A party for my journalistic friends--II

Here's the official news release about this week's  Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame ceremony.

Nine outstanding journalists will be inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame this Thursday  at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Journalism honorees, 2013

Honorees are James Coburn, veteran reporter for The Edmond Sun; Joe Hancock, publisher of the Hobart Democrat-Chief; Joe Hight, editor of the Colorado Springs Gazette; John Klein, sports columnist for the Tulsa World; Mike McCarville of the national political  The McCarville Report: Mary Mélon, president and publisher of The Journal Record;  Tom Muchmore, publisher of The Ponca City News; Jerry Laizure, photographer of The Norman Transcript who died late last year; and Oliver C. Murray, pioneer photojournalist for WKY/KFOR-TV.

The luncheon program will be begin at 11:45 a.m. on the third floor of the Nigh University Center, across the hall from the Hall of Fame exhibition hall, said Dr. Terry M. Clark, director of the Hall of Fame. Master of ceremonies will be Mark Thomas, executive vice-president of the Oklahoma Press Association.

    Dr. Don Betz, president of UCO, will welcome the crowd. More than 250 journalists, friends and families are expected for the Hall of Fame ceremony.

“The annual ceremony has become an informal homecoming for honorees and families. The Hall is a virtual Who’s Who of Oklahoma Journalism, and the crowd will be filled with the giants of the profession,” Clark said.

The ceremony will include the first Oklahoma Press Association Award to a student with outstanding promise in newspaper journalism, funded by donations from judges of monthly writing contests. Also to be awarded will be Brian J. Walke scholarship in journalism ethics to a student at UCO.

Honorees are selected by a committee composed of members of the working press and the Hall of Fame. The committee sifts through all nominations, both new ones and those held over from previous years before selecting the nine honorees. Nomination forms are available at any time from the Hall of Fame office at UCO.

Framed citations are on display in the Hall of Fame in the Nigh University Center at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Former Journalism Chairman Dr. Ray Tassin founded the Hall of Fame in 1971 and this year’s inductees make 390 total members. The Hall is supported with funding from UCO and The Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation and the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation.