Finalists selected for Diamond Journalism Awards

Judges have chosen the finalists for the 2018 Diamond Journalism Awards, a regional competition sponsored by the Arkansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

The awards recognize outstanding journalism by professionals and students from Arkansas and bordering media markets in Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.

The Diamond Journalist of the Year and Outstanding New Journalist, as well as the winners of the Community Service Award and Robert McCord Freedom of Information Award, will be announced at the awards banquet. Details about the event will be released at a later date.

Here is a list of finalists by category:

NEWS (daily newspapers)

Andy Davis, Lisa Hammersly and Doug Thompson, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Ryan Tarinelli and Ginny Monk, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Staff, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

POLITICS (daily newspapers)

Hunter Field, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Andrew DeMillo, The Associated Press; Staff, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

SPORTS (daily newspapers)

Bob Holt, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Brooks Kubena, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Tom Murphy, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING (daily newspapers)

Jonathan Bullington, Richard Webster, Brett Duke, Emma Scott and Haley Correll, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune; Amanda Claire Curcio and Ginny Monk, The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Lisa Hammersly, Doug Thompson, Ginny Monk and Dave Hughes, The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

FEATURE (daily newspapers)

Ted Jackson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune; Ginny Monk, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Emma Pettit, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

COMMENTARY (daily newspapers)

John Brummett, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Andrew DeMillo, The Associated Press; Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

EDITORIALS (daily newspapers)

David Barham, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

NEWS (non-daily newspapers)

Benjamin Hardy, Arkansas Nonprofit News Network; Tammy Keith, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette River Valley and Ozark Edition; Jacob Rosenberg, Arkansas Times

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING (non-daily newspapers)

Sarah Campbell-Miller, Arkansas Business

FEATURE (non-daily newspapers)

Linda Garner-Bunch, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Tammy Keith, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette River Valley and Ozark Edition; Sam Pierce, Tri-Lakes Edition, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

COMMENTARY (non-daily newspapers)

Karen Craigo, The Marshfield Mail; Tammy Keith, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette River Valley and Ozark Edition; Rick Kron, Leader Publishing

EDITORIALS (non-daily newspapers)

Rick Kron, Leader Newspapers

PHOTOGRAPHY (all print)

Staton Breidenthal, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Tommy Metthe, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

PHOTO PACKAGE/SPREAD (all print)

Mitchell Pe Masilun, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO (all print)

Staton Breidenthal, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Mitchell Pe Masilun, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Tommy Metthe, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

LEISURE INTERESTS (all print)

Sean Clancy and John Sykes Jr., Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

NEWS (radio/podcast)

Bobby Ampezzan, Arkansas Public Media; Jacqueline Froelich, Arkansas Public Media; Karen Steward, KUAR Public Radio

DOCUMENTARY/INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING (radio/podcast)

Bobby Ampezzan, Arkansas Public Media; Heidi Sohl, Red Wolf Radio; Karen Steward, KUAR Public Radio

FEATURE (radio/podcast)

Michael Hibblen, KUAR Public Radio; Ann Kenda, Arkansas Public Media; Karen Steward, KUAR Public Radio

NEWS (television)

Kevin Kelly and Matt Thibault, FOX16 News — KLRT; Rodolfo Portillo, Univision Arkansas; Mariana Rivero, Univision Arkansas

DOCUMENTARY/INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING (television)

Caitlin Sinett, KY3

SPORTS (television)

Esdras Valdez, Univision Arkansas

FEATURE (television)

Alex Caprariello, KNWA/KFTA; Seth Cleveland, ASU-TV; Kevin Kelly and Matt Thibault, FOX16 News – KLRT

MULTIMEDIA (any platform)

Kimberely Blackburn, Tucker Crain, Miranda Reynolds, Katie Woodall and Christopher Lee, Delta Digital News Service; Emma Pettit, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Staff, The Associated Press

VIDEO (any platform)

Mitchell Pe Masilun, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

SLIDESHOW (any platform)

Brandon Riddle, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

SPECIALIZED SITE (any platform)

Gavin Lesnick, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Jeannie Roberts, Gavin Lesnick and Mitchell Pe Masilun, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Staff, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

NEWS (student journalism)

Kimberely Blackburn, Delta Digital News Service; Ryan Bourgoin, The Forum – UA Little Rock; Christine Kemper, The Forum – UA Little Rock

SPORTS (student journalism)

Kolton Rutherford, The Forum – UA Little Rock

FEATURE (student journalism)

Kimberely Blackburn, Delta Digital News Service; Amber Quaid, Arkansas Tech University; Miranda Reynolds, Delta Digital News Service

OPINION (student journalism)

Amber Quaid, Arkansas Tech University

PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO (student journalism)

Amber Quaid, Arkansas Tech University