Seed and ScienceBlogs Receive Awards for Science Journalism

NEW YORK, Dec. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Seed Media Group today announced that Seed and ScienceBlogs have been recognized for innovation and excellence in science journalism.

Seed is the proud recipient of the 2006 UTNE Independent Press Award for Best Science/Technology Coverage. ScienceBlogs (scienceblogs.com) was awarded Best Science Blog for Pharyngula, and Best Medical/Health Issues Blog for Respectful Insolence with 2006 Weblog Awards.

"We are delighted to see the creativity and passion of our international team of editors, writers, designers, and bloggers recognized by UTNE and the Weblog Awards," said Adam Bly, Founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Seed Media Group. "Science is transforming our culture and conversation unlike ever before. Seed and ScienceBlogs represent our first efforts -- print and online, editor-driven and user-generated -- to capture and help shape this cultural shift. Combined, they suggest a new direction for science journalism in the 21st century."

Since its launch earlier this year, ScienceBlogs has grown into the largest online community dedicated to science, with more than 50 blogs across 12 content channels, 20,000 posts, and 200,000 user-generated comments. Technorati's November State of the Blogosphere report ranks ScienceBlogs as the 3rd most popular niche blog and 22nd most popular blog overall of the roughly 60 million tracked.

Seed, the company's flagship magazine, chronicles the ideas, issues, and icons shaping science culture. Seed's special Year in Science issue (Dec/Jan 2007) is available across the United States and Canada.

Seed Media Group also announced today that it has integrated its print and online editorial and design teams and formed Seed Content Labs. The integrated content development group is tasked with developing breakthrough science content across multiple platforms. In the first example of the group's cross- platform thinking, Seed has introduced a new column by award-winning blogger and scientist PZ Myers, entitled "Pharyngula," in the issue on newsstands now.

About Seed Media Group

Seed Media Group is an emerging science media and communications company. Headquartered in New York, with correspondents across the globe, Seed Media Group's brands include the critically-acclaimed science magazine Seed, and ScienceBlogs, the leading digital community dedicated to science. For more information, please visit http://www.seedmediagroup.com/.

About Utne Reader

Since 1984, Utne Reader http://www.utne.com/ has been a leading voice for independent thinkers, bringing readers an informed point-of-view on issues ranging from the environment to the economy and from politics to pop culture -- the kind of stories you'll find in the mainstream media months or years from now. Reaching a total audience of nearly 600,000, Utne Reader taps into the pulse of what's emerging in the culture by engaging with the most visionary thinkers and doers of our time and by presenting the best articles and ideas from thousands of indie publications, websites, blogs, newly published books, films, and other off-the-beaten-path sources. Utne Reader is owned by Ogden Publications, Inc. In addition to Utne Reader, Ogden publishes several titles relating to sustainable and conscientious living. Those titles include Natural Home, Mother Earth News, Herbs for Health and The Herb Companion.

About Weblog Awards

The Weblog Awards are the world's largest blog competition, with over 525,000 votes cast in the 2006 edition for finalists in 45 categories.

  Media Contact:
  Carla Colon
  Ruder Finn for Seed Media Group
  212.715.1524
  colonc@ruderfinn.com