So, at the end or beginnning of each year, the news pundits predict what’s new and what’s hot for the 12 months ahead, but who then holds them to account? News prediction site Hubdub took a look at the end of 2007 / beginning of 2008 predictions made by news pundits for the year ahead. Which journalists and bloggers were right and which were wrong? And who got it most wrong and took away the illustrious prize of wooden spoon?

The winners:

Politics – Financial Times (other nominees here)

Business – Jon Markman of MSN Money (other nominees)

Technology – MG Siegler of Paris Lemon (other nominees)

Sports – Christopher Clary of IHT (other nominees)

Wooden Spoon – Mark Anderson of Strategy News Service (no nominee list but four runners-up for the category recognising those who got it most wrong: Don Reisinger of CNET, Louis Gray of LouisGray.com, Business Week and Jim Cramer in New York Magazine.)

NB, Worth a read is Anderson’s reaction to winning the Wooden Spoon award (assuming its the authentic Anderson that wrote it). Not your usual acceptance speech:

“This site is self-embarrassing. Saying that trends cancel predictions is self-serving, and rather goofy. Saying that predictions came true, but you didn’t like some aspect of them, is also silly. I’ve re-read this twice, and it seems these all did in fact come true; I stand by them today, just as I did when I made them. But I won’t be bothering reading this site any more, if your only exercise is to whine, rather than look for the accuracy of these calls.”