorks Inc. Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #13: Chubb Group of Insurance Cos. Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #15: Weber Shandwick Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #16: Perkins Coie LLP Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #14: Avanade Inc. Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #17: McDonald's Corp. Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #18: Mesirow Financial Holdings Inc. Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #19: GolinHarris International Inc. Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work #20: DraftFCB Inc. Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work: Video: Google Inc. Username: contest Password: contest

Best Places to Work: Video: Mesirow Financial Holdings Inc. Username: contest Password: contest

[IPR12]

Judges

Drew DeSilver - Seattle Times, The
Mitch Weiss - Associated Press
Ron Stodghill - Charlotte Observer, The

Project: Medium

Charlotte Observer, The

Contributors: John Simmons; Bill Pitzer; Tony Lonefight; Peter Weinberger; Ames Alexander; Peter St. Onge; Franco Ordonez; Kerry Hall;

Judges’ comments:

This ambitious 22-month project by the Charlotte Observer combined narrative, video, and interactive graphics to tell a powerful story of the human cost of poultry production. "The Cruelest Cuts" is in the finest tradition of newspaper investigative journalism, bringing the plight of injured and vulnerable immigrant laborers to life in compelling fashion and shining a light on an industry that would prefer to go about its business outside the glare of the press. It also utilized to strong effect online multimedia features, such as Internet videos on living with an injured hand and a historic poultry plant fire, and an interactive graphic explaining carpal tunnel syndrome and other musculoskeletel disorders. While the main poulty producer profiled, House of Raeford Farms, responded only in generalities to the Observer's findings, the series was scrupulously fair to the company. This is an outstanding example of how journalism can make a difference in a community.

The Cruelest Cuts (it's the home page for the series)

Interactive graphic: How the hand works (it is the page)

Video: Living with hands that hurt (it is the page)

Video: Hamlet’s deadly fire (it is the page)

En Español: (it is the page. the link is on the bottom right corner of the main page centerpiece )

[IPR5]

Thomson Reuters America Inc. Institutional

Contributors: Frank Tantillo; Russ Blinch;

Judges’ comments:

Thomson Reuters mobilized its global staff to offer a comprehensive look, through stories, Internet videos, and interactive features, at the impact of rising food prices around the world. The stories were compelling, the videos professionally produced, and the judges particularly liked the heat map that directed viewers to stories, videos, and facts about the fallout in different countries.

Agflation (entire page)

[IPR35]

Orange County Register, The

Contributors: Ronald Campbell;

Judges’ comments:

Orange County is Ground Zero for the subprime mortgage crisis that engulfed the nation, and analyzing tens of millions of loans in public databases, the Orange County Register did a superb job of documenting the spread of subprimes through distressed counties in southern California and beyond. This was an excellent example of explanatory journalism, making a complex story understandable. The judges especially liked the maps showing the spread of subprime mortgages over successive years in both California and the nation as a whole, and the reader feedback that was showcased in the package.

Lenders did booming business in stressed counties (Main story on page)

O.C. maps tell tale of subprime boom/bust (Top)

How subprime lending spread (sidebar widget to main story )

[IPR36]

Judges

Therese Poletti - MarketWatch
Robert Weisman - Boston Globe, The
Al Olson - MSNBC.com

Project: Large

USA Today Money Section

Contributors: Doug Carroll , Assignment Editor; Julia Schmalz, Multimedia Producer; JuanThomassie, Senior Designer; Mindy Fetterman, Enterprise Editor; William Couch , Designer; Barbara De Lollis, Reporter; Marilyn Adams, Reporter; Anne Carey, Researcher; Barbara Hansen, Money Database Editor;

Judges’ comments:

The interactive graphics in "Flight cutbacks" let readers see where cuts in airline service would affect their future business and vacation travel. In the solidly reported text, USA Today gives advance warning of changes in local service of interest to business travelers, vacation planners and members of the travel industry. But it's those interactive graphics that lift this project above other contest submissions. Other journalists should study these displays and admire how they let readers easily explore changes otherwise hidden inside a database of airline schedules.

Airline Capacity Maps (Money Home Front and Travel Home Front)

[IPR8]

St. Petersburg Times

Contributors: Kathleen Flynn, Photographer; Kainaz Amaria; Kris Hundley;

Judges’ comments:

This project showed Americans how our pharmaceutical companies have moved drug trials to India, where expenses and patient protections are less burdensome. "Testing Grounds" broke news and used compelling graphics, photos, video and interactive maps to supplement what was fundamentally good journalism.

Special Report: Testing Grounds (Top center)

[IPR9]

New York Times, The

Contributors: Louise Story, Reporter; Tara Siegel Bernard, Reporter; Jenny Anderson, Reporter; Mark Landler, Reporter; Matt Orr, Video Journalist; Brad Stone, Reporter; David Rummel, Senior Producer, Video; Jonathan Glater, Reporter; Emily Hager, Video Journalist; Rob Harris, Producer, Video; Todd Heisler, Producer, Video; Tom Jackson, Multimedia Producer; Amy O'Leary, Multimedia Producer; Amy Schoenfeld, Graphics Editor; Amanda Cox, Graphics Editor; Matthew Bloch, Graphics Editor;

Judges’ comments:

This New York Times package was the most comprehensive and cohesive of the big projects. It followed the story of America's debt binge with good, close journalism. Both the layout and graphics were clean and easy to grasp. The videos were very well produced, with coherent story arcs.

The Debt Trap (Interactive overview of the series, laying out its themes and linking to many of its elements)

The Debt Trap: Video (Links to all the video can be found under the heading Multimedia)

The Debt Trap: Compare Your Debt (A calculator that let readers enter their debt and compare with others)

The Debt Trap: Reader Comments (Hundreds of comments on the first article, with reporter's responses)

[IPR17]

Judges

Matthew Kauffman - Hartford Courant, The
Bill Alpert - Barrons.com
Georgiana Vines - University of Tennessee, School of Journalism & Electronic Media

Creative Use Online

Small | Medium | Large

Creative Use Online: Small

The Industry Standard

Contributors: Kristen Nicole, Contributing Writer; Bill Snyder, Contributing Writer; Ian Lamont, Director of Product and Design; Eric Hill, Contributing Writer;

Judges’ comments:

A solidly reported, well-designed site that covers the tech industry from many different angles. We particularly liked its witty, innovative use of the marketplace prediction feature. From a design perspective, the producers do a great job of making the page user-friendly. The larger white open space is inviting. Yet it makes clear use of typography to break up a lot of content into smaller, more easily scanned areas.

10 'Net services that will succeed (and 10 that will probably fail) (This is the main project URL, with links to the slideshow and predictions.)

Prediction: Hulu will announce 200 full-length feature movies by May 15, 2008 (This is one of the nine prediction URLs)

Slideshow home: Opinion: 10 'Net services that will succeed (and 10 that will probably fail)

[ICU8]

Judges

Gregg Greenberg - TheStreet.com
Richard Murphy - Fortune Small Business
Chip Toll - CNN Money.com

Creative Use Online: Medium

Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH)

Contributors: Felesia McDonald, Online Graphic Artist; William Neff, Online Graphic Designer; Sheryl Harris, Consumer Affairs Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

This site is a good example of a situation in which good old usefulness and fine storytelling outweigh technical gimmickry. Scamfinders provides timely tips that readers are sure to pass around.

Scamfinder

URL for Sheryl Harris' column announcing the new Scamfinder site

[ICU26]

Charlotte Observer, The

Contributors: Tony Lone Fight; Peter Weinberger; Bill Pitzer; John Simmons; Ames Alexander; Franco Ordonez; Kerry Hall; Peter St. Onge; Ted Mellnik; Reid Creager; Rogelio Aranda; Holly Farrant; Dave Puckett; Dave Enna; Marion Paynter; Maria David; Jim Walser; Gary Schwab; Mitch Weiss; Glenn Burkins; Patrick Scott;

Judges’ comments:

This package is a winner on all fronts. It is truly a multmedia experience with text, photos, video, print and an interactive graphic. The stories are compelling in all formats. The videos are well-edited with strong interviews. The stories capture the pain in the poultry workers' lives. And the print and interactive explain the problems medically. As an editor, what I like best is that you can see that the online package was planned from the beginning of the project. There is no way they could have produced such a rich presentation otherwise.

Video: Living with hands that hurt (it is the page)

Interactive graphic: How the hand works (it is the page)

Cruelest cuts, the human cost of bringing poultry to your table (launch page for the project)

Video: Hamlet's deadly fire (it is the page)

Illustrated story: The perils of processing (it is the page)

Spanish version of main story (it is the page)

[ICU28]

Advertising Age

Contributors: Charlie Moran, Jr. Web Producer/Editor; Rahmin Pavlovic, Web Products Manager; Ken Wheaton, Assistant Managing Editor;

Judges’ comments:

The Power 150 site is jam-packed with information and nifty technology. The ability to track your blog's performance is sure to have bloggers returning again and again to the site.

Ad Age Power 150 Username: sabew2008 Password: sabew2008

[ICU30]

Judges

Carl Corry - News 12 Interactive
Amanda Barrett - Associated Press
Jonathan McCarthy - Newsday

Creative Use Online: Large

TheStreet.com

Contributors: Bill McCandless, Executive Editor; Glenn Hall, Editor;

Judges’ comments:

TheStreet.com merits high marks for a creative and effective use of technology to make sure its real-time content is available on a real-time basis -- of particular value in the investment world. One judge with a Black Belt in BlackBerry says this is the best mobile application: ". . .better than any other mobile site I’ve tried. I appreciate the fact that it isn’t just a miniaturized version of the “big” web site. It’s functional, thorough, and personal. I found it easy to use; for example, adding or deleting stock symbols is quick and simple. I will continue to use it."

TheStreet.com Mobile (The above URL can be used to view a demo on the Web or to download the application on a Blackberry.)

[ICU2]

New York Times, The

Contributors: Danielle Belopotosky, Web Producer; Raymond McCrea Jones, Photo Producer; Sam Grobart, Personal Technology Editor; Tom Jackson, Multimedia Producer; John Niedermeyer, Designer; Zach Wise, Lead Multimedia Producer; David Pogue, Technology Columnist;

Judges’ comments:

Way up there on the "cool" scale, this was a highly creative and engaging project that displayed lots of attention to structure and detail. It was fun to watch, but reflected a lot of detail in its executions. In the view of one judge, it ranked among the best examples ever seen of "reader interactivity" -- a trait that everyone talks about but is seldom pulled off, and rarely so well as here. Perhaps one of the best compliments here is that what could have been a geek-laden meal of information overkill was creatively parsed into very digestible pieces that were fun to consume.

Pogue-o-matic

[ICU7]

New York Times, The

Contributors: Amy O'Leary, Multimedia Producer; Tom Jackson, Multimedia Producer; David Rummel, Senior Producer, Video; Amy Schoenfeld, Graphics Editor; Amanda Cox, Graphics Editor; Matthew Bloch, Graphics Editor; Emily Hager, Video Journalist; Matt Orr, Video Journalist; Rob Harris, Producer, Video; Todd Heisler, Producer, Video; Gretchen Morgenson, Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

The Debt Trap is the outstanding winner in the Online Creative - Large award category. The project was a comprehensive, well-executed effort that effectively used online technologies to improve upon an excellent journalistic effort. It powerfully illuminated one of the major contributory factors to the housing and credit bubbles and related steep economic decline when these bubbles burst. There is a lot of thought and planning behind a nicely integrated package of stories, videos and interactive graphics, benefiting from the Times' intuitive and easily navigable user interface, which permits effective display of lots of pieces of this package.

The Debt Trap: Video (Links to all the video can be found under the heading Multimedia)

The Debt Trap: Compare Your Debt (A calculator that let readers enter their debt and compare with others)

The Debt Trap (Interactive overview of the series, laying out its themes and linking to its many elements)

The Debt Trap: Reader Comments (Hundreds of comments on the first article, with reporter's responses)

[ICU8]

Judges

Christopher Roush - University of North Carolina
Phil Moeller - Genworth Financial
Jane Elizabeth - Virginian-Pilot, The

Blog

Small | Medium | Large

Blog: Small

TheStandard.com

Contributors: Ian Lamont;

Judges’ comments:

"The Twitter post was spot-on. Then the follow-up on Twitter and podcasting advanced the issue further and was a longer piece, but still interesting. His voice could be stronger. Still, he is a fine writer who keeps his readers' interest.

February 3, 2008: Microsoft's unrealized online dreams

June 24, 2008: What's missing from the Twitter funding announcement: Revenue

July 18, 2008: Why podcasting is failing, part II: Lessons from PodTech

July 25, 2008: Randy Pausch dies, and the world loses a true hero

[IBL1]

Crain's Chicago Business

Contributors: Greg Hinz;

Judges’ comments:

You don't have to be a Chicagoan to find Hinz's blogging effective, well-researched and spicy.Those that focus on people are excellent but the retailers' tax break blog is one of the best. And it shows that, by quickly responding to the negative comment, he eagerly takes advantage of the give-and-take nature of blogs.

Hinz Blog ((main page/most current blog post))

'Blagojevich, Obama and who dropped a dime' ((blog choice date #1: Dec. 10, 2008))

'Retailers tax break far too rich, study claims' ((blog choice date #2: Nov. 18, 2008))

"Jockeying intensifies for Rahm's seat' ((blog choice date #3: Nov. 20, 2008))

'Which Chicagoans are D.C.-bound with Obama?' ((mandatory date: first blog post after Jan. 11, 2008 was Hinz's first post on Nov. 7, 2008))

[IBL4]

blumsday.com

Contributors: Jonathan Blum;

Judges’ comments:

Jonathan Blum is a spirited blogger. The post detailing his problems working virtually at CES is a fun read and the critique of the speech from the Journal's economic reporter is engaging. Blum has the gift of gab but a little more reporting would raise the blog a notch.

Blumsday blog (entire page)

[IBL5]

Judges

Emily Church - MarketWatch
Sonya Colberg - Oklahoman, The
Joe Dwinell - Boston Herald, The

Blog: Medium

Orange County Register, The

Contributors: Jeff collins, Reporter; Mary Ann Milbourn, Reporter; Jonathan Lansner;

Judges’ comments:

The Orange County Register’s real estate blog is a model for others to follow. It is informative, current with the latest analysis on real estate news and trends, visually appealing with good use of graphics and charts and it has a clear focus and is tightly written. The lead writer knows his audience and has clearly developed a loyal following among those who believe that if you care about real estate in Orange County, this is the place you have to go to read about it.

MANDATORY DAY: BLOG POSTINGS FOR 1/11/2008 (BLOG'S MAINBAR)

BLOG POSTINGS FOR 3/18/2008 (BLOG'S MAINBAR)

BLOG POSTINGS FOR 9/8/2008 (BLOG'S MAINBAR)

BLOG POSTINGS FOR 5/19/2008 (BLOG'S MAINBAR)

[IBL1]

Judges

Rick Stine - Dow Jones Newswires
Adam Bryant - New York Times, The
Alan Saracevic - San Francisco Chronicle

Blog: Large

New York Times, The

Contributors: Catherine Rampell, Online Editor, Economics; R.M. Schneiderman, Web Producer; David Leonhardt, Economics Columnist;

Judges’ comments:

This blog gives the viewer reason to return to it throughout the day, adding relevance to a topic that is not always handled in a compelling fashion. It responds directly to viewers and its posts often represent answers to their questions. It uses outside contributors directly, which helps its credibility. It also brings the viewer inside the Times newsroom (one example was the debit card item) with its explanations. Rather than a monolithic institution, the Times reveals itself here as a newsroom with an open ear to its viewers and one that opens its doors and lets them inside.

Economix: Sept. 23 (Launch) (Date closest to mandatory date)

Economix: Sept. 23 (continued) (Additional posts from Sept. 23)

Economix: Oct. 3 (Posts from Oct. 3 (Page 1 of 2))

Economix: Oct. 3 (continued) (Posts from Oct. 3 (Page 2 of 2), including jobs report and live blogging)

Economix: Oct. 31 (Posts from Oct. 31, including election prediction game)

Economix, Nov. 19 (Posts from Nov. 19, including analysis of potential failure of auto companies)

[IBL9]

Kansas City Star, The

Contributors: David Hayes, Reporter; Jason Gertzen, Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

This well-handled blog represents risk-taking by focusing on one major employer and the power of the Internet to target micro-markets. It mixes information from corporate moves to product reviews, showing what local and regional blogs can do if they put their mind to it. The blog has a clear niche, knows its audience and is willing to incorporate information from others. It is a strong and commendable entry that, given the right circumstances, other sites around the country could emulate in their own areas.

Sprint Connection Mandatory Date (First Date of Publication after Jan. 11)

Sprint Connecton Aug. 7, 2008

Sprint Connection Nov. 19, 2008

Sprint Connection July 25, 2008

[IBL28]

BNET.com

Contributors: Geoffrey James;

Judges’ comments:

This blog is particularly relevant and useful to its audience, avoiding some of the often-repeated cliches in sales and instead encouraging its viewers to defy conventional wisdom. Its focus on how to sell during recession is a roll-up-your-sleeves approach that is neither Pollyanna nor Grim Reaper. The presentation is smooth with a number of elements, such as video, that fit well in the overall theme. It is a site to which viewers will return.

A Market Strategy to Copy

How To Sell MORE During the Meltdown

Quick Video: How to Overcome Fear

8 Things NOT To Do on a Sales Call

Essential Sales Technique: The Pre-Close

The 2008 Gods of Sales!

[IBL34]

Judges

Scott Nishimura - Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Jonathan Lansner - Orange County Register, The
Andrew Leckey - Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism

Audio/Video Report

Small | Medium | Large

Audio/Video Report: Small

Crain's Chicago Business

Contributors: Thomas Mucha, Assistant Managing Editor; Mark Scheffler, Freelancer; Brandon Copple, Managing Editor;

Judges’ comments:

"Entrepreneurs in Action" does a superb job of finding interesting startup companies in the Chicago area and bringing them to life on screen. The producers show us the reality of the startup life via revealing, in-depth interviews with their entrepreneur subjects. Impressively, they also find fresh angles on big stories such as the future of the news business ("Big ideas, small profits") and the changing nature of intellectual property ("Callpod: Running with the big dogs").

Entrepreneurs in Action

[IAV2]

Judges

Gregg Greenberg - TheStreet.com
Richard Murphy - Fortune Small Business
Chip Toll - CNN Money.com

Audio/Video Report: Medium

Judges

Carl Corry - News 12 Interactive
Amanda Barrett - Associated Press
Jonathan McCarthy - Newsday

Audio/Video Report: Large

New York Times, The

Contributors: Matt Orr, Video Journalist; David Rummel, Senior Producer; Emily Hager, Video Journalist; Rob Harris, Producer; Todd Heisler, Producer; Gretchen Morgenson, Reporter;

Judges’ comments:

In "The Debt Trap," The New York Times does an excellent job examining the alarming increase among Americans who find themselves overburdened with debt. Through simple but effective techniques, including the use of still pictures, the reporter did a superb job of translating the emotional toll that accompanies financial ruin. Ultimately, however, "The Debt Trap" is the winner, because it's the category's best example of solid journalism - exploring the reasons behind larger trends through a personal and compelling experience.

The Debt Trap: Diane McLeod ((This video is also available at http://www.nytimes.com/debt with other elements of the series.))

[IAV8]

Judges

Chris Gautreau - Advocate, The
James Overstreet - Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis TN)
Jane Elizabeth - Virginian-Pilot, The

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BIB Contest

Society of American Business Editors and Writers

Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication,
Arizona State University
Suite 416, 555 North Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004-1248
Phone: (602)-496-7862 Fax: (602) 496-7041

Missouri School of Journalism
30 Neff Annex, Columbia, MO 65211-1200
Phone: (573)-882-2878 Fax: (573) 884-1372

E-mail: sabew@sabew.org