American Medical News, CFO, Computerworld, Fortune Small Business, Spectrum, Lawn & Landscape, Macworld, PC World, Professional Builder, and R&I are the finalists for the 2008 Magazine of the Year award from the American Society of Business Publications in the 80,000-ciculation-and-higher category.

Architect, Associations Now, Automotive News, Chain Leader, Control, Exhibitor, Health Leaders, Information Security, Oregon Business, and The Scientist are the finalists in the below-80,000 circulation category.

In the Magazine of the Year competition, judges evaluate three consecutive issues from each entrant, examining their writing, reporting, and editing; their usefulness to and interactivity with readers; editorial organization; and layout and design.

Sensitivity to the changing needs of an audience is always a most critical factor, said one judge. In 2008, that changing need was the declining economic environment most industries were experiencing.

“The best magazines find ways to bridge the gap between the ‘real world’ of the general economy and the specific environment of the business publications,” the judge said.

Despite a lagging economy that has reduced editorial staff size and magazine page counts, Magazine of the Year finalists “are not letting [readers] feel the pinch,” another judge said. She pointed to the ‘well-written content and research that pulls readers into articles that are complemented with valuable, useful, and frequently resourceful graphics, pull-quotes, sidebars, typography, and other tools of our trade.”

Along with finalists for the Magazine of the Year, awards will be presented to the top publications in 45 other print categories during the 31st Azbee Awards of Excellence banquet Thursday, July 16, at the Washington Marriott Hotel in Washington, D.C., starting at 6 p.m.

Three new final judges will be joining the panel: Gene Bloch, managing editor, CNN New York; Matt Murray, deputy managing editor, national news, The Wall Street Journal; and David Schlesinger, editor-in-chief, Thomson Reuters.

The Loeb Awards, the most prestigious honors in business journalism, recognize journalists who have contributed to the public’s understanding of business, finance and the economy. Loeb Awards final judges serve as advisors to the program and are responsible for selecting winners from finalists in the 12 competition categories. The judges also select recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award and Lawrence Minard Editor Award.

“As the business landscape experiences a tectonic shift, high quality business journalism remains a vital contributor to our understanding and shaping of the future of business,” said Allison Holmes, interim assistant dean of marketing and communications at UCLA Anderson and vice president of the G. and R. Loeb Foundation, in a statement. “This year’s final judging panel represents journalism and business news at its finest, and we are honored to be partnering with them to celebrate the best in their field.”

The new Loeb Awards judges will be joining a group of preeminent leaders in the industry, including: Stephen J. Adler, editor-in-chief, BusinessWeek; Amanda Bennett, executive editor, enterprise, Bloomberg News; Jane Berentson, editor, Inc.; Matthew Bishop, bureau chief, The Economist; Steve Forbes, chairman and chief executive officer, Forbes; Chrystia Freeland, U.S. managing editor, Financial Times; John Hillkirk, executive editor, USA Today; Glenn Kramon, assistant managing editor, The New York Times; Joanne Lipman, former editor-in-chief, Conde Nast Portfolio; Judy D. Olian, dean, UCLA Anderson School of Management; Allan Sloan, senior editor-at-large, Fortune; Russ Stanton, editor, Los Angeles Times; and Jonathan Wald, former senior vice president, business news, CNBC.

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