Ahead of National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September, Arkansas SPJ presents From Stigma to Understanding: Best Practices for Suicide Reporting, a program highlighting the importance of responsible reporting on mental health and suicide, including safe reporting guidelines and resources for journalists. The webinar will take place from 1-2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28. Click the following link to join. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82760545392
FOX16 evening anchor Kevin Kelly, who launched an anti-bullying campaign called Step-Up, Stop Bullying, will moderate the program with Jacqueline Sharp, area director for the Arkansas chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and Aneri Pattani, a senior correspondent at KFF Health News, a national nonprofit outlet covering U.S. health care and health policy.
Pattani’s reporting focuses on mental health, suicide, and substance use. She recently completed her masters in public health as a Bloomberg fellow at Johns Hopkins University, where she helped create a free online course to teach journalists how to responsibly report on suicide.
Sharp graduated from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville with a Bachelor of Science. While studying at university, Sharp said she volunteered for a mentoring program and fell in love with the nonprofit world. She has more than 12 years of nonprofit experience. She began her role with AFSP in August 2021. She said she was drawn to this work because of her own lived experience during postpartum; she has loved ones she supports who struggle, and she believes that mental health is physical health. She recently wrote a blog for Newsweek, helping to highlight her lived experience around maternal mental health.
Arkansas’ longest-running news team featured as keynote special guests
LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists recognized the best of journalism Wednesday evening during the 2024 Diamond Journalism Awards. In addition to recognizing finalists and winners across seven divisions, the event featured a special Q&A segment with Kevin Kelly and Donna Terrell of Fox 16, Arkansas’ longest-running anchor team.
The Diamond Journalism Awards, presented by AY Magazine, took place at the Ron Robinson Theater in downtown Little Rock and featured Heather Baker, AY Media Group president and publisher, as moderator and emcee of the event.
As a regional competition, the Diamond Awards drew entries from Arkansas and six bordering states. This year’s contest drew 538 entries in 82 categories, including divisions that recognize professional journalism, student journalism, and communications. SPJ members from Pennsylvania and Florida judged the competitions.
“Arkansas SPJ is proud to not only recognize impactful journalism from across the region, but to also offer an opportunity for journalists to come together to celebrate great work and hear from the longest-running anchor team in Arkansas — Kevin Kelly and Donna Terrell,” said Wendy Jordan, Diamond Awards co-chair and president of Arkansas SPJ. “We are already looking forward to planning next year’s event and look forward to seeing even more amazing journalism in the year to come.”
This year’s Diamond Awards reception was sponsored by Crafton Tull and the event’s programs were printed by TC Print. Additional event sponsors included Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Advocate, KARK Channel 4 and Fox16 News.
The following is a complete list of winners and finalists. Congratulations to all!
DIVISION 1: PRINT/ONLINE (Entries accepted from print and online-only publications)
BREAKING NEWS
Tess Vrbin, Arkansas Advocate for Walton Arts Center PRIDE dispute
WINNER: Andrew DeMillo, Adrian Sainz and Ben Finley, The Associated Press for Tornado Coverage
GENERAL NEWS
Hunter Field, Arkansas Advocate for Parole eligibility
WINNER: Chad Hunter, Cherokee Phoenix for Tribe celebrates Mankiller Barbie doll
CONTINUING COVERAGE
Tess Vrbin, Arkansas Advocate for Libraries under attack
Adrienne Johnson Martin, Brittany Brown, Andrea Morales, Jacob Steimer and Vahisha Hasan, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism for Tyre Nichols coverage
WINNER: Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for Metropolitan Housing Alliance
ENTERPRISE/IN-DEPTH REPORTING
Christian Middleton, Mississippi Free Press for The case of Harry Mitchell: A family’s struggle for justice
Maggie Heyn Richardson, 225 Magazine Baton Rouge for In the weeds
WINNER: Jacob Steimer, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism for Memphis leads the nation in bankruptcies “Clear, concise and compelling writing that takes readers down the rabbit hole exposed in the title: “Shelby County ranks No. 1 in bankruptcy. Here’s why.” About the competition: “A fantastic, diverse category rich with excellent examples of enterprising, complex, deep reporting. One of the toughest divisions I’ve personally judged over the past 10 years of journalism competitions nationwide.”
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
Daniel Connolly, Brandon Lowrey, Jon Hill, Allison Grande, Matt Fair and Emily Field, Law360 for Debt firm’s flameout a cautionary tale for consumers “Fantastic explanatory reporting here and tight writing.”
Hunter Field, Arkansas Advocate for Wandering cops “Extremely close second. If I could give two first-place awards I would. Again, clearly an issue of great public interest and lack of transparency explained in a tight, clearly written fashion”
WINNER: Hunter Field, Arkansas Advocate for Medical Board chair investigated for Medicaid fraud “Absolutely astounding work It is clear that this reporting made a difference and compelled action, and it is written in a compelling, easy-to-understand way. 10/10”
EXPLANATORY REPORTING
Bobby Ross Jr. and Audrey Jackson, The Christian Chronicle (Oklahoma City) for No Limits series
Dwain Hebda, Ya!Mule Wordsmiths published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for Sake to me
WINNER: Nuria Martinez-Keel, Oklahoma Voice for Textbook publishers withdraw from Oklahoma as fight over classroom content grows
EDITORIALS
Byron Tate, Pine Bluff Commercial
Tommy Foltz, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
WINNER: David Barham, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
COMMENTARY
Gwen Faulkenberry, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Sonny Albarado, Arkansas Advocate
WINNER: Brenda Looper, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
FEATURES
Tammy Keith, 501 Life Magazine for There’s always room at the nutcracker suite “Features can be fun, and this one hums along thanks to writer Tammy Keith’s wonderfully clean, clear storytelling.”
Aliyah Veal, Mississippi Free Press for Red And Bootjack Marker shines light on Duck Hill lynching “Writer Aliyah Veal shows a lot of heart in constructing this finely-written feature story.”
WINNER: Kelli Bozeman, Sara Essex Bradley and Hoa Vu, inRegister Magazine Baton Rouge for Portrait mode “Within this crowded category, there were about a dozen additional well-written feature stories that were in contention. Kudos! … Features writing is more vital today than ever, because this is the stuff that has the potential to inspire and spark conversations and community. We need it. Keep at it.”
PROFILES
Will Chavez, Cherokee Phoenix for Cherokee Nation citizen celebrates doing a 5K for 1,000 days in a row
Mak Millard, AY Magazine for Jimmy McGill, survivor “Sometimes the best profiles are stories about underdogs who do indeed overcome the odds stacked against them. Kudos to Mak Millard for taking great care with the twists and turns of underdog Jimmy McGill’s story. Well done.”
WINNER: Donna Ladd, Mississippi Free Press for Hodding Carter III: Hellraiser, Journalist, Mentor, 1935-2023 “The competition in this category was DEEP. It proves the point that there’s no shortage of fascinating characters to write about within Arkansas SPJ territory. Keep up the fantastic job bringing their stories to light.”
SPORTS
Dwain Hebda, Ya!Mule Wordsmiths published in Do South Magazine for Run Meredith, run!
Dwain Hebda, Ya!Mule Wordsmiths published in AMP Magazine for Pickleball
WINNER: Mark Clements, 225 Magazine Baton Rouge for The transfer portal puzzle “The transfer portal isn’t supposed to be this interesting to explain. Yet Mark Clements and his editor, Jennifer Tormo, make it so while simultaneously drilling down on LSU’s adept use of that portal. The narrative is seeded with well-designed, easy-to-digest sidebars and split into sections that make this long read fly by. Obviously, LSU football fanatics will eat this up, but the casual Saturday viewer will learn a lot, too.”
SPORTS FEATURE
Dwain Hebda, Ya!Mule Wordsmiths published in Do South Magazine for Keeping score
Micah Fletcher, Cherokee Phoenix for Stilwell Indians baseball team features Cherokee syllabary on uniforms
WINNER: Dwain Hebda, Ya!Mule Wordsmiths published in AY Magazine for Battle of the Ravine “Proving that you don’t need to write in sports jargon to cover sports, Dwain Hebda also confirms that sports reporting is about people more than plays. Once you finish this laid-back tale, you know more about both sports and people.”
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT COVERAGE
Aliyah Veal, Mississippi Free Press for Astronaut Behind The Music: Aliyah’s Veal’s Features
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for Tulsa Dylan Center
WINNER: Bobby Ross Jr., The Associated Press (Oklahoma City) for $50M shrine to honor slain priest, first US Catholic martyr “At first, the judges thought this was a news features submitted in the wrong category. Then it develops into a moving story that even quotes the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau president, an odd but intriguing juxtaposition for a murdered priest. This was a competitive category, but this won for the clear but unobtrusive writing and clean reporting.”
CRITICISM/REVIEWS
Andrew DeMillo, The Associated Press for Book reviews “Andrew DeMillo has an easy-to-read style in his book reviews, which combine the background information readers need to connect with the subject and brief commentary about whether we want to pursue the book further.”
WINNER: Benjamin Leger, 225 Magazine in Baton Rouge “Benjamin Leger clearly understands food and the dining experience, from taco stands to far more formal restaurants. His reviews are both informative and descriptive enough to help you imagine what the dishes taste and smell like.”
EDUCATION
Greg Geary, The Daily Citizen
Ellen Kreth and Jamie Smith, The Madison County Record for Parents fired up kiln not installed “Kreth demonstrates a strong range, covering a mix of breaking news and explaining complex topics happening in the local education scene for readers.”
Antoinette Grajeda, Arkansas Advocate for Arkansas education overhaul “An incredibly well-sourced and thorough series that incorporates storytelling components, including interactive maps and graphs, to tell the state’s major education story of the year.”
POLITICS
Hunter Field, Arkansas Advocate for Arkansas Corrections Board dispute
Andrew DeMillo, The Associated Press for 2023 Political Coverage
WINNER: Neal Earley, Dale Ellis and Michael Wickline, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for Attack on Open Records Law “This series of stories covered bills that would erode away at the state’s public records laws. It’s an important issue and the newspaper knew it. The stories are fair to both sides and are in-depth. Well-reported. Easy to read. I’m glad the newspaper devoted the resources to follow the issue. It’s valuable watchdog reporting at the Legislature and looks critically at what lawmakers are doing and why they are doing it — an important public service to your readers. Congratulations.”
SPECIAL SECTION/NICHE PUBLICATION
Jennifer Ellis and Staff, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for Real Weddings in Arkansas
Jennifer Ellis and Staff, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for Diamond Roundup
WINNER: Jennifer Ellis and Staff, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for Downtown Little Rock Magazine “Little Rock Downtown serves as a perfect guide to the district with colorful profiles and business spotlights. It’s a beautiful example of service journalism ready to support both visitors and longtime residents in navigating the district.”
DIVISION 2: TELEVISION (Entries accepted from broadcast and cable TV outlets or other video outlets)
BREAKING NEWS
WINNER: Gary Burton, Jr, Stephen Goodale, Bob Clausen and Laura Monteverdi, KARK 4 News Little Rock for March 31st Tornado “This video shows true superior reporting in a breaking news event of a catastrophic tornado affecting an Arkansas community. Though rather raw in one aspect, it doesn’t matter because it was about the immediacy of this reporting. The urgency was finding the people who were affected, finding out how they were individually affected, and allowing the residents to tell the story and express their emotions and then reporting it. … The photojournalism along with the reporting is superior with intimate interviews of residents and their stories as well as outstanding B-roll damage video footage from the tornado. … Great work!”
CONTINUING COVERAGE
Staff of WVLT Knoxville for Deputy Tucker Blakey
WINNER: Staff of KARK 4 News Little Rock for Beyond March 31st: Stories of Resilience “The news cycle can be fast and fleeting, And as journalists/newsrooms we are always looking for the next story on the horizon. This is why taking the time to invest in continuing coverage is so important and personal when staying connected to the community they serve. This entries showed a variety of stories beyond the horrific tornado event and checked in with the community residents and their progress and recovery. It was a great example of suburb local news reporting. Bravo!”
EXPLANATORY REPORTING
Ben Cathey and Will Puckett, WVLT Knoxville for From doom to boom | Hope flows in East Tennessee
Breandan Conyers and Sarah Horbacewicz, KTHV Little Rock for Aging Water System Threatens Helena West Helena “Nice work in shedding light on a topic that was covered by national news outlets. Great photojournalism with interviews of water officials and water officials and showing water instrumentation. Very nice breakouts with great stats and information about the rural issues behind clear water and accessibility. Definitely brought the wide-angle view of this issue to a large frame of examination in this local reporting. This report definitely shows how the quality of life could be affected if actions are not taken to improve aging water systems.”
WINNER: Caitrin Assafand Stephen Goodale, KARK 4 News for From Bet to Bust: Long-promised Pope County casino still not in the cards “This explanatory report checked all the boxes that made great explanatory journalism from providing information to elevate the viewers’ understanding of the casino issue to creatively explaining the past process of this expectant casino’s arrival and how it never has developed in this county. The nuance of the report was outstanding with … B-roll to keep your audience interested but it also lead them through a complicated and twisted set of circumstances that has resulted in a casino never being built or developed in Pope County. … It also shed light on both sides of the issue and how it affects the everyday people no matter if they were for or against it. Incredible work!”
INVESTIGATIVE
Laura Monteverdi and LV Randall, KARK for School of Law
Laura Monteverdi, KARK for False Hope
WINNER: Chad Mira, Brad Horn and Ethan Sam, KNWA News Fayetteville for Medical board chairs alleged fraud scheme “Great in-depth reporting, data, video and comments support this story well.” About the competition: Some very good work. Medical Board Chairs Alleged Fraud and False Hope were outstanding.”
NEWS FEATURE
Skot Covert, THV11 for Bucket List Item #68 “I absolutely loved this story. It’s the perfect example of the “story behind the story.” The writing was great, very moving. I was in tears at the end. You have an amazing delivery with your track. Well done.”
Donna Terrell, KLRT-TV Little Rock for I-30 Saved My Life “I enjoyed how you wrote this story—the build-up to the crash and then the cancer diagnosis. This moved me to tears. Great job with the storytelling.”
WINNER: Kevin Kelly, KLRT – FOX 16 News for Polishing History “The writing in this piece is so descriptive, clever, and fun. You made a story about cleaning doors so enjoyable to watch and appreciate. The live intro into your package when you stared into the door for your reflection was a really nice touch.”
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Casey Wheeless and Harry Sullivan, WVLT Knoxville for Mornings On The Move
Tylisa Hampton and John Matthews, FOX16 NEWS/ KLRT for A gift that never ages: A 106-year-old cellist shares special musical bond with 11-year-old
WINNER: Skot Covert, Kelly Tibbit and Zach Keast, THV11 for Eat It Up!
CRIME/JUSTICE
Bob Clausen and Stephen Goodale, KARK4 News for Cold Case: Sandra Williams
Kevin Kelly and Julian Jones, KLRT – FOX 16 News for Operation “Xtended Stay”
WINNER: Ashlei King, KLRT – FOX16 for Case Closed? “This was great storytelling with a powerful setup.”
PROFILES
Ashlei King and Cole Clevenger, KLRT – FOX16 for Voice of Soul Train
Tylisa Hampton and Julian Jones, FOX16 NEWS/ KLRT for ‘It was scary,’ Arkansas woman shares journey of being in foster care system & aging out of it
WINNER: Anna Darling, KNWA/FOX24 Fayetteville for New Fort Smith rodeo pageant fosters diversity in horseback riding
EDUCATION
Kevin Kelly and Stephen Goodale, KLRT Little Rock for A Seminary Graduation “Powerful story of hope and redemption. Excellent sound bites, writing and supporting video.”
Tylisa Hampton and Julian Jones, FOX16 NEWS/ KLRT / KARK-TV for Schooling Arkansas: The Education Challenge “Strong and professional writing and intro and outro. Excellent story development and structure.”
WINNER: Jessica Ranck, Stephen Goodale, Kian McMahan and Bob Clausen, KARK4 News for Academic Intervention “Strong reporting and news writing. Story structure and sound bites add professional context to product. Excellent video work.”
POLITICS
WINNER: Anna Darling, KNWA/FOX24 Fayetteville “Anna Darling’s report is outstanding in reporting the PACT Act for the U.S. veterans in Arkansas. She sought out three great sources, including a veteran dealing with the consequences of being exposed to toxic waste while in the military and also a VA representative an advocate who is working with Arkansas veterans to meet deadlines and gain more information. … Darling also provides the history of the PACT Act and its presidential and Congressional paths. … It was an impressive report covering important factors for local veterans in her coverage area. Superior work!”
WEATHER
Anna Darling, KNWA/FOX24 Fayetteville for Looking back four years after the 2019 Fort Smith flood
WINNER: Skot Covert, THV11 for Busting Tornado Myths “This report was splendid in that it wasn’t just a look back after a tornado that hit 90 days ago but a report that reflected on how the meteorologists themselves can focus on the research to help save lives in the future. Another way this report was beneficial to its audience was laying out common myths surrounding where and why tornados go and act in a certain way and dispelling those myths. Awesome way to educate the public! Outstanding graphics were shown on how this March 31, 2023 tornado’s trailed through the city of Little Rock and debunking all the myths a meteorologist spoke about in this report. Great video editing. Great graphics. Great script writing. …”
SPORTS STORY
WINNER: Anna Darling and Lauren Motley, KNWA/FOX24 Fayetteville for Lucy Byrd Mock: The woman who brought golf to NWA “A well-reported story of women’s history in Arkansas and a good connection between a young South African making her own history and a pioneer who helped grow the sport in her state.“
NEWSCAST
WINNER: Neale Zeringue, Carmen Rose, Donna Terrell, Kevin Kelly, Kimberely Blackburn and Ronni Romero, KLRT Fox16 in Little Rock for “The Spirit of Arkansas” “Great Producing, Storytelling, and videography. Definitely Award-worthy.”
DIVISION 3: RADIO/AUDIO (Entries accepted from broadcast radio, podcasts and other outlets producing audio)
BREAKING NEWS
WINNER: Daniel Breen, Josie Lenora, Little Rock Public Radio for Coverage of March 31, 2023 Arkansas tornado outbreak “Clear, comprehensive and compelling coverage. You served your listeners well, in the wake of deadly tornado damage. Well done!”
GENERAL NEWS
Josie Lenora, Little Rock Public Radio with For much of Arkansas, earthquake threat looms large
WINNER: Josie Lenora, Little Rock Public Radio for Librarians fight book challenges in central Arkansas counties “Excellent use of sound to convey the many facets of this very current issue, with a well-written script to weave the story together. Well done!”
ONGOING COVERAGE
Josie Lenora and Daniel Breen, Little Rock Public Radio for Efforts continue to get an Arkansas LEARNS repeal on the ballot
WINNER: Josie Lenora, Little Rock Public Radio for Rural Arkansas ‘crypto mines’ prompt noise complaints from residents “Fantastic job breaking down and explaining an abstract issue (crypto mining) and the real issues (noise, energy use) it’s causing in communities. Excellent work, especially tracking down an impacted resident and droning nat sound of the mines in operation.”
ENTERPRISE/EXPLANATORY REPORTING
Tony Holt and Kyle McDaniel, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for The Devil of Pope County | Episode 5: A neutralizing maneuver
Josie Lenora, Little Rock Public Radio for A look inside the evolution of an Arkansas FOIA bill
WINNER: Josie Lenora, Little Rock Public Radio for School choice detractors, advocates come to head over Arkansas education bill “Excellent job at taking listening through a complex topic step-by-step–exactly what explanatory reporting should do. A skillfully-reported story, with all the sources shining different lights of perspective on the topic at hand.”
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
WINNER: Josie Lenora, Little Rock Public Radio for Crawford County officials, residents debate LGBTQ books in library children’s section “Josie Lenora’s piece exemplifies everything this category stands for, and more: ‘For reporting that demonstrates initiative, persistence and resourcefulness in pursuing information that is restricted, hidden or not readily available and is of public interest and significance.’ Her dedication, research and tenacity in pursing this story–about one community’s handling of LGBTQ books in its public library–demonstrates Lenora’s abilities as a skilled journalist.”
FEATURES
Josie Lenora, Little Rock Public Radio for Fired central Arkansas library director reflects on her termination
WINNER: Maggie Ryan, Little Rock Public Radio for Activists push to remember lynching victims in Arkansas “Excellent interweaving of narration and sound to create a moving community story, shining a light on a nearly-forgotten victim of racial terror in Arkansas nearly 100 years ago.”
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Paul Ladd, World Christian Broadcasting’s New Life station & worldchristian.org in Nashville, Tenn. for Spanish American Art at the Frist
Paul Ladd, World Christian Broadcasting’s New Life station & worldchristian.org in Nashville, Tenn. for Jeffrey Gibson: Electric!
WINNER: Josie Lenora, Little Rock Public Radio for Maureen Corrigan on “Fresh Air,” banned books and the art of criticism “An intelligent and fun piece that provides glimpses into the life of Fresh Air’s book critic.”
EDUCATION
Josie Lenora, Little Rock Public Radio for Arkansas LEARNS: where are we now?
Maggie Ryan, Little Rock Public Radio for UAPB professor responds to claims of state underfunding
WINNER: Josie Lenora, Little Rock Public Radio for Questions continue over Arkansas teacher pay “A solid story that weaves many viewpoints together for a holistic look at the state’s new school voucher program – and the confusion surrounding its implementation. Well done.” About the competition: “Kudos to all entrants for tackling the tough issues within education today.”
POLITICS
Alex Thomas and Nick Popowitch, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for Arkies in the Beltway
Josie Lenora, NPR for Despite threats, no state has an active law banning drag in front of kids
WINNER: Josie Lenora, NPR for Arkansas drops AP African American Studies course “Everything is political today – even an AP history class. Kudos to reporter Josie Lenora for covering this story with clarity.”
DIVISION 4: SPECIAL TOPICS – ALL MEDIA (Entries accepted from any medium)
HEALTH
Tess Vrbin, Arkansas Advocate for a wide range of maternal, reproductive legislation
Ashton Pittman and Heather Harrison, Mississippi Free Press for Reproductive health in Mississippi post Dobbs
WINNER: Tess Vrbin and Antoinette Grajeda, Arkansas Advocate for A year without abortion in Arkansas
ENVIRONMENT/SCIENCE
Skot Covert, Lauren Johnston and Bre Conyers of THV11 for 3,000 Barrels “An excellent piece that carefully chronicles the toll of 10 years of environmental harm upon a community following the rupture of an oil pipeline.”
Ben Cathey, WVLT Knoxville for Science & The Smokies “A fascinating series that focuses on three specific species under threat. Excellent blend of storytelling, interviews, graphics and breath-taking photography.”
WINNER: Donna Ladd, Mississippi Free Press for One lake or no lake? Debate over Pearl River flooding options causes unlikely allies, opponents “Meticulously-researched, compelling storytelling that breaks down a complex environmental issue. Excellent environmental reporting at its best.” About the competition: “Kudos to all journalists who entered this extremely deep category. Your pieces were well-reported and researched. Keep up the very important, much-needed task of environmental journalism.”
RELIGION
Aprille Spivey, Arkansas Catholic portfolio
Laura Monteverdi and Stephen Goodale, KARK4 News for Ambassadors for Christ in prison
WINNER: Bob Ross, Jr., The Associated Press, The Christian Chronicle and Religion Unplugged (Oklahoma City) “Bob Ross, Jr.… brings the nuance, complexity and context so overwhelmingly necessary for today’s journalists to cover religion news. … Ross is able to bring the explanatory aspect of journalism into his work by breaking down definitions and historical aspects, as well as rituals for his readers when reporting on a religion(s). … He allows the people in his articles to speak and define their religion for themselves and does not place himself as an authority of how a faith should be represented. …”
BUSINESS
WINNER: Heather Harrison, Mississippi Free Press for Medical Cannabis Industry Faces Growing Pains in Mississippi
DIVISION 5: VISUAL JOURNALISM & DESIGN (Entries accepted from any medium)
BREAKING NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY
Stephen Swofford, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for High School Cross Country
WINNER: Staci Vandagriff and Stephen Swofford, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for Tornado Coverage “Although Staci and Stephen’s entries were submitted separately, the judge determined that both Staci Vadagriff and Stephen Swofford were the winners of Breaking News Photography for their coverage of the Little Rock tornado. “…From individual photos of rescues by firefighters, providing enormous views of the overall damage, the heroic efforts of regular citizens, the touching humanity of emergency workers hugging each other as they search for survivors are what makes these photojournalists the winners for this coveted award. Absolutely phenomenal work! The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has some very talented photojournalists!”
GENERAL NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY
Colin Murphey, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for Cleaning up the damage
Thomas Metthe, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for Memorial Day
WINNER: Shaunicy Muhammad, Mississippi Free Press for Human error caused Hinds County election day ballot shortages, commissioners say “This photojournalist took the shot from the county commissioners’ view into the audience they are looking at and what they saw was a very skeptical group of people that this journalist captured in excellent visual form for this newsworthy photograph. It is always hard to photograph meetings because the photographs taken are so similar. This photograph was the exception. Thanks for giving us the example to move out of our comfort zone and move around our subjects and find new angles.”
FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY
Jenn Terrell, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for How college in prison is changing lives
Colin Murphey, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for Trail of Lights
WINNER: Andrea Morales, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism for Community lost: Binghampton residents forced out as home flipper moves in
PHOTO SPREAD/ESSAY
Staci Vandagriff, Stephen Swofford and Colin Murphey, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for March 31 Tornado
Collin Richie, 225 Magazine in Baton Rouge for Seafood Lover’s Guide
WINNER: Andrea Morales, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism for In Pearson’s return, Memphis finds its place in Nashville
GRAPHICS/ILLUSTRATIONS
Carrie Hill, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Melinda Gonzalez Galjour, 225 Magazine in Baton Rouge for Keep calm and game-day on
WINNER: William Pittman, Mississippi Free Press for State has wrong or missing addresses for 92 voting precincts, MFP investigation finds “Easy to understand and effective design from the MFP.”
FRONT PAGE DESIGN-NEWSPAPERS
Heather Kersten, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
WINNER: Mark Dreadfulwater, Cherokee Phoenix
COVER DESIGN-MAGAZINES
Jenna Kelley, AY Magazine for The Grumpy Rabbit
Jenna Kelley, AY Magazine for Barry Thomas, artist profile
WINNER: Melinda Galjour, Collin Richie and Hoa Vu, 225 Magazine in Baton Rouge “About the competition: “I’m a sucker for excellent photography, even over the best drawing, and you can see how meticulous 225 Magazine staff were in thinking about this cover design and how to execute it.”
WEB DESIGN
Josh Snyder, Aidian Holder, Alyson Hoge and Allison Shirk, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for LEARNS Guide
WINNER: Cherokee Phoenix
DIVISION 6: COMMUNICATIONS (Entries accepted from marketing and PR firms and corporate communications teams)
PRESS RELEASE WRITING
WINNER: Angelita Faller, University of Arkansas at Little Rock for UA Little Rock and Jacksonville North Pulaski School District partner on innovative new teacher residency program
FEATURE WRITING
Aprille Spivey, Arkansas Children’s Health System for Basketball and an AED: How Arkansas Children’s saved J.T. Taylor Jr.’s life
Rebecca McGraw and Lori Lemley, Our Heritage for Customer spotlight: Arkansas crop technologies/sweetgum flower
WINNER: Aprille Spivey, Arkansas Children’s Health System for Furry friends give hope to Arkansas Children’s patients through T.A.I.L.S. program “Appreciated the different perspectives in the story – it wasn’t just about the patients but also the dogs, their handlers and even the medical staff. Excellent quotes and overall descriptive narrative that properly showed the benefits of the program from all sides.”
PHOTOGRAPHY
Wendy Jordan, Crafton Tull for 60th Anniversary Volunteer Week
Wendy Jordan, Crafton Tull for The Best View on the Playground
WINNER: Brittany Goff, Crafton Tull for Hot Springs office cools off with Loblolly “Splendid photograph to be used by a business! It is crisp and clean and colorful. The cone, hand and company name is strategically placed to promote this food truck delight.” “ … Making this photo a vertical image only makes the photo more impactful, working the eyes up through the hand and the cone. Gorgeous photo! Now, where can I find this food truck? Great work!”
CAMPAIGN
WINNER: Crafton Tull Marketing Team for P.E. Week 2023 Social Media Campaign “In awards categories such as these, too often the entries try too hard. Concepts are packed into too little space. Here, simple is interesting. It takes only a moment to understand and appreciate what’s going on. More of this would be better for everyone.”
NEWSLETTER
WINNER: Angelita Faller, University of Arkansas at Little Rock “In an effort to be brief, too many newsletters are vague. There’s not enough detail to encourage a click-through. Not so here. Obviously, great thought went into every description, and every word tells.”
DIVISION 7: STUDENT JOURNALISM – ALL MEDIA (Announced by Heather)
STUDENT-SPECIAL PROJECTS
Metia Carroll, Haylee Kennedy, Erin Rogers and Ella Wales, LSU Tiger TV for Food Insecurity series
WINNER: Chase Hartsell, Ouachita Baptist University for Hidden heroes: An Arkansas sports anthology “Exhaustive research on an overlooked topic. Extremely interesting, and I’m not a sports fan.”
STUDENT-BREAKING NEWS
WINNER: Erin Rogers and Miguel Paredes Reye, LSU Tiger TV for Defense Attorneys in Madison Brooks Case Speak Out
STUDENT-GENERAL NEWS
Jacob Mathews, The Reveille/LSUReveille.com for LSU Student Senate’s open meetings compliance is a work in progress
Caroline Averitt, ASU The Herald for A-State students impacted by tornadoes that swept the state
WINNER: Rachel Rudd, ASU The Herald for How the nationwide Adderall shortage affects A-State students
STUDENT-FEATURES
Colin Falcon, The Reveille/LSUReveille.com for Man-in-the-quad: How an LSU student is going viral on TikTok
Haylee Kennedy, LSU Tiger TV, for Hives for Heroes
WINNER: Cross Harris, The Reveille/LSUReveille.com for A departed father’s final trip to New Orleans: ‘He always loved the city’ “A beautiful feature about love and loss with colorful writing and detailed storytelling.”
STUDENT-SPORTS
Caroline Averitt, ASU The Herald for There is not a moment to spare when it comes to bowling
Adam Guttuso, LSU Tiger TV for Dream purple, win gold
WINNER: Chloe Richmond, The Reveille/LSUReveille.com for ‘I really just wanted to graduate and go’: The story of Kylie DeBerg’s six-year career
STUDENT-EDITORIALS
Elijah Templeton and Caroline Averitt, ASU The Herald
WINNER: The Reveille Editorial Board
STUDENT-COMMENTARY
Frank Kidd, The Reveille/LSUReveille.com
Lauren Madden, The Reveille/LSUReveille.com
WINNER: Matthew Pellittieri, The Reveille/LSUReveille.com
STUDENT-ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT REPORTING
Alison Agena and Garrett McEntee, The Reveille/LSUReveille.com
Jerry Don Burton and Caroline Averitt, ASU The Herald
WINNER: Lyla McGuire, Olivia Tomlinson and John Buzbee, The Reveille/LSUReveille.com
STUDENT-CRITICISM/REVIEWS
WINNER: Rebecca Robinson, Caroline Averitt, ASU The Herald
STUDENT-BUSINESS
Avery Jones, Delta Digital News Service for Area bookstore owners provide tailored service despite Barnes & Noble imminent return
WINNER: Colin Falcon, The Reveille/LSUReveille.com for LSU Natural Science Museum hosts third largest university-based bird collection with over 500 birds
STUDENT-EDUCATION
Caroline Averitt, Delta Digital News Service for Valley View School Board discusses new state legislation impact
WINNER: Emily Bracher, The Reveille/LSUReveille.com for ‘A forced forgetting’: How a Republican culture war could shape Louisiana education
STUDENT-NEWS PHOTO
WINNER: Rachel Rudd, ASU The Herald for Young Democrats and Gender and Sexuality Alliance host on-campus drag show
STUDENT-FEATURE PHOTO
WINNER: Shelby Russom, ASU The Herald for Hispanic heritage at A-State
STUDENT-PHOTO SPREAD/ESSAY
Ibuki Hinohara, Delta Digital News Service for Red Wolves dominate NIU Huskies for a 75-62 win
Atsuki Ohbuchi, Delta Digital News Service for Red Wolves fall to OSU Cowgirls 0-1
WINNER: Atsuki Ohbuchi, Delta Digital News Service for Red Wolves beat Texas State 77-31
Board-Selected Awards
Diamond Educator: Drew Brent, the broadcast instructor at Russellville High School A few years ago, Drew Brent, a broadcast instructor at Russellville High School, spoke at Arkansas SPJ’s Get the Scoop traveling ice cream social at Arkansas Tech University when he was a reporter at the Courier. He helped launch a broadcast-media program at Russellville High School two years ago. Arkansas SPJ board members have watched him post about the wonderful real-world opportunities he has provided his students to connect with media professionals while practicing their craft. In particular, this spring, Cyclone Broadcasting had a whirlwind month of real-world experience and new connections as he took his team to tour THV11 and gain valuable insight from management and anchor Karen Fuller, meteorologist Skot Covert, Jurnee Taylor, and Wake Up Central host Hayden Balgaavy. Drew’s broadcasting students job-shadowed NASA scientists and media relations personnel over two days during eclipse events in Russellville, including conducting exclusive interviews with the team and overseeing a live NASA TV broadcast. Cyclone Broadcasting also visited Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville and worked alongside SEC Network personnel and Razorback Sports Network producers during a live SEC Network broadcast of Arkansas Razorback softball. In addition to all of this, the program at Russellville is also set to begin a new Cyclone Broadcasting Media Mentorship program pairing students and media professionals for regular, one-on-one interactions to help improve and encourage students. For his excellence in providing these valuable experiences for his students, Arkansas SPJ awards Drew Brent our inaugural Diamond Educator award and given a $250 grant.
Diamond in the Rough Award: Mary Stratton of Russellville High School In a letter, Drew told the Arkansas SPJ board, “Mary has shown exemplary leadership skills in our first two years as a program, guiding Cyclone Broadcasting to its first major state award, gold status in live multicam production for her live coverage of the Russellville Christmas parade last year. That show garnered nearly 17,000 views, the most in the parade’s history. She was recognized by our local newspaper for her groundbreaking sit-down interview with Russellville Mayor Fred Teague, discussing the economic impact of the forthcoming casino project, and has served as the executive producer of all of Cyclone Broadcasting’s newscasts. “Beyond her achievement in the classroom, Mary has already garnered statewide attention for her work as an intern with Scorebook Live. Nate Olsen, the managing editor of Scorebook Live, former contributor to several state publications, on-air talent for 103.7 The Buzz and THV 11 said of Mary, “Mary is one of the more responsible and dependable high school students you’ll encounter. We asked her to tag social media posts in two markets and she performed the task for us with dependability and acute attention to detail for the entire school year. It is a very important task for the marketing of our company, and she did it very well. “Additionally, Mary completed an internship with EAB Radio in Russellville, earning high praise from management for her graphics work and copy that she wrote that later made it to air. Moreover, she has job shadowed with THV11, KAIT8 in Jonesboro, collaborated with NASA TV during the eclipse, all while serving her community through the Crown Club, student council, the RHS Dance team, and as an instructor at a local dance studio for younger students. “At only 17, Mary Stratton is not a rising star in this business, she is a bona fide star. Her opportunities are endless because of her fierce work ethic, determination to be the best, and journalistic integrity. She has already proven herself to be an outstanding representative for any organization that she represents, and I would argue that there is no greater ambassador for the Society of Professional Journalists moving forward.”
Arkansas SPJ awarded the Diamond in the Rough a $250 grant to support journalism’s future.
Valiant Effort for Transparency Award: To the leaders of the Arkansas Citizens for Transparency For their efforts to protect the people’s right to know and enshrine the Freedom of Information in the state constitution, Arkansas SPJ presents a special Valiant Effort for Transparency Award to the leaders of the Arkansas Citizens for Transparency, Arkansas Press Association and Ballot Question Committee (Clarke Tucker, Nate Bell, David Couch, Jen Standerfer, Roberts Steinbuch, John Tull and Ashley Wimberley). Although the campaign, which collected 119,480 signatures in support of the 2024 Arkansas Government Disclosure Act and Amendment, fell short this election cycle, it did help raise awareness of the importance of the FOIA, and the group has vowed to make a second effort in 2026. Arkansas SPJ thanks ACT and all the volunteers who worked on the campaign for their efforts and presents a check for $1,000 to help with any expenses the campaign incurred or to help kick off the 2026 campaign.
CRAFT ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
OUTSTANDING NEWS ANCHOR
Kevin Kelly, KLRT
Caitrin Assaf, KARK 4 News
WINNER: Casey Wheeless, WVLT Knoxville
“Great anchors are versatile, and Wheeless is comfortable and professional in front of the camera as well as in front of an interview subject.”
OUTSTANDING METEOROLOGIST
Ben Cathey, WVLT Knoxville
Skot Covert, THV11
WINNER: Carmen Rose, KLRT Little Rock
“Carmen Rose has an outstanding professional presence and sparkling personality … she presents a superior perception of the weather in Arkansas, and she does it with respect and dignity by giving her audience up-to-date weather conditions, including where storms may be going and the possible impact when they may arrive. … Rose’s forecasts are presented in a confident way to ensure her audience is getting …accurate data, but she also takes a different path… of forecasting by bringing in fun, seasonal or educational graphics to enhance her forecasts … Rose is definitely community-engaged with her visits to sporting events and airports. ….”
OUTSTANDING TV NEWS WRITER
Cassandra Webb, KATV
Tylisa Hampton, FOX16 NEWS/ KARK-TV
WINNER: Caitrin Assaf, KARK 4 News “Caitrin Assaf does a fine job connecting her words to both the photography and the story in a fine category. Kudos also to her for making a variety of stories compelling.”About the competition: “Applause to all the participants in a high-quality category.”
OUTSTANDING TV EDITOR
Aimee Fowler, WVLT News
WINNER: Stephen Goodale, KARK4/FOX16 News “The best editing accompanies the stories with the least compelling B roll. That’s just the reality of it. Here, Stephen uses all the tricks to keep the story moving but does so without calling attention to them. The best editing is invisible but crucial, and that’s what happens here.”
OUTSTANDING TV PHOTOGRAPHER
WINNER: Stephen Goodale, KARK4 News
SPECIAL AWARDS
CHARLOTTE TILLAR SCHEXNAYDER PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD – For journalism that seeks to benefit society through extensive coverage of an issue facing a community, state or region. Awarded in honor of the late Charlotte Schexnayder, journalist, small-town newspaper publisher and Arkansas legislator.
Ashton Pittman, William Pittman, Shaunicy Muhammad, Mississippi Free Press for Trusted Elections: From Problems to Solutions
WINNER: Frank Lockwood, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for Lockwood Immanuel Baptist “Everything about this entry was magnificent. The writing, the research, the public records and the push for accountability. Bravo.” About the competition: “The entries were absolutely top-notch and focused on some of the most important public transparency issues in America today.”
ROBERT S. MCCORD FOI AWARD – For coverage that focuses on the public’s right to know and carries on the legacy of the late Robert McCord, a former national SPJ president who is considered the father of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
Cynthia Howell, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Neal Earley, Michael Wickline, Josh Snyder, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette “I loved this story because $19K might seem like a drop in the bucket in a state budget, but it’s a red flag for a freshman governor. Great work for public transparency.”
WINNER: Hunter Field, Arkansas Advocate for Wandering cops “One of my favorite reads in this contest. Brilliant. Comprehensive. Cleanly written. Brings the point home. 10/10”
STUDENT JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – For journalistic excellence demonstrated by an individual enrolled in an institution of higher learning.
WINNER: Chase Hartsell, Ouachita Baptist University
EMERGING JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – For journalistic excellence demonstrated by an individual who has worked fewer than five years in journalism.
Sarah Horbacewicz, KTHV (North Little Rock)
Torsheta Jackson, Mississippi Free Press
WINNER: Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette “I loved everything about this submission. The writing was clean, showed enterprise and initiative. Fantastic.”
DIAMOND JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – For reporting excellence by a journalist in any medium over the preceding year.
Bobby Ross Jr., The Associated Press, The Christian Chronicle and Religion Unplugged (Oklahoma City)
Bill Bowden, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
WINNER: DWAIN HEBDA, Ya!Mule Wordsmiths
“Consistently the best writing across the entries.”
Arkansas SPJ’s Board of Directors has a single candidate to fill each of the 11 positions for election in the 2024-25 term; however, write-in nominations are allowed.
Voting will occur online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZS5M5NT through 9 p.m. Sunday, July 21. Only current national dues-paying members of SPJ who have selected to be members of the Arkansas Pro Chapter (the chapter does not charge additional dues) may vote.
The new board will be announced at the Diamond Journalism Awards on July 24.
The candidates are as follows.
President: Wendy Miller, a freelancer and marketing manager for Crafton Tull
Vice President: Kevin Kelly, evening Anchor for FOX 16 News at 5:30, 6:30 and 9 p.m.
Treasurer: Rob Moritz teaches journalism at the University of Central Arkansas
Secretary: Sarah Campbell-Miller, senior online editor at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Board members:
Jennifer Ellis, SPJ’s Region 12 coordinator and Creative Services Managing Editor at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Sonny Albarado, a SPJ national foundation board member, a past SPJ national president and the editor-in-chief of the online news site Arkansas Advocate, part of the States Newsroom network
Andrew DeMillo, the Arkansas Capitol Correspondent for The Associated Press
Steve Listopad, a former journalism professor and a Mitigation Specialist on capitol murder cases for the Arkansas Public Defender Commission
Rhondaja Howard, multimedia journalist at KAIT Region 8 in Jonesboro
Jeanette Stewart, Editor of the daily Log Cabin Democrat and the weekly Van Buren County Democrat
Caitrin Assaf, news Anchor at noon and 4 p.m. at KARK 4
Faith became a journalist after witnessing the damage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. After seeing the events unfold on television, she realized how important storytelling was for those in need and vowed to do the same for her own community.
THV11 News Anchor Faith Woodard
Faith attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. where she received her bachelor’s degree in English, and worked at her campus news station covering many notable events.
But beyond shooting the news, Faith can also shoot the basketball. She was a four year starter and captain on the Georgetown Women’s Basketball Team, a Parade-All American and McDonald’s All-American nominee in high school, and a two-time state champion track runner in high school.
She is also a graduate of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Faith received her Master’s degree and received honors in multiple courses at Columbia. She was also president of the Association of Black Journalists. While still in school, Faith was a sideline reporter for SportsNet New York, as well as the Big East Digital Network.
After graduating from Columbia, Faith worked as an Anchor and Reporter at WBOC-TV in Salisbury, Maryland. While there, she covered breaking news, the government shutdown, tornados that devastated her local community, NASA launches, offshore-drilling, the opioid crisis, and political scandals.
From there, Faith worked as an Evening Anchor at CBS4 in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Here, she covered breaking news and immigration heavily. This included presidential, gubernatorial and congressional visits to the U.S. and Mexico border. Faith has a heavy background in Tile 42 and the Migrant Protection Protocols program. She also covered the Texas winter freeze, and the Uvalde mass shooting.
Faith is the proud daughter of Sterlin and Lora Woodard. In her spare time, Faith enjoys spending time with family, shopping, reading, going to the beach, or listening to her favorite musical artist, Stevie Wonder.
Brandon Tabor, the on-air host for the “Morning Edition” at KASU-FM, has been named news director, announced Mark Smith, station manager. The National Public Radio (NPR) member station is licensed to Arkansas State University (A-State). Tabor earned his Bachelor of Arts (BA) in mass media degree from Henderson State University and his Master of Science in Mass Communications (MSMC) from A-State. While in the master’s program, Tabor joined the Arkansas State Association of Black Journalists.
He also was among the team of volunteers who helped launch the low-power FM community station KLEK, where he continues to volunteer. During his time at KASU, Tabor led the station’s conversion to a new content management system, which enhanced the design and functionality of the station’s website. KASU was among the first stations to adopt the new system, and his work on the station’s website has been used as a model for other NPR member stations using the same system.
Tabor has also received a first-place award from the Associated Press for his work on a sports feature, and he continues to produce relevant and engaging news content for the station. Two of his reports following the recent tornado in Wynne have been shared nationwide on NPR newscasts. Tabor joined the KASU staff in November 2015 as a content producer and an on-air co-host for the 5-9 a.m. “Morning Edition” shift. Tabor is a native of Wynne, but he has lived in Jonesboro since 2008, where he now makes his home with his wife, Allie. During his undergraduate studies at Henderson State University, Tabor worked for KSWH-LP FM and Henderson TV. He was also a member of the Henderson marching band.
Brandon Tabor News Director | KASU Public Radio 91.9 FM Arkansas State Universitym: 870.627.3280 p: 870.972.2701 i: 870.972.3812 PO Box 1930 State University, AR 72467
Black History Month Spotlight: Pine Bluff Commercial Senior Reporter I.C. Murrell
I.C. Murrell/The Pine Bluff Commercial
I.C. Murrell (“mer-ELL”) began his fourth year as senior reporter and eighth year overall at The Commercial in January 2024. The Dollarway High School graduate is serving his second stint at his hometown newspaper, after working as sports editor from 2011-15.
Murrell is a 10-time winner of first-place awards in statewide and company-wide journalism contests. In 2023, he won first-place awards from the Arkansas Press Association for Best Picture Page/Photo Essay among smaller dailies and Best Coverage of Education among all dailies.
While Murrell covers a wide variety of topics at the Commercial, education has moved to the forefront of his topics of interest. His mother Diane was a longtime home economics teacher and administrator, and he honors her memory by keeping readers informed on the latest developments impacting public schools and higher-learning institutions in Jefferson County.
That is not to say his background as a sports reporter is no longer of importance to him. He still hustles to sports venues and keeps readers connected to their local teams while documenting action with his camera.
Murrell has previously been honored with induction into the University of Arkansas at Monticello African American Alumni Elite hall of fame in 2021. His work has also earned him recognition from the Texas Association of School Boards and the Press Club of Southeast Texas, among other organizations.
He has been a professional reporter since 2000 and a daily newspaper reporter since 2003. He holds membership in the Central Arkansas Association of Black Journalists.
He holds associate and baccalaureate degrees from UAM.
Little Rock, Ark. –Imagine you’re sitting at your desk or workstation in your newsroom.
You’re writing a story on deadline, concentrating on the monitor in front of you, when you hear a commotion out in the hallway.
At first you aren’t sure what the loud voices are saying. You try and tune out the boisterous conversation, and start to re-read your last sentence when suddenly a sharp crack – BANG – sounds in the hallway.
There’s a wail, then the succession gunshots and screams begin.
What do you do?
Do you have an escape route? Has your company ever discussed what to do in an active shooter situation? Have you ever seriously considered such a scenario while sitting in your office? Or how about while sitting at a school board meeting, or a city council gathering, or while covering a crime scene investigation?
Chances are you answered no to some, and maybe even all, of the above questions.
Workplace violence can occur in any employment setting, including newsrooms, whether they be at newspapers or television stations.
According to the 2019 report Indicators of Workplace Violence, compiled by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and released in 2022, nearly 18,000 persons were killed at work, on duty, or in violence that was work-related over a 27-year period from 1992 to 2019.
According to the study, an annual average of 1.3 million nonfatal workplace violent victimizations occurred during the combined 5 years from 2015 to 2019, based on data from BJS’s National Crime Victimization Survey.
In June of 2018 a local resident, unhappy about having his police charges published in the Capital Gazette, a newspaper serving Annapolis, Md., brought a shotgun into the newsroom and killed five people.
The gunman, Jarrod Ramos, was doubly annoyed that his defamation lawsuit against the newspaper was dismissed in court. The paper had published an article in 2011 about Ramos being put on probation for harassing an acquaintance from high school via social media and email.
Allegedly Ramos sent angry letters and threats to the newspaper after the lawsuit was dismissed, but no legal action was taken by the newspaper after the threats were received.
So, on the afternoon of June 28, Ramos showed up with a 12-gauge Mossberg to register his complaint in blood. Five people, including Rob Hiaasen, brother of noted novelist Carl Hiaasen.
In 2021, Ramos was found guilty and sentenced to five life terms plus 345 years in prison.
But since 2018, three other American journalists have been murdered in separate incidents – Aviva Okeson-Haberman in Kansas City, Mo., Jeff German in Las Vegas and Dylan Lyons in Pine Hills, Fla.
Time Magazine reported in 2019 that statistically, the average American has a greater risk of dying from heart disease or cancer than from a firearm, according to the National Safety Council.
Auto accidents also kill about the same number of people in the U.S. as guns do each year, according to CDC statistics.
However, people in the U.S. are 25 times more likely to die from gun homicide than people in other wealthy countries, according to a 2016 study in the American Journal of Medicine.
Journalists are in a unique position. Not only are they subject to the random everyday workplace violence spawned by divorces, jealousy, terminations, robberies and disgruntled customers. Journalists also as part of their job often cover and expose facts about people that the subjects would prefer not to have exposed. Journalists go to the scenes of shootings, accidents, robberies, fires, floods and earthquakes. Besides the environmental dangers that can be posed in covering the news, there is also always the human factor which can result in tragedy.
Florida TV reporter Dylan Lyons was killed on the job while covering the murder of a woman in Pine Hills, a community just outside of Orlando. He was there filming when the suspect returned to the scene and shot Lyons and his cameraman Jesse Walden. Walden survived.
The five victims of the Annapolis mass shooting were in their work space, where it was literally just another day at the office – until it wasn’t.
After the shooting in Maryland, I decided to put together a presentation for the Arkansas Press Association on self-defense for journalists, which I finally got completed just in time for the COVID-19 pandemic to shut everything down.
Besides being a career journalist (I’m currently the editor of The Saline Courier in Benton, Ark.) with nearly 30 years’ experience, I also had a decade of Human Resources experience during which I encountered numerous violent workplace situations that could have escalated but, thankfully, did not result in any deaths.
I also am a martial artist, with four decades of study in a wide range of disciplines, and have taught women’s self-defense classes and assisted in teaching law enforcement self-defense classes over the years, so I thought I could offer some insights to my co-workers on staying safe both in the newsroom and out on the streets.
“Usually, self-defense is considered survival against unprovoked attacks by human attackers.
In actuality, self-defense is so much more nuanced than that. Preserving one’s life is far more complex than a few hand strikes or gunshots,” writes podcaster Serge Antonin on the website blackandwhiteandthinbluelines.com.
The essence of self-defense is awareness. Being aware of your surroundings both inside your newsroom and out on the street covering a story is the first, and biggest, step you can take toward being safe.
Antonin lists four essential types of awareness:
Situational Awareness — People often create circumstances that adversely affect them. Understanding this and the hazards created by strangers is paramount when considering self-defense.
Environmental Awareness — Understanding that different environments hold different perils is crucial.
Preparational Awareness — Possession of the proper tools, training, and mindset to survive an environment or live adversary is very important.
Capability Awareness — The accurate estimation of one’s abilities is critical.
Just as your company probably requires you to wear a reflective vest when covering traffic accidents, you should think of your awareness as your internal reflective vest and you should put it on whenever you go out to cover a story, especially one that involves violent crime.
Situational awareness requires you to see what is happening around you. It also requires that you listen to your gut instincts – If your little voice is telling you something is wrong, it probably is. Is that loud argument two tables over just rowdy friends or is it about to erupt in gunfire? Is the person who just walked into your office with his flow chart explaining how the President is trying to read his thoughts harmless?
Environmental awareness seems common sensical if you’re covering an ice storm or a wild fire, but it also applies to your workplace and home. Right now, look at your surroundings. If you spotted a shooter walking toward you, what would you do? Where would you go? Do you have an escape route? A second doorway or a window?
Preparational awareness is where we generally fall down as a profession, and as a society. Often, the thinking is the police will be there to handle any serious incidents, but sadly in most cases the police arrive after the shooting has begun, not before. Basic self-defense teachings aren’t part of most workplaces unless you are working in law enforcement or security, but a basic common-sense self-defense course, whether through the NRA or a concealed-carry instructor or a realistic self-defense program, such as Krav Maga, are really helpful. Often, police departments will offer basic courses to the public, and it would not be a bad idea to have one such course offered annually in newsrooms.
Capability awareness is best summed up by Dirty Harry Callahan’s edict delivered in the 1973 film Magnum Force: “A man’s got to know his limitations.”
The basic motto for active shooter situations is Run, Hide, Fight – and you should be able to do a little of all three. As horrible as active shooter drills in elementary schools sound, they are teaching skills that most adults who don’t have a military service background haven’t cultivated. Wherever you are, basic self-defense awareness includes finding the quickest way to the closest exit, looking for a safe barrier to duck behind, and having a basic idea of how to fend off an attacker.
Ultimately, defensive awareness should extend to all parts of one’s life. Living defensively doesn’t mean being paranoid or fearful. Tornadoes happen, and if you live in Arkansas, chances are you have a tornado close encounter story to tell. But you probably don’t run to the nearest closet every time it rains.
In the same fashion, being aware of the potential for violence and learning to pay attention to one’s surroundings can save lives – not only yours, but also those around you.
Randal Seyler is an Arkansas native and a career journalist, serving as editor for 17 different newspapers in four states since taking his first editor’s job in 1986. Currently he is managing editor of The Saline Courier in Benton, Ark. He has also studied a variety of martial arts over the past 45 years, and has taught karate and Tai Chi for over 30 years to hundreds of students. He is the author of Heads Up! Self Defense for Journalists. He is available for self-defense seminars and workplace violence prevention training. For more information, contact Randal at ransey303@gmail.com.
Arkansas SPJ’s 2023-2024 Board of Directors has two candidates for president Brenda Lepenski, a general assignment reporter at Channel 7 News, and Lance Brownfield, a reporter at The Sentinel-Record in Hot Springs. Lepenski served in 2022-23 as the chapter’s Membership and Marketing chair and Brownfield served as secretary. Also seeking executive board positions are Sonny Albarado for vice president and Rob Moritz for treasurer. There are currently no candidates for secretary on the 11-member board. Voting will take place at the Diamond Journalism Awards and annual meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 27, at the 2023 Diamond Journalism Awards at Brewski’s Pub & Grub, 315 Main St., Little Rock. New candidates for the board include Karen Steward and Terrance Armstard, a Region 12 assistant coordinator. Wendy Jordan, a former board member and Region 12 treasurer, is seeking to return to the board. Continuing board member candidates include Region 12 coordinator Jennifer Ellis, Andrew DeMillo and immediate past president Steve Listopad. Additional nominations may be taken at the meeting. The election for contested positions will be held by secret ballot. Any member who cannot vote in person may email their selection to arkansasspj@gmail.com. Uncontested elections will take place by voice vote.
The Arkansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will hold its annual board election at the Diamond Awards banquet in June. Want to get involved? Consider joining our team.
The Arkansas SPJ Board of Directors has 11 seats that are up for election each year, including executive officers: president, vice president, treasurer and secretary.
Check out the following duties and responsibilities of board members and consider running for the board or an officer position. Send a photo and a brief bio that tells why you want to serve as an SPJ leader, your history with SPJ and what you will bring to the group, including any ideas you have for the coming year, to Arkansas SPJ President Steven Listopad at slistopad@icloud.com or ArkansasSPJ@gmail.com by Saturday, May 20.
A list of candidates and their bios will be posted at least 10 days before the election and emailed to our membership. Voting will take place at the annual meeting (time/date/location to be decided) and via email for those who can’t attend.
If an officer election is contested, or if there are more nominees for director than available board seats, that election shall be held by secret ballot. Uncontested elections shall be by voice vote.
Don’t want to be a board member? Get involved in one of our committees.
ARKANSAS PRO CHAPTER BOARD Duties and Responsibilities To ensure the health of the Society of Professional Journalists Arkansas Pro Chapter, the members of the Board of Directors must be current on national dues and be accountable for the following duties and responsibilities:
Attendance The Board of Directors meets monthly and sometimes calls special meetings via phone or email. Board members must attend a minimum of nine monthly meetings during their July-to-June term of office, but strive to make it to all meetings in-person or by Zoom. Absence from three consecutive meetings, or four or more monthly meetings during their term, will result in the appointment of a new director to the position.
Participation Board members must actively participate in at least one of the following chapter committees: Freedom of Information Act, Programing, Contests, Membership and Marketing, or other special committees designated by the president. Active participation may include planning at least one event in a year, advancement of the FOIA through lobbying, contributions to the chapter’s website, newsletter or social media campaigns, or other efforts determined by the board.
Society of Professional Journalists | Arkansas Pro Chapter 