Christopher Hitchens was honored at the National Magazine Awards—the Oscars of the magazine industry—on Thursday with a posthumous prize for three columns published in Vanity Fair last year.

"He's the bravest man I've ever known," Graydon Carter, Vanity Fair editor-in-chief, said while accepting the so-called Ellie for Hitchens at a ceremony at New York's Marriott Marquis. Hitchens, who died last December after a battle with cancer, "wrote with speed and accuracy" until the very end, Carter said.

Brian Williams—who served as the evening's host—arrived late after anchoring Thursday's "NBC Nightly News," blaming cross-town traffic and the "poured-cement" hotel's confusing elevator system.

New York magazine won three awards, edging the New Yorker, which won two. Time won magazine of the year. In all, 18 magazines were honored with Ellies.

"If you publish a magazine—even desktop publishing—you're winning an award," Williams joked. "If Cat Fancy wins for best commentary, be happy for them."

Tim Rogers, the editor of Dallas-based D magazine, won the unofficial award for most awkward acceptance speech, saying his magazine's Ellie (for a profile of the hacking group Anonymous) would help him in the bedroom. "Tonight, with a little bit of luck, a little red wine, I'm gonna get lucky," Rogers said, pointing to his wife in the crowd.

Williams said he felt bad for "Mrs. D."

"There's a lot of pressure on her now," the "Rock Center" host said.

Later, Williams professed his love for magazines.

"I am a lover of this tactile medium," he said. "I get on a plane [with a magazine] and I pretend to bathe in it."

The full list of winners:

MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR

Honors the achievement of editorial excellence both in print and on digital platforms

TIME

Rick Stengel, managing editor

Catherine Sharick, managing editor, TIME.com

May 20, October 17 and December 26/January 2, 2012, print issues

TIME.com

Weekly iPad App

GENERAL EXCELLENCE - Active- and Special Interest Magazines

Honors magazines serving targeted readerships

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Inc.

Jane Berentson, editor

February, November and December 2011/January 2012 issues

GENERAL EXCELLENCE - General-Interest Magazines

Honors large-circulation weeklies, biweeklies and general-interest monthlies

Bloomberg Businessweek

Josh Tyrangiel, editor

October 10-16, October 31-November 6 and November 14-20 issues

GENERAL EXCELLENCE - Lifestyle Magazines

Honors city and regional publications as well as food, travel and shelter magazines

House Beautiful

Newell Turner, editor-in-chief

March, June and July/August issues

GENERAL EXCELLENCE - Thought-Leader Magazines

Honors small-circulation general-interest magazines as well as literary, scholarly and professional publications

IEEE Spectrum

Susan Hassler, editor-in-chief

September, October and November issues

GENERAL EXCELLENCE - Women's Magazines

Honors health, fitness and parenting publications as well as fashion, service and lifestyle magazines

O, The Oprah Magazine

Oprah Winfrey, founder and editorial director

Susan Casey, editor-in-chief

April, May and November issues

COLUMNS AND COMMENTARY

Honors political and social commentary; news analysis; and reviews and criticism

Vanity Fair

Graydon Carter, editor

Three columns by Christopher Hitchens, contributing editor: "When the King Saved God," May; "Unspoken Truths," June; and "From Abbottabad to Worse," July

DESIGN

Honors overall excellence in magazine design

GQ

Jim Nelson, editor-in-chief

Fred Woodward, design director

May, August and October issues

ESSAYS AND CRITICISM

Honors long-form journalism on topics ranging from the personal to the political

New York

Adam Moss, editor-in-chief

"Paper Tigers," by Wesley Yang, contributing editor

May 16

FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY

Honors the use of original photography in a feature story, photo essay or photo portfolio

The New York Times Magazine

Hugo Lindgren, editor-in-chief

"Vamps, Crooks & Killers," photographs by Alex Prager; introduction by A.O. Scott

December 11

FEATURE WRITING

Honors original, stylish storytelling

Esquire

David Granger, editor-in-chief

"Joplin!" by Luke Dittrich, contributing editor

October

FICTION

Honors the publication of fiction in magazines

Zoetrope: All-Story

Michael Ray, editor

"The Hox River Window," by Karen Russell

Fall

LEISURE INTERESTS

Honors coverage of fashion and beauty; travel; decorating and gardening; food; fitness and active sports; cars and boats; and hobbies and crafts

Saveur

James Oseland, editor-in-chief

"Italian America," by John Mariani, Lou Di Palo, Marne Setton, Rina Oh, Greg Ferro, Jane and Michael Stern, James Oseland, Dana Bowen, Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli

December

MAGAZINE SECTION

Honors the editorial direction of a clearly branded front- or back-of-the-book department or section

New York

Adam Moss, editor-in-chief

"Strategist"

July 11, October 10 and November 28

NEWS AND DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY

Honors photojournalism and photography that documents news events or news-related subjects

Harper's Magazine

Ellen Rosenbush, editor

Stacey Clarkson, art director

"Juvenile Injustice," photographs by Richard Ross

October

PERSONAL SERVICE

Honors coverage of health care, personal relationships, parenting, career planning and personal finance

Glamour

Cynthia Leive, editor-in-chief

"The Secret That Kills Four Women a Day," by Liz Brody, editor at large

June

PHOTOGRAPHY

Honors overall excellence in magazine photography

Vogue

Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief

Grace Coddington, creative director

Raul Martinez, design director

March, October and November issues

PROFILE WRITING

Honors news or feature stories about an individual or a group of closely linked individuals

D Magazine

Tim Rogers, editor

"He is Anonymous," by Tim Rogers

April

PUBLIC INTEREST

Honors magazine journalism that illuminates issues of local or national importance

The New Yorker

David Remnick, editor

"The Invisible Army," by Sarah Stillman

June 6

REPORTING

Honors reporting excellence as exemplified by one article or a series of articles

The New Yorker

David Remnick, editor

"The Apostate," by Lawrence Wright

February 14 & 21

SINGLE-TOPIC ISSUE

Honors magazines that have devoted an issue to the comprehensive examination of one subject

New York

Adam Moss, editor-in-chief

"The Encyclopedia of 9/11"

September 5-12

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