The Wisconsin Newspaper Association is accepting nominations for the Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame and the Sunshine in Government Award. Submissions are due by Monday, Aug. 19.
Hall of Fame inductees and award recipients will be honored during a banquet on Thursday, Nov. 7, at The Madison Club, 5 E. Wilson, St., Madison, WI 53703. The event, which is open to the public, will begin with a cocktail hour at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. Registration is $65 per person or $500 per table of eight.
Sponsorships
Since its inception in 2001, the Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame has honored 71 visionaries and innovators in the newspaper industry. The support of sponsors helps us to celebrate our inductees and support the mission of the WNA Foundation. Corporate table sponsorships are available for $750. Additional sponsor opportunities can be viewed here.
Hall of Fame
Nominations to the Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame are open to anyone — living or deceased — who has contributed above and beyond the call of duty to the Wisconsin newspaper industry. This includes publishers, editors, reporters, photographers or any other newspaper personnel who’ve made significant contributions to the industry. It is expected that the individual should have dedicated at least 15 years to newspapering. However, length of service is not a major determinant.
Inductions may be extended to someone outside of the working industry, such as an educator, jurist, attorney or legislator. The primary criterion is exceptional service on behalf of Wisconsin newspapers. Other criteria may be established or considered by the Hall of Fame selection committee or the WNA Foundation Board as deemed appropriate or necessary.
Nominations should include:
- A nomination letter.
- Two additional letters of support.
- Basic resume of the nominee’s service to the newspaper and the community.
- (Optional) Other materials that support the nominee’s application
Materials should be sent via email to WNA Membership & Communications Director Julia Hunter by Monday, Aug. 19.
Sunshine in Government
The WNA Sunshine in Government Award seeks to recognize efforts by Wisconsin citizens and public officials to protect and strengthen open government.
The award, created in 2022, highlights the importance of an engaged citizenry in a democracy by recognizing individuals whose actions have helped foster government transparency and protect the public’s right to know.
Nominations are open to any Wisconsin individual, including citizens, public officials, educators and others who have made extraordinary efforts on behalf of government transparency. Those efforts may include, but are not limited to, facilitating access to information, advocating on behalf of public records or open meetings, exemplifying extraordinary leadership on behalf of the freedom of information and challenging efforts to impede the public’s right to know.
Nominations should include:
- A nomination letter.
- (Optional) Relevant supporting materials (newspaper clips, testimonials, voting records, etc.) that demonstrate the nominee’s commitment to advancing open government.
Honorees will be selected by the WNA Board of Directors’ executive committee. If no suitable nomination is submitted, no award will be made.
Materials should be sent via email to WNA Membership & Communications Director Julia Hunter by Monday, Aug. 19.
