News & Politics

Washingtonian Recognized for General Excellence

Washingtonian won the General Excellence award for its circulation category at the 34th-annual National City and Regional Magazine Awards ceremony in Minneapolis Monday night. It’s Washingtonian’s fourth General Excellence award. Judges said the publication evinces the DC area’s “unique character” and “gives a consistent sense that it is deeply plugged into the city it serves through strong service-oriented pieces and compelling storytelling.”

CRMA’s complete list of winners and finalists is available here.

Reached by phone, Washingtonian Editor Michael Schaffer says, “We’re lucky to have a magazine with such a terrific staff—and to do our work in a city where readers demand excellence.” The magazine submitted three 2018 print issues for consideration: April (cover story: Marisa Kashino’s history of 14th Street in the 50 years since riots followed Martin Luther King Jr.’s death); May (cover story: Benjamin Wofford on Jeff Bezos’s DC life); and December (Jessica Sidman and Anna Spiegel on the fall of Mike Isabella).

Schaffer says he’s particularly proud that the award recognizes that it takes a team of people to publish this magazine: “We make a website every day and a magazine every month, and every single person is a part of it.”

CRMA makes General Excellence awards based on a publication’s circulation. California’s Sonoma Magazine won in the under-30,000 category, Dallas’ D Magazine won in the 30,000-60,000 category, and Washingtonian won in the 60,000-plus category.

Washingtonian‘s weddings magazine also won the Ancillary: Weddings category. “We’re constantly inspired by the talent and the work of the vendors in our local weddings community, by the stories of the couples we feature, and the feedback from our readers, whose planning we aim to make easier,” says Amy Moeller, Washingtonian Weddings’ editor-in-chief.

Senior editor

Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.