Berkshire Living magazine says it is finalist for six national awards

The publisher of Berkshire Living magazine, Michael Zivyak, says his publication is a finalist for six awards from the national city and regional magazine awards, including repeat awards for general excellence, community service, and general criticism.

Of the 74 magazines in the contest, 38 publications received nominations, and 22 of these received multiple nominations, Zivyak added.

The magazine is also being
honored for its recent redesign, and once again, its two sister magazines, BBQ: Berkshire Business Quarterly and Berkshire Living Home+Garden, are finalists in the Best Ancillary publication category, Zivyak said in a email statement.

The independently owned Berkshire Living is one of only nine magazines in the nation to win six or more nominations, Zivyak said -- the others all being big-city magazines including Los Angeles, Texas Monthly, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati and 5280 (Denver).

Editor-in-chief and cultural critic Seth Rogovoy once again faces off against writers from Los Angeles and Texas Monthly magazine for the General Criticism award, for his column, "The Beat Goes On," Zivyak said. The magazine's Rest of the Story program, free public forums that takes place at the Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington, Mass., has been nominated for Community Service in all four years of its existence.

Magazine professionals from around the country chose 142 finalists representing 38 publications in the 25-year-old National City and Regional Magazine Association's awards competition. Magazines of varying circulations competed in 29 categories, including editorial, design, online and ancillary publications. Judges named five finalists in most categories and will choose one ultimate winner in each. The awards for work completed in 2009 will be announced at the CRMA 34th Annual Conference June 5-7 at the Westin Providence in Providence, R.I.