The Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame will induct five new members next year who are known as media innovators, freedom of information defenders and mentors to young journalists.
The induction ceremony will be April 30 at Indiana University in Bloomington.
The 2011 inductees are:
• The late Jack Backer, Indiana Daily Student publisher who guided the student newspaper’s transition from a school-controlled classroom lab to a fully independent news organization paying its own way and dealing with decision-making issues as would any newspaper.
• Bruce Baumann, retired editor of the Evansville Courier & Press who led the newspaper to two HSPA Blue Ribbon awards during his nine years of leadership. He has worked as a photographer, newspaper designer, assistant managing editor and editor and is a four-time Picture Editor of the Year recipient and a three-time Photographer of the Year recipient.
• Bill Nangle, executive editor of The Times of Northwest Indiana (Munster), whose newspaper has won HSPA’s Blue Ribbon status seven times since 1993. He spearheaded the State of Secrecy project to uncover abuses of the state’s freedom of public information process, which led to reforms.
• The late Clay Trusty Jr. of The Indianapolis News, who headed the Indiana Plan to nurture college journalists through newspaper internships with a mission of keeping them in Indiana. His mentoring extended to young reporters new to the job at The News. Trusty is the father of Karen T. Braeckel, HSPA
Foundation director.
• The late Charles Werner, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist at The Indianapolis Star for five decades who won the 1951 National Headliners Club award and eight Freedom Foundation awards.
“Once again, the IJHF board of directors has chosen five individuals whose conspicuous contributions and achievements in journalism have earned them coveted recognition in the hall,” Hall of Fame president Ray Moscowitz said.
The Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame was established in 1966 to recognize and honor journalists who have significantly contributed to the profession through their careers and communities.
Housed at Indiana University, the Hall of Fame conducts its annual ceremony at the Indiana Memorial Union.
