CONTACT:
Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SPJ National President, ashanti.blaize@gmail.com
Kim Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Specialist, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS � The Society of Professional Journalists Board of Directors today voted to postpone awarding public and member honors as well as national chapter awards for 2024.

�We look forward to being back to an in-person convention next year so that honorees can be properly recognized,� said SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins. �All the award-winners deserve to be recognized in person, have a chance to address the membership and express their excitement for being honored.�

A communication will be sent to all who made nominations for the 2024 awards, expressing SPJ�s regret and encouraging them to consider re-nominating in 2025.

The awards affected are:
� Distinguished Teaching in Journalism
� Ethics in Journalism
� Fellows of the Society
� Historic Sites in Journalism
� Sunshine Award
� Howard S. Dubin Outstanding Pro Member
� David L. Eshelman Outstanding Campus Adviser
� Julie Galvan Outstanding Graduate in Journalism
� Robert D.G. Lewis First Amendment
� Wells Memorial Key
� Outstanding Professional and Campus Chapter

The Board voted to suspend the 2024 national convention during the 2023 Las Vegas convention in September, due to budgetary considerations. SPJ, the College Media Association and Associated Collegiate Press plan to host a joint conference once again in Washington, D.C., in October 2025. The three groups held a successful joint MediaFest22 convention in October 2022.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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