- The American Society of Business Publication Editors 2026 Azbee Awards of Excellence gave Fierce Network a bronze medal for industry news coverage
- The winning entry includes articles on Verizon layoffs, nuclear power for data centers and Brendan Carr, FCC chief
- The winning authors are Masha Abarinova, Dan Jones and Diana Goovaerts
The American Society of Business Publication Editors' 2026 Azbee Awards of Excellence awarded Fierce Network a bronze medal for industry news coverage in the Northeast Region. Fierce Network (Questex, LLC) Category: All Content - Industry News Coverage Award: Regional Bronze Award Title of Entry: Fierce Network: Breaking News, Expert Analysis, and Industry Intelligence Masha Abarinova, Staff Reporter; Diana Goovaerts, Executive Editor; Dan Jones, Senior Reporter, Wireless
About the winning articles
A tip about Verizon layoffs
In November, acting on an anonymous tip, Senior Reporter Dan Jones broke the story "Verizon rumored to be laying off up to 25% of 5G enterprise team as part of larger cuts" before the company's official announcement. When Verizon officially confirmed the cuts 8 days later—revealing over 13,000 layoffs representing 6% of its workforce — Jones immediately updated the article with official figures and executive statements. This reporting demonstrated the value of cultivated industry sources, rapid verification skills, and the editorial discipline to update breaking news as it develops. The story resonated deeply with readers navigating corporate uncertainty in an industry undergoing significant transformation.
Nuclear power for data centers
Executive Editor Diana Goovaerts captured a watershed industry moment with "Nuclear power has hit the data center mainstream" in August. The article revealed how cloud hyperscalers AWS, Microsoft, Google Cloud and Equinix simultaneously pivoted toward nuclear solutions to address the unprecedented energy demands of AI workloads. Goovaerts didn't simply report the deals—she connected technology trends, infrastructure constraints, and policy implications. By interviewing executives, nuclear industry leaders and policy analysts, she explained why this represented a fundamental shift in how the tech industry approaches power infrastructure. The piece provided essential context about small modular reactors, aging nuclear plant restarts, and the timeline challenges facing data center operators—making complex technical developments accessible and actionable.
Brendan Carr takes the helm at the FCC
Masha Abarinova’s "What to expect now that Brendan Carr is FCC chief," published on Carr's first day leading the agency, exemplified forward-looking policy analysis. Rather than simply recounting his confirmation, Abarinova interviewed policy experts like New Street Research's Blair Levin to forecast how Carr's deregulatory philosophy would impact spectrum policy, broadband funding, and telecom competition. The article anticipated controversies around the BEAD program, potential changes to net neutrality enforcement, and the FCC's approach to emerging technologies. By connecting Carr's past positions to likely future actions, Abarinova gave readers the analytical framework needed to navigate regulatory uncertainty.