CINCINNATI – In addition to inducting three living journalists into the Cincinnati SPJ Journalism Hall of Fame in 2015, the Cincinnati Pro Chapter is recognizing the 25th anniversary of the Hall of Fame by making a special effort to induct outstanding deceased journalists who should already be on the Hall of Fame roster.
Nomination details appear below.
Hall of Fame honorees are members of the print and electronic media who made their careers in the Greater Cincinnati region as well as those who, having contributed significantly to this region, continued their journalistic careers elsewhere. Eligible deceased nominees for 2015 will have died before 2012.
Currently there are 73 inductees – 60 men and 13 women -- who include such accomplished journalists as the late crime reporter Lafcadio Hearn, sports writer Red Barber, broadcasters Powel and Lewis Crosley; newspaper publisher E.W. Scripps, Carol Wilson Ungar, the first female TV news anchor in Cincinnati WLWT, Channel 5; Julianne Warren of the Cincinnati Post, first female photojournalist in Cincinnati; Al Segal – Cincinnatus – who wrote, over 44 years, the country’s longest-running continuous column for the Cincinnati Post; Henry C. Segal, publisher and editor American Israelite, longest running weekly Jewish newspaper in the country.
But there are others who should have been included, journalists such as The Enquirer’s Ollie James, editorial writer and humorist; humorist Bob Brumfield; Libby Lackman Ackland, federal beat reporter, and Jane Finneran Farrell, society editor and women’s editor, editor of The Cincinnati Blue Book and speaker at American Press Institute seminars; and the Cincinnati Post’s Sharon Maloney, longtime politics reporter; Betty Donovan Rentrop, reporter and military writer; Al Salvato, writer and editor for more than 20 years who became a University of Cincinnati teacher and adviser to the UC student newspaper; and Kira Lisa Warren, a Post editor for about 20 years before moving to the Hamilton Journal-News, where she transformed the paper.
“We decided it was appropriate in a quarter-century year to look back and catch up on all the great journalists who have been overlooked,” said Tom McKee, WCPO-TV reporter and current Cincy SPJ president. “So we’re asking our members and others to think back and nominate the great ones who ought to be in our Hall of Fame.”
The Cincy SPJ Hall of Fame is listed on the chapter’s website CincySPJ.com.
Nominations may be sent to Jo-Ann Huff Albers, Cincy SPJ Hall of Fame chairwoman. 9609 Iris Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45241-1306 or Joann.albers@wku.edu The deadline is Friday, February 13, 2015.
A nomination should include:
Name of nominee and a paragraph highlighting the nominees journalism accomplishments and employers.
Name and contact information of person making the nomination.
Name and contact information of person making the nomination.
Biographical information of nominee, including birth and death years of deceased individuals.
Contact information on relatives or professional associates who should be invited to the installation event in June.
