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The staff of the Charleston Regional Business Journal received a first-place gold award for best breaking local news coverage Saturday night during an international trade conference of business-to-business publishers in Indianapolis.
Staff Report
Published June 28, 2010
The staff of the Charleston Regional Business Journal received a first-place gold award for best breaking local news coverage Saturday night during an international trade conference of business-to-business publishers in Indianapolis.
The Business Journal was honored for its coverage in 2009 of the largest economic development deal in South Carolina’s history: the Boeing Co.’s selection of North Charleston for a second final assembly line to manufacture the 787 Dreamliner.
The Alliance of Area Business Publications, a Los Angeles-based international trade association for business-to-business publications, presented the award Saturday during its annual Editorial Excellence Awards, during which publishers and editors from across the United States, Canada and Australia gathered to recognize the best in business-to-business journalism.
The Boeing story was a significant economic development deal that made headlines across the United States when the aircraft maker chose North Charleston over the company’s traditional manufacturing hub in the Seattle area.
The decision was the largest single economic development announcement in South Carolina’s history, and the state and region are feeling the ripple effects as suppliers have announced plans to enter the state, hundreds of construction jobs have been filled and Boeing has announced the addition of an interior fabrication facility in the area.
The day Boeing chose South Carolina for its expansion, the Business Journal published three stories online and via e-mail, including two breaking news e-mails in addition to its daily news product. On the verge of going to press with its biweekly print newspaper, the staff of the Business Journal wrote new stories, researched graphics, took photographs, created new layouts and produced an additional 20 pages of coverage on Boeing. That work led to a monthlong series of special editions and ongoing coverage.
The judges lauded the Business Journal staff for a well-rounded package of stories that provided reaction from businesses and political leaders, kept readers on top of key developments and gave added context about labor relations in Washington state. The judges also said the Business Journal’s print package a few days after the electronic publication “displayed a smart use of resources with stories focused on essential angles.”
“Our staff’s commitment to daily news coverage exemplifies the best in service-oriented journalism. They understand how to leverage electronic tools to get the story out to our audience before anyone else and the value of expanded coverage in our print product,” said Grady Johnson, CEO and group publisher. “The entire newspaper pulled together to make this happen, and it’s quite an honor to receive recognition when competing at this level.”
The annual Editorial Excellence Awards competition recognizes excellence in journalism, photography and design achieved by regional business publications. Judges comprise faculty members from the University of Missouri School of Journalism, with qualifications in respective areas.
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