CITY AND REGIONAL MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 22^nd ANNUAL CITY AND REGIONAL MAGAZINE AWARDS

Los Angeles Magazine, Indianapolis Monthly and Berkshire Living won gold awards for general excellence in their circulation categories in the 22nd Annual National City and Regional Magazine Awards competition announced May 7th at CRMA's annual conference in Denver.

Los Angeles Magazine captured 12 awards in all, the most in this year's competition. In addition to general excellence, Los Angeles took gold awards in general criticism, feature design, photo essay and designer of the year. Following close behind was Texas Monthly with 11 awards, including top awards in excellence in writing, excellence in design, cover and special issues.

This year's other big winners were Philadelphia Magazine with seven awards and Mpls.St.Paul Magazine with six. Philadelphia won the top prize in three writing categories (regular column, personality profile and feature story), as well as a gold award for spread design. Mpls.St.Paul Magzine captured a gold for excellence online and two marketing awards (ancillary publications and multimedia extensions). Chicago's five awards included gold awards for reporting and writer of the year.

Boston, Cincinnati and The Washingtonian each received four awards, while 5280 (Denver), Berkshire Living, D (Dallas), Indianapolis Monthly and St. Louis magazines each captured three.

A number of smaller circulation titles also garnered nominations. Those include Diablo, Evansville Living and Honolulu (with two each), Madison Magazine, New Orleans Magazine, Palm Springs Life, Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine and others.

This year's top prize for civic journalism, won by 5280, focused on the fight U.S. military reservists face in reclaiming their civilian jobs in Colorado. Chicago won for reporting with a story of how a father falsely confessed to the murder of his daughter. Texas Monthly's special issue award came for a series of stories about how the Iraq war is affecting the people of Texas. And in personality profile, Philadelphia Magazine won for "Dr. Huxtable and Mr. Hyde," an in-depth look at Bill Cosby's dark side.

Seventy-three judges representing 35 publications, including Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, O, The Oprah Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Better Homes and Gardens, The Chicago Tribune, Men's Journal, Essence, Gourmet, National Geographic, Bon Appetit, Marie Claire, The New York Times, ESPN The Magazine, Glamour, The Washington Post, Marie Claire, Gourmet and journalism scholars from the Missouri School of Journalism selected the finalists.

The competition is open to almost 100 members of CRMA and other non-member city and regional magazines throughout North America that qualify. The contest is a 22-year-old national competition and has been coordinated by the University of Missouri School of Journalism on behalf of CRMA for the past 11 years.

For more information, contact Contest Coordinator Kimberly Townlain, University of Missouri, 320 Lee Hills Hall, Columbia, MO 65211 (573-884-1869) or CRMA Executive Director C. James Dowden, 4929 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 428, Los Angeles, CA 90010 (323-937-5514).