SABEW's BIB to Open Dec. 3

Small Business, Technology added as categories

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SABEW's 18th annual Best in Business competition opens for entries on Monday, Dec. 3, with two new categories, Small Business and Technology.

“Starting early really helps members get a jump on the contest crunch”

Also new this year: Innovation, a category that will recognize creative and bold initiatives across all facets of business journalism, from exciting new apps to interesting storytelling experiments. This replaces Creative Use of Multiple Platforms. Blogs are merging with Opinion/Column to become Commentary.

More details will follow soon when full contest rules are released.

Only SABEW members in good standing can enter. Members submitted a record 1,030 entries last year, up from 796 entries in 2009. Winners will be recognized at the spring Washington, D.C. conference April 4-6, which will mark SABEW's 50^th birthday.

For the second year in a row, the contest will open for early birds in December, at reduced prices. “Starting early really helps members get a jump on the contest crunch," said contest co-chair Lisa Gibbs, a writer for Money Magazine.

Dates to remember:

• Dec. 3: Early-bird entry begins — enter at last year’s prices. Entries received before Jan. 4 will cost $60; after that, $65. General excellence entries will cost $125 for the entire contest period.
• Jan. 4: Regular contest entry period opens.
• Jan. 31: DEADLINE for all entries – Because of the timing of our April 4-6 annual conference in Washington, D.C., where the BIB awards will be presented, there will be no extensions.
• April 5: The BIB ceremony will be held at the Marvin Center at George Washington University, site of the conference.

Members or guests can register for the conference on SABEW.org, or call SABEW at 602-496-7862. A block of hotel rooms is available at a discount rate.

SABEW, the world’s largest and oldest organization of business and financial journalists, began the Best in Business competition in 1995 to set standards and recognize role models in the industry.

This year’s contest coordinators are Lisa Gibbs of Money, Chris Peacock, executive editor of CNN Money, and Joanna Ossinger, an editor at Bloomberg News.

(For further information on the competition -- and on SABEW membership -- please contact Warren Watson, executive director, at 1-602-496-5186. Email Watson at [e-mail].)