2016 Azbee Awards of Excellence
Category
Print > News Analysis > Northeast
Awarded to
Cheryl-Anne Sturken, Senior Contributing Editor; Allen J. Sheinman, Managing Editor, Loren G. Edelstein, Editor in Chief; Mayumi T. Hudgins, Design Director
Entry details
"Playing Politics"
Issue date (if applicable): 6/1/2015
Publication name: Meetings & Conventions
Publishing company: Northstar Travel Media LLC
Website home page: www.mcmag.com
Please describe the publication's mission and readership:
Representing more than $280 billion of direct annual spending, meetings and conventions are big business. Meetings & Conventions is the only media brand serving the needs of the dedicated professionals — meeting owners, buyers and suppliers — who are responsible for managing and growing this vital economic sector. M&C provides authoritative industry news, data, advice, trend analyses, profiles, and case studies to meeting and event professionals who require new ideas and ongoing education to remain competitive and successful. Launched in 1966 as the industry’s leading trade magazine, M&C continues to keep this fast-changing industry informed and connected through myriad digital, data and print products, as well as a growing roster of face-to-face events.
Please describe the enterprising work that went into this entry and its significance or impact on readers:
Meetings & Convention's hard-hitting June 2015 investigative feature, "Playing Politics," covers the controversy that erupted when, in March, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed into law the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The measure quickly drew a flood of critics who claimed it could open the door to discrimination by allowing any person or corporation to cite it as a defense for discriminating against someone based on a religion-dictated disapproval of his or her perceived lifestyle. A number of companies were quick to advocate boycotting the state, and that included some major events contributing to Indiana's $4.4 billion meetings industry. But Leonard Hoops, head of Visit Indy, took swift action to mitigate the damage. Our story details how he and his supporters effectively turned around a divisive law — rescinded in April — by avoiding the perilous shoals of politics and religion, and instead proving how deeply the measure would hurt the city’s coffers due to canceled meetings and diverted business travel. The article cites similar battles in Phoenix, Atlanta and other cities, and also points to M&C’s exclusive research demonstrating that most meeting professionals would avoid choosing a destination with local laws that some of their attendees might consider discriminatory. M&C jumped quickly on this important story, putting it on the cover of the next possible issue (based on our production cycle).
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"Playing Politics"
Category
Print > News Analysis > Northeast
Description
Publication name:
Meetings & Conventions
Company:
Northstar Travel Media LLC
Winner Status
- Regional Bronze Award
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