About 80 magazines belong to something called the City and Regional Magazine Association (CRMA), and every year the organization hands out awards for the best work done across the country. In precedented times, we dress up and gather in a ballroom and eat chicken and test our servers’ patience with wine refills as the winners are announced. But these are unprecedented times. The awards ceremony last night was held on Facebook Live. I wore shorts.
In our circulation category (30k-60k), D Magazine took the top General Excellence award for the second consecutive year and 10th year overall, beating finalists Baltimore Magazine, Indianapolis Monthly, Portland Monthly, and Seattle Met. (For the curious: in the category for circulation above 60k, Denver’s 5280 topped Boston Magazine, Philadelphia Magazine, Texas Monthly, and Washingtonian).
Our dining critic, Eve Hill-Agnus, won the Food or Dining Writing category, which includes every magazine, irrespective of circulation. Her three contest entries were the 2019 Best New Restaurants package, “The Impossible Quest for the Perfect Rice Noodle,” and her review of Circo.
Senior editor Zac Crain won the Profile category for magazines with a circulation under 60k for his story about civil rights leader Ernest McMillan.
These were first ever CRMA wins for both Zac and Eve. Across our entire company (D CEO, D Home, online), we were a finalist in 11 categories, which I believe was a record for us. The judging was done by professors from the Missouri School of Journalism and about 100 magazine professionals from titles such as The Atlantic, Cosmopolitan, Forbes, the New York Times, Vanity Fair, and, my favorite, Rachael Ray in Season.
OK, here is where I get to say I am definitely not humbled to work with our talented team of editors and writers and designers and our singular photographer. It’s truly an honor. It’s also a joy. Our little company is populated with some of the smartest, funniest people I know. Creating stories and magazines and podcasts and blog posts with them oftentimes doesn’t feel like work. I can’t wait to kick this virus’s ass so that we can all enjoy each other’s company again. For now, cheers to everyone at D Magazine Partners.
As for you, dear screen reader, if you aren’t getting the paper stuff, you’re missing out. We make the best magazines in the country.
