Teen People and TIME Magazine have each won a 2001 National Magazine Award, the most prestigious editorial honor in the magazine industry. The 36th annual awards were announced by the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) at a luncheon ceremony held in New York City on May 2.

Teen People won in the category of General Excellence for magazines with circulation of over 1 million. The ASME judges called Teen People "a reader-friendly magazine in every way, delivering high-quality journalism in a colorful, intelligent package." The judges also cited the magazine for its broad range of coverage: "Whether it's covering celebrities or addressing controversial topics like alcoholism and sexual abuse, Teen People truly reflects the diverse lives of today's teens." The win represents the first time that a teen publication has won in the General Excellence category.

TIME Magazine also received a National Magazine Award, honoring Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele in the category of Public Interest, for their series of three articles on campaign finance, "Big Money and Politics; How the Little Guy Gets Crunched," "Soaked by Congress" and "Throwing the Game."

The Public Interest Award recognizes outstanding examples of analytical or expository journalism that bring exceptional clarity, interpretation and insight to their subject, and have the potential to influence national or local public policy. Barlett and Steele were also the recipients of the National Magazine Award for Public Interest in 1999 for their series on corporate welfare.

In addition to winning the 2001 National Magazine Award, Barlett and Steele's series on campaign finance has been the winner of both this year's George Polk Award and the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi Award.