OSBA announces 2007 Media Honor Roll

The OSBA Media Honor Roll, in its sixth year, recognizes fair and balanced education reporting, and helps public school districts create lasting, positive relationships with their local news media representatives.
Reporters and editors have the power to shape and influence community attitudes about public schools. That makes it crucial for public education leaders to build positive relationships with news organizations to encourage fair coverage, as well as to generate and maintain community support.

The program enables districts to acknowledge and thank reporters and media outlets for their fair and responsible coverage of education and helps promote the fact that Ohio public schools are excellent places to educate the state’s nearly two million schoolchildren. Building a positive rapport with the news media helps ensure that the public will learn about the many great things that school boards, students, administrators and teachers are accomplishing.

Everyone knows, however, that the news is not always going to be good. Education leaders, as advocates for their students, should not oppose journalists who fairly cover schools’ shortcomings. They also must work closely with local media to prevent unwarranted “school-bashing.”

The OSBA Media Honor Roll recognizes media representatives in print, radio and television. Winners are chosen because they:
• work to get to know the board president, superintendent and district communication director, as well as the district’s mission and goals;
• report school news in a fair, accurate and balanced manner;
• maintain a policy of “no surprises,” by always giving school officials the opportunity to comment on information to be aired or published;
• give a high profile to positive news about schools;
• visit schools.

As part of the recognition program, OSBA provides personalized certificates that districts can present to honorees at board meetings, along with a sample resolution that school boards can customize to honor the media.

“I’m so pleased that Ohio school districts continue to find the Media Honor Roll to be a valuable tool to help them build good relationships with the reporters who cover them,” said Richard Lewis, CAE, OSBA executive director. “It’s so important for schools to do everything they can to garner the support of their communities. OSBA is glad to do what it can to help districts generate that support by offering districts a way to recognize those reporters who provide fair, balanced coverage. That kind of reporting helps communities better understand, appreciate and support their public schools.

“OSBA thanks all the districts around the state that took part in the program and congratulates those journalists selected for this recognition.”

Following are members of the 2007 OSBA Media Honor Roll as selected by participating school districts. Journalists named by more than one district are listed with each district that selected them.

• Rick Amburgey, Springboro Star Press, Springboro Community City
• Denise Amos, Cincinnati Enquirer, Winton Woods City
• Harry Boomer, WOIO-TV, Elyria City
• Marsha Bonhart, WDTN-TV, Beavercreek City
• Nancy Bowman, Dayton Daily News, Tipp City EV
• Karen Boyer, AVC Communications, Mid-East Career and Technology Centers
• Eric Bradley, The Community Press, Mason City
• Jim Brewer, Loudonville Times, Loudonville-Perrysville EV
• Nancy Briggs, The Delphos Herald, Ottoville Local (Putnam)
• Jodi Brock, Centerville-Bellbrook Times, Sugarcreek Local (Greene)
• Larry Budd, Dayton Daily News, Springboro Community City
• Katie Byard, Akron Beacon Journal, Stow-Munroe Falls City
• Charles Caperton, Fairborn Daily Herald, Fairborn City
• The Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria City
• Michael Clark, Cincinnati Enquirer, Mason City
• Melissa Cottrill, Logan Daily News, Logan-Hocking Local (Hocking)
• J.D. Creer, Salem News, Salem City
• Dan Darragh, Franklin Chronicle, Franklin City
• Anne Decker, GTV2, Lima City
• Laurie Denger, Dayton Daily News, Fairborn City
• Joanne DuMound, The News Sun, Olmsted Falls City
• Cindy Eisen, Springboro Sun Times, Springboro Community City
• Tina Emmick, The Harrison Press, Southwest Local (Hamilton)
• Shawn Foucher, The Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria City
• FSN Ohio, Elyria City
• Gabrielle Enright, WHIO-TV, Fairborn City
• Ross Gallabrese, The (Steubenville) Herald Star, Jefferson County JVSD
• Holly Geaman, WLIO-NBC, Lima City
• David George, Lakewood Sun Post, Lakewood City
• Jennifer Gonzalez, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, Elyria City
• John Goodwin, The (Youngstown) Vindicator, Liberty Local (Trumbull)
• Dave Gossett, The (Steubenville) Herald Star, Jefferson County ESC
• Denise Grant, The (Findlay) Courier, Hancock County ESC
• Linda Hall, The Daily Record, Wooster City
• Sue Hoffman, Chagrin Valley Times, Kenston Local (Geauga)
• Sara Hurst, Morgan County Herald, Morgan Local (Morgan)
• Bob Hyle, The Harrison Press, Southwest Local (Hamilton)
• Deanne Johnson, Morning Journal, Crestview Local (Columbiana)
• Beth Jokinen, The Lima News, Bath Local (Allen)
• Beth Jokinen, The Lima News, Elida Local (Allen)
• Beth Jokinen, The Lima News, Lima City
• Mike Kelly, Tipp City Herald, Tipp City EV
• Sue Kiesewetter, Cincinnati Enquirer, Mason City
• Joy Kocmoud, Gallipolis Daily Tribune, Gallipolis City
• Marly Kosinski, The (Warren) Tribune Chronicle, Howland Local (Trumbull)
• Nick Kosir, WMFD-TV, Crestview Local (Richland)
• Cindy Kranz, Cincinnati Enquirer, Mariemont City
• Melanie Laughman, Eastern Hills Journal, Mariemont City
• The (Lorain) Morning Journal, Elyria City
• Debra Lee, WEWS-TV, Lakewood City
• John Lowe, The Daily Jeffersonian, Rolling Hills Local (Guernsey)
• Chris Magan, Middletown Journal, Franklin City
• Mike McKay, WILE Radio, Rolling Hills Local (Guernsey)
• Jennifer Nesbitt, The Newark Advocate, Newark City
• John O’Bryan, Lakewood Observer, Lakewood City
• Susan Oswalt, Centerburg Community Clipper, Centerburg Local (Knox)
• Zachary Ottenstein, WTVG-TV, Springfield Local (Lucas)
• Ted Pollard, Franklin Chronicle, Carlisle Local (Warren)
• Edd Pritchard, The (Canton) Repository, Plain Local (Stark)
• Erin Putsay, The (Massillon) Independent, Perry Local (Stark)
• Bethany Meisinger-Reiff, Dayton Daily News, Vandalia-Butler City
• Josh Richardson, Fairborn Daily Herald, Fairborn City
• Rachel Richardson, Cincinnati Enquirer, Mariemont City
• Liz Robertson, The Delaware Gazette, Delaware City
• Jamie Ross, WPKO & WBLL Radio, Bellefontaine City
• Ben Saylor, West Life, Rocky River City
• Larry Shields, Salem News, Salem City
• Jerome Simmons, Eastern Hills Journal, Mariemont City
• Beth Stallings, West Shore Magazine, Elyria City
• Larry Stine, WMFD-TV, Crestview Local (Richland)
• Gary Stromberg, Fox 8 News, Elyria City
• Suburban Life, Madeira City
• Darren Toms, WTAM Radio, Lakewood City
• Andrew Waldman, Ashland Times-Gazette, Crestview Local (Richland)
• WEHS-TV, Elyria City
• WEOL Radio, Elyria City
• Rich Wilson, The Pulse-Journal, Mason City
• WOBL/WDLW Radio, Elyria City
• Tim Yovick, The (Youngstown) Vindicator, Howland Local (Trumbull)