The Best of Multimedia Design winners were awarded at the 2009 Society for News Design annual workshop and exhibition in Buenos Aires on Sept. 24. The competition recognizes skill, innovation and high-quality visual journalism in Web and other new-media design with quarterly and annual awards. Out of 170 quarterly award winners, nytimes.com won the two gold medals awarded this competition year for their entries, Choosing a President and You Finish, You Win.
Launched by the Society of News Design in January 2002, the Best of Multimedia Design Competition awards are the only accolades in the industry where all entrants are provided feedback from the industry judging panel. The judging panel, which represents expertise in many facets of multimedia design industry, met at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill August 28-29 to select finalists which included breaking and non-breaking news, sports and features and student presentations. The finalists were selected based on news value, information editing, information architecture, aesthetic presentation and innovation.
Commenting on this year’s entries, judge Jay Heinz says, “We’re seeing a move among most of the news organizations away from a free-for-all design style where every piece has its own kind of design feel into one that’s more integrated into the sites. And leading the way has been the New York Times. Other news organizations have been following their lead and trying to do things in their style of really clean, integrated design pieces.”
Awards of Excellence
Anticipating Obama’s Inauguration on a City Block in Washington • nytimes.com
Basketball Database • indystar.com
Cape Fear To Down Here • Carolinaphotojournalism.org
Common Ground • mediastorm.org
Crossing the Line: Abuse in Hawaii Homes • honoluluadvertiser.com
Electoral Explorer • nytimes.com
Immigration Explorer • nytimes.com
The Last Minutes of Flight 3407 • nytimes.com
How Lezak Won Gold in the 4×100-Meter Relay • nytimes.com
Madison Budget Game • madison.com
A Map of Olympic Medals • nytimes.com
The Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama • ap.org
Sacred Ground: The Building of the Pentagon Memorial • washingtonpost.com
U.S. Hospital Death Rates • usatoday.com
BRONZE AWARDS
A Day’s Work, Four Days’ Pay • nytimes.com
Election Results 2008 • nytimes.com
Failed Prostate Procedures at the Philadelphia V.A. • nytimes.com
Intended Consequences • mediastorm.org
Jackson’s Billboard Rankings Over Time • nytimes.com
Murder: New York City • nytimes.com
New York Plane Crash • boston.com
Pogue-O-Matic Product Finder • nytimes.com
War Without Borders: Fueling Mexico’s Drug Trade • nytimes.com
SILVER AWARDS
Andaman Rising • carolinaphotojournalism.org
Indy 500 Car Tracker • indystar.com
One in 8 Million • nytimes.com
Tracking US Airways Flight 1549 • nytimes.com
GOLD AWARDS
Choosing a President • nytimes.com
You Finish, You Win • nytimes.com
Judges’ Special Recognition award
And this year, a Judges’ Special Recognition award goes to NewYorkTimes.com to acknowledge their work in raising the bar for special events coverage with Election 2008.