The Honest Broker Wins Two Awards

I got a phone call this afternoon from a friend who writes about music—he wanted to congratulate me.

That was very nice, and I thanked him.

Then, after an awkward pause, I asked: “Uh, what exactly did I do to earn a congratulation?”

“Haven’t you seen?”

And I hadn’t—I’m often so immersed in my writing that I miss a lot. I sorta keep tabs on the kids growing up, and remember to pay my taxes. But not much more than that.

In this instance, I’d missed the fact that the Jazz Journalists Association had chosen The Honest Broker as blog of the year, and also given me the Robert Palmer-Helen Oakley Dance Award for Excellence in Writing.

This was sweet news indeed, all the more because it’s voted for by my peers. But I’d like to think that it’s especially significant that the Excellence in Writing award can go to a self-published author on an alternative media platform—that’s a victory for the many writers who now operate in non-traditional and self-directed media outlets.

This is our brave new world of journalism. And while I can’t help lamenting what we’ve lost with the disappearance of so many newspaper jobs and print periodicals, I’m also cheering on all the journalists who are trying to find other ways to practice their vocation despite all the turbulence.

I’m part of their growing numbers, and we’re determined to pursue our craft with passion and a commitment to excellence in these emerging formats and new platforms.

Which finally leads me to thank the readers of The Honest Broker, and especially those who support it financially with a paid subscription. This not only makes the awards possible, but the daily and weekly coverage that our culture needs and deserves.

I’m off to celebrate. But I’ll be back tomorrow with a full-length essay.

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