WBJ honored for investigative reporting, named a top publication at business journalism competition
Image | WBJ File
Worcester Business Journal won four awards at the 2025 Editorial Excellence Awards, held as part of the Alliance of Area Business Publishers conference in Ottawa, including a gold award in the Best Investigative Reporting category for its reporting on dysfunction at the state's Cannabis Control Commission.
Worcester Business Journal was honored for its investigative reporting into Massachusetts’ cannabis agency and named one of the top overall publications at the annual 2025 Alliance of Area Business Publishers journalism competition Friday evening.
“The AABP judges have once again affirmed what I get to see everyday: The hardworking journalists of WBJ produce some of the best stories and designs in the country, all to the benefit of the Central Massachusetts business community,” WBJ Editor Brad Kane said.
WBJ walked away with four awards in the medium tabloids category at the competition. The AABP conference was held in Ottawa, Canada, and featured business journals from the United States, Canada, and Australia, with the awards covering content from 2024.
WBJ reporter Eric Casey won the Gold Award for Best Investigative Reporting for coverage of dysfunction at the state’s Cannabis Control Commission. Casey shared the award with WBJ correspondent Dan Adams, who partnered with him on the investigation. Their reporting was praised for its captivating narrative and strong data.
“An array of voices paints a vivid picture of dysfunctional government. The writing is clear and confident. The story gains weight from the internal emails and other documents obtained by the reporters,” the judges from the University of Missouri School of Journalism wrote.
In the best overall category, WBJ won the Bronze Award for the Best Newspaper - Medium Tabloids, with the judges highlighting the newspaper’s accessible navigation, strong data, and diverse photography use.
“A vibrant, information-rich design helps readers easily navigate the publication,” the judges wrote. “The real estate and economic forecast edition provided a treasure trove of data, and multiple stories, accompanied by countless photos, capture the area’s diversity,”
WBJ additionally received two Silver Awards in the design and editorial categories.
Art Director Mitchell Hayes won the Silver Award for Best Overall Design, a category in which he is consistently honored year after year.
“From cover to cover, the design maintains a polished, consistent rhythm that balances creativity with clarity,” the judges said.
Kane and WBJ Publisher Peter Stanton won the Silver Award for Best Editorial, for their editorial discussing the backlash against Worcester Polytechnic Institute for its purchase of two area hotels, which judges praised for its strong solutions and analytic data.
“Strong editorials offer solutions, not just arguments, and this one calmly details how vitriol doesn’t help the community move forward,” the judges said. “It’s clear the writers did their homework – outlining the obvious and less obvious ramifications of the actions by both sides. Importantly, they offer a detailed plan that should bring both sides back together.”
In addition to WBJ’s four awards, its sister publications located in Connecticut and Maine received accolades for their work. MaineBiz won eight awards, including five Gold Awards for categories including Best Overall Design and Best Front Page Newspaper. Hartford Business Journal won two Gold Awards for Best Beat Reporting - Real Estate, and Best Editorial. All three publications are owned by New England Business Media.
Lucy Coran is an editorial intern for Worcester Business Journal and a rising sophomore at Smith College.
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