SABEW’s Best in Business sets entry record

The Society of American Business Editors and Writers‘ Best in Business competition has again attracted a record number of entries  — 1,123.

“SABEW is absolutely thrilled with the record number of entries. The number slightly improved on last year’s record (1,120), set during our 50th anniversary when publicity was greater,” said Kevin G. Hall, the group’s 2013-2014 president, who works for McClatchy.

Winners of the contest, the largest of its kind, will be announced soon, with the presentation of awards at SABEW’s 51st annual conference March 29 at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Arizona State University in Phoenix.

The competition was created in 1995 to recognize the best work in business journalism.  This year’s contest included entries from 181 companies, institutions and individuals, one of the highest totals ever.

“The submissions represent a wonderfully diverse group of publications and people. We’re looking forward to starting the judging process and selecting the very best from all the great business-journalism work done in 2013,” said Joanna Ossinger of Bloomberg News, who chairs the Best in Business Awards committee.

Some other highlights from the entry period:

• Bloomberg had the most entries – 71.  Second-highest total was The New York Times (31), followed by CNN Money (30) and The Associated Press (26).
• The contest included 39 student entries from five universities.
• New to the contest were the New Yorker, BBC, LinkedIn and various local radio stations and specialty websites.

The BIB awards will be given out during a dinner at the Sheraton Downtown Phoenix Hotel on the final night of the conference.