Although the 2009 James Beard Foundation Awards are more than six months away, the national nonprofit announced its call-for-entries yesterday along with some changes to the program. The most notable change is the addition of a category for blogs as part of the section for journalism.
Despite widespread criticism of blogging over the recent years—chef Mario Batali's rant last summer about the medium being a "bit of shoddy journalism" is a prime example—it seems that the food organization is ready and willing to recognize this new form of commentary. In fact, this year Josh Ozersky and Daniel Maurer won the Multimedia Writing on Food award for New York magazine's Grub Street blog.
"Blogs have become an essential part of today's evolving media landscape. They provide journalists from both traditional and nontraditional backgrounds with an immediate, direct outlet for their work, and open up an unprecedented avenue for vibrant dialogue with readers," stated the official press release.
The foundation's annual awards gala will take place on Monday, May 4, at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall.
