Financial Planning Wins First Place FOLIO: Eddie Award for Investigation of Advisors’ Role in Stemming Military Suicide

SourceMedia Brands Accounting Today and Employee Benefit News Receive Honorable Mentions for Best Use of Social Media in 2014 Competition

NEW YORK, NY – (December 18, 2014) – SourceMedia’s Financial Planning received first-place honors in FOLIO:’s 2014 Eddie & Ozzie Awards competition for its investigative report into whether the epidemic of military suicides can be reduced with more effective financial planning.

Financial Planning’s award, for Best Single Article, was one of five honors received by SourceMedia brands at the 2014 Eddie Awards ceremony, which took place December 11 in New York City. Other SourceMedia brands that were honored include Accounting Today, which received an honorable mention in the Best Use of Facebook category, and Employee Benefit News, which received an honorable mention in the Online Community category for its LinkedIn group.

The Eddie & Ozzie Awards, presented by FOLIO: Magazine, is the largest awards competition in media publishing. The Eddie Awards recognize editorial excellence and the Ozzie Awards recognize excellence in magazine design.

Financial Planning’s winning article, entitled “Could Planners Stem The Military Suicide Rate?”, was written by Senior Editor and West Coast Bureau Chief Ann Marsh and published in May 2014. Marsh’s reporting revealed financial stress to be an overlooked but leading factor in military suicides. Marsh uncovered Defense Department statistics that included financial stress, along with mental illness, marital problems and substance abuse, among the top reasons active service members and veterans kill themselves. A related story by Marsh outlined specific ways better and broader financial planning could assist military personnel.

Marsh’s work has had an impact. A month after the article’s release, responding to Financial Planning’s report, a bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives directing the military to study ways it could deliver more effective financial planning to those at risk. Earlier this month, that measure was included in the broad government-funding legislation approved by Congress.

Financial Planning also won last year’s Eddie for Best Single Article in the Banking/Business/Finance category for a story by Marsh that looked at the untapped potential of 529 college savings plans.

At the 2014 awards, in addition to its Best Single Article award, Financial Planning also received an honorable mention for Best Full Issue in the Banking/Business/Finance category for its May 2014 print edition, the same issue in which the report on military suicide appeared.

FOLIO: also recognized SourceMedia’s Accounting Today and Employee Benefit News. Accounting Today received an honorable mention in the Best Use of Facebook category. Employee Benefit News received an honorable mention in the Online Community category for its LinkedIn group and was given an Ozzie honorable mention for Best Cover Design in the 25,000-100,000 circulation category for its January 2014 “Are Your Employees Protected?” photo illustration.

“SourceMedia strives to deliver journalism that has a meaningful impact on, and deeply engages, the professional communities we serve,” said SourceMedia Chief Content Officer David Longobardi. “This year’s FOLIO: honors reflect that commitment – both the investigative work in Financial Planning and the social media community building by Accounting Today and Employee Benefit News.”

About SourceMedia

SourceMedia, an Observer Capital company, is a diversified business-to-business digital media company serving senior professionals in the financial, technology, and healthcare sectors. Brands include American Banker, The Bond Buyer, Mergers & Acquisitions, Financial Planning, On Wall Street, Accounting Today, Health Data Management, and Employee Benefit News.

About Financial Planning

The Financial Planning brand is the leading publication and online resource for independent financial advisors. Financial Planning and financial-planning.com deliver the essential information, strategies and expert analysis advisors need to successfully grow their practices.

About Employee Benefit News

Employee Benefit News (EBN) is for senior-level benefits decision makers providing in-depth analysis on benefit industry trends and innovative solutions. Our magazine and online and digital resources educate benefit plan sponsors on new ways to purchase, administer, and benchmark their benefit programs while adapting to rising costs and wider ranges of policy offerings.

About Accounting Today

Accounting Today, founded in 1987, is the premier information resource for the nation's tax and accounting community. The brand serves its audience through a diverse multimedia platform that includes a monthly print publication; an industry-leading website featuring daily news, in-depth analysis, and a wide variety of rich media; multiple digital newsletters; live events; and proprietary research.

Corporate Contact:

Melianthe Kines
Director, Audience Development
212-803-8335
Melianthe.Kines@sourcemedia.com