These two Obama-inspired covers were part of the coverage that won Paris Match the SPMI Magazine of the Year 2009 Award
The “Audacity in Journalism” Award went to this piece about the Taliban, published in edition # 3094 , September 4, 2008
The SPMI Awards were presented Monday night in Paris. Olivier Royant, the proud editor in chief of Paris Match, sends us the report. We were very honored to work with Olivier and his talented team of Paris Match during 2008, so this is happy news—-but not surprising! Each week we look at Paris Match and see how the team, headed by Olivier, with Michel Maiquez as art director, take the original concept and enhance it. As I repeat often, Olivier is a print editor who believes in scoops, and makes the street his laboratory to find them.
The awards were specifically presented for the use of photography, and for what the juries called “audacity of journalism” for a special report on the Taliban, with magnificent photographs, which is part of what gives Paris Match its identity, and which caught the judge’s eyes. One judge commented about the Taliban piece:
This is exactly the genre and subject in the area of audacity in journalism for which we recommend Paris Match. It is a subject covered in the most difficult of conditions, the way the subject was handled is a tribute to the courage of a war reporter. This is a true prize for the audacity exhibited in covering one of the most controversial media subjects of the year.”
Here is what the jury had to say in the Best Magazine of the Year category:
Here is the magazine with THE excellent photos, the ones that can’t be ignored, showing courage and distinction. It is all well executed here. And not resting on their laurels, the staff also introduced a new design formula in 2008.
Olivier adds:
“Since you’ve part of the life of Paris Match in 2008, I wanted to share
these 2 awards with you.”
Thanks, Olivier and team. You all make me very proud and I hope to toast to this victory with all of you when I am in Paris again soon!
TheMarioBlog posting #233