The magazine media industry gathered at the Marriott Marquis last night for the annual National Magazine Awards — and while New York and National Geographic grabbed high honors, it was the awards handed to Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour and Martha Stewart that generated the most buzz.
On the digital front, the American Society of Magazine Editors, which sponsors the awards — known as the “Ellies,” for the Alexander Calder-designed elephant trophies given out — gave its top award for video to Mother Jones for its “Full Secret Video of Private Romney Fundraiser” that generated enormous controversy upon its pre-election release.
In the interest of compressing the length of the ceremony — which for the first time in several years were handing out digital and print awards on the same night — big-name presenters were kept to a minimum.
Willie Geist, co-host of NBC’s “Today” show, and MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” did the master-of-ceremony honors and kept the show moving.
Allison Williams, star of the HBO series “Girls,” was one of the few celebrity presenters. She handed out the general excellence award to Wintour for service and fashion magazines.
French toast
Wintour, of course, has been a subject of incessant rumors that she in the running to become ambassador to France.
The rumors stopped in March when she was named to the additional post of artistic director of all Condé Nast titles — only to resurface again when the presumed appointee, hedge-fund billionaire Marc Lasry, last month was forced to pull his name because of his alleged association with a Russian poker ring — a story first revealed by The Post.
When asked about the French twist, she said: “I have a job that I am very happy with right now, thank you.”
Stewart, the chief creative officer of her embattled empire, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, generated enormous publicity recently when she signed up for Match.com to find a man to sleep with.
Last night, Stewart was honored with a general excellence award for lifestyle magazines, though she didn’t show to pick up her award.
Pilar Guzman, editor-in-chief of Martha Stewart Living magazine, who attended with Gael Towey, the mag’s chief creative officer and editorial director, accepted on Stewart’s behalf. “Martha would be here, but she’s on a date.” Geist, the MC, added: “Can you imagine the poor bastard from Match.com? He shows up, and it’s Martha Stewart.”
Team Martha beat out last year’s winner, O, the Oprah Magazine, which was nominated again this year but did not finish first.
Susan Casey, who announced only days ago that she was stepping down as editor of the title, made a joint appearance with her successor and former deputy, Lucy Kaylin, who takes over on Monday.
Going small
For special-interest titles, Larry Burke, of Outside, made a return to the winner’s circle in a year where titles from smaller publishing houses seemed to dominate.
Best website, for instance, went to The Atlantic — while the award for literary, political and professional magazines went to low-circ title The Paris Review.
Pitchfork, the digital-music title that some see as a key rival to the faltering music print magazines, was honored with general excellence, digital media.
In something of a snub to the many weeklies in the mix, particularly Time Inc., the winner in the news, sports and entertainment category went, in an upset, to the studious National Geographic. It was one of four Ellies that Nat Geo Editor Chris Johns pulled in yesterday.
But that was not enough to cop the top honor of the night, magazine of the year, for print and digital editions, which went to New York, with Editor-in-Chief Adam Moss and online Editorial Director Ben Williams accepting.
New York also won for best magazine section, “The Strategist.”
Winning an Ellie usually means little on the money front in the battle for advertising dollars or consumer purchases on newsstands, but they are closely watched in the industry and give editors and writers bragging rights.
The award brings visibility to editors within the tight-knit publishing world, and winners often reap benefits ranging from promotions and bonuses — or better job offers from competitors.
Condé Nast, which pulled in four Ellies last night, tied Nat Geo for most wins by one company, while the New Yorker was shut out this year.
Hearst, on the other hand, went home without a single win. But in another sign that a magazine deal is close, Dr. Mehmet Oz attended as a guest of Hearst President David Carey.
And Time Inc. fared little better, with Time magazine Managing Editor Rick Stengel carrying home the only Time Inc. Ellie this year, one for design of Time.