This is a quickie alert because I’m trying to wrap up my semester and have been waylaid with last minute stuff. More later about NAM and its June 4-5 convention. Needless to say, NAM – thanks to Jonathan Mena, Kisha Allison, Jacqueline Fernandez and Eunji Jang – really admires Hunter students and does a lot to support them.
On with the quickie:
OUTSTANDING PRINT, WEB AND BROADCAST REPORTING
ATLANTA – New America Media  the nation’s largest association of ethnic media outlets, today announced winners of its National Ethnic Media Awards honoring exceptional contributions to journalism by members of the ethnic media.
More than 300 entrees were submitted for 17 reporting categories ranging from In-Depth/Investigative Reporting to Blogging. Judges from universities, mainstream media and community-based organizations selected the winners, who will be honored at NAM’s National Ethnic Media Expo & Awards on June 4-5 at the Atlanta Hyatt Regency Hotel. The awards will be presented on June 4 at 6:00 pm, an event that will be co-sponsored by NAM and the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism.
Sandip Roy, coordinator of the awards, said the entries came from a wide range of ethnic media outlets – from Polish newspapers in New York to Hmong journals in Minneapolis to Spanish language television in Los Angeles.
“Our national awards are the grand finale to a series of regional awards honoring outstanding journalism in Boston, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington D.C.,†said Mr. Roy. “These have been difficult times for journalists and their media companies. It was gratifying to review print, broadcast and Internet work that made tremendous contributions to ethnic communities.â€
At the National Ethnic Media Expo & Awards convention, NAM will showcase the winning entries as examples of the important role that the ethnic media plays today in communities across the country. “Too many people are still unaware of the ethnic media’s reach into communities,†Mr. Roy said. “Our Atlanta convention will be a coming out party, one that gives the nation a better appreciation of the quality and depth of the ethnic news media.â€
Among the journalists cited by the judges, Claudia Núñez of La Opinión in Los Angeles won first place in an investigative category for a special report on the masterminds of a group trafficking Mexican immigrants and keeping them in virtual enslavement in California restaurants.
In Minneapolis/St. Paul, Phil Lee of the Korean Quarterly was incensed when the Ladies Professional Golf Association announced new rules that would require golfers to be fluent in English. He responded by writing a blistering editorial, his first editorial ever, which won the award for Best Commentary.
The editors of Azizah magazine in Atlanta showed how going green was actually also good Islam. From car-shares to recycling it was all about how to be good regent or khalifah on earth as Allah had envisioned the role for humankind.
“The award entries clearly demonstrated the breadth of the ethnic media,†said Sandy Close, NAM’s executive director. “The ethnic media is reporting on stories that are making a difference in communities throughout the nation.†Ms. Close noted that NAM will be releasing a poll at the Expo in Atlanta documenting that the ethnic media has been growing, while mainstream media has struggled to keep readers.
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(To schedule interviews, please contact Alicia Ingram, (404) 493-1724 ingramalicia@bellsouth.net or Michael K. Frisby (202) 625-4328 mike@frisbyassociates.com.)
Below is a complete list of the 2009 National Media Awards winners. They can be viewed online at http://expo.newamericamedia.org/winners
Best In Depth /Investigative
Kai Ma “To Have and to Hold†KoreAm Journal
Runner Up: Chris King, “New Beginning†St Louis American
Hon Mention: Anish Majurndar, “Murder & Mourning in Baton Rougeâ€
Little India
Best In Depth/Investigative (In-Language)
Claudia Núñez, “Twenty First Century Slaves†(a series) La Opinión
Runner Up: Weijiang Huang, “American Dream in Single Room Dwellingâ€
Sing Tao Daily, San Francisco
Hon Mention: Milagros Melendez, “I Want to Be With My Mom”, El Tiempo
Latino
International Affairs
Winner: Farkhunda Ali “Palestinians Remember Their Catastrophe†Muslim Link
Runner Up: Lou Ann Matossian “Institute of Turkish Studies Chair was
Ousted for Acknowledging Genocideâ€, Armenian Reporter
International Affairs (In-Language)
Winner: Rong Xiaoqing “Dragon Children Return†Sing Tao Daily, New York.
Runner Up: Thaer Abbas, “Civil War Looms in Lebanonâ€, Aramica
Hon Mention: Yu Ting Zhou “Foreign Students: The Neglected Groupâ€,
World Journal, New York
Healthcare
Winner: Norma de la Vega “Diet, What Diet?†Enlace
Runner Up: Sunita Sohrabji “Postpartum Depression: South Asian Women
Suffer in Silence†India West
Arts, Sports & Entertainment
Almah LaVon Rice “The Rise of Street Literature†ColorLines
Runner Up: Emily Driscoll “Smashing Comeback†Little India
Hon Mention: Kai Ma “High Rollers†KoreAm Journal
Arts, Sports & Entertainment (In-Language)
Winner: Leslie Froelich “A Mixture of Languages†Mundo Hispanico
Runner Up: Boon Hon Choo “Off-Track Betting Stations†World Journal, New York
Commentary/ Editorial
Phil Lee “LPGA: Does This Stand For ’Lees, Parks Go Away’? †Korean
Quarterly
Runner Up: Jerry Sullivan, “A Twice-Told Tale of Black, Brown & LAPD
Blue†Los Angeles Garment & Citizen
Commentary/Editorial (In-Language)
Alejandro Manrique, David Coates, Peter Siavelis, “Qué Pasa Supports
Barack Obama’s Candidacy,†Qué Pasa
Runner Up: Weihang Que “ Government Officials Accountability Is Only
The Beginning Of A Sound Quality Safety System†The China Press in Northern California
Ethnic Elders
Winner: Toan Do “Sharks Are Targeting Servicemen, Elders, and
Disabled People,†Viet Tribune
Runner up: Sue Yang “The Future That Maia Henderson Left Behind,â€
The Korean American Press
Photojournalism
Arindam Mukherjee “ Beyond the Burkha†Audrey Magazine
Runner Up: J Emilio Flores “The Airplane of the Deported†La Opinión
Race and Inter Ethnic Relations
Julie Ha “Neighborhood Watch†KoreAm Journal
Runner Up: Gabriela Gonzalez “The Changing Face of Faith†La Prensa, San Diego
Hon Mention: Brian Concannon Jr. “ Eating Dirt in Ireland and Haitiâ€
Boston Irish Reporter/Boston Haitian Reporter
Education
Winner: Erika Cebreros “Finishing School is a Complicated Jobâ€, El
Mensajero
Runner Up: Wameng Moua “Are Hmong Schools Making the Grade?†Hmong Today
Environmental Issues
Winner: Azizah Kahera and Staff “Color Me Green†Azizah Magazine
Runner Up: Sunita Sohrabji “Green Rules Force Small Truckers Into the Redâ€, India West
Best Reporting on a Community Issue (Radio)
Winner: Cindy Yip & Otis Fang “Teacher’s Responsibilities vs
Survival Instincts†Sing Tao Radio
Runner Up: Alejandro Manrique, “Mass Exodus of Hispanics from North
Carolina†Qué Pasa
Best Reporting on a Community Issue (TV)
Winner: Vicky Gutierrez “Farm Kids†KVEA Telemundo 52
Runner Up: Thuy Phan “ Bone Marrowâ€, Saigon Broadcasting Television Network
Hon Mention: Harry Liu, “ DTV Transition†KTSF
Best Blogger on Ethnic Perspectives
Winner: The Sanctuary
Runner Up: Chris Rabb, Afro-Netizen
To learn more, and to register, please visit http://expo.newamericamedia.org.
About NAM
New America Media is the country’s first and largest national collaboration and advocate for more than 2500 ethnic news organizations. Over 51 million ethnic adults connect to each other, to home countries and to America through 3000+ ethnic media, the fastest growing sector of American journalism. Founded by the nonprofit Pacific News Service in 1996, NAM is headquartered in California with offices in New York and Washington D.C. NAM also partners with journalism schools to grow local associations of ethnic media around the nation. Our 2009 National Ethnic Media EXPO & Awards will honor excellence in ethnic media journalism, forge collective strategies to strengthen the sector, expand its role in risk communications, and improve government communications with its audiences.
Visit NAM’s homepage for news and updates on our programs here.
Tags: Ethnic Journalism, ethnic journalism awards, Eunji Jang, Jacqueline Fernandez, Jonathan Mena, journalism, journalism awards, Kisha Allison, New America Media, New America Media