New America Media (NAM), the nation’s largest association of ethnic media outlets, today announced winners of its National Ethnic Media Awards honoring exceptional contributions to journalism by members of the ethnic media.

More than 300 entrees were submitted for 17 reporting categories ranging from In-Depth/Investigative Reporting to Blogging. Judges from universities, mainstream media and community-based organizations selected the winners, who will be honored at NAM’s National Ethnic Media Expo & Awards on June 4-5 at the Atlanta Hyatt Regency Hotel. The awards will be presented on June 4 at 6:00 pm, an event that will be co-sponsored by NAM and the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism.

Sandip Roy, coordinator of the awards, said the entries came from a wide range of ethnic media outlets – from Polish newspapers in New York to Hmong journals in Minneapolis to Spanish language television in Los Angeles.

“Our national awards are the grand finale to a series of regional awards honoring outstanding journalism in Boston, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington D.C.,” said Mr. Roy. “These have been difficult times for journalists and their media companies. It was gratifying to review print, broadcast and Internet work that made tremendous contributions to ethnic communities.”

At the National Ethnic Media Expo & Awards convention, NAM will showcase the winning entries as examples of the important role that the ethnic media plays today in communities across the country. “Too many people are still unaware of the ethnic media’s reach into communities,” Mr. Roy said. “Our Atlanta convention will be a coming out party, one that gives the nation a better appreciation of the quality and depth of the ethnic news media.”

Among the journalists cited by the judges, Claudia Núñez of La Opinión in Los Angeles won first place in an investigative category for a special report on the masterminds of a group trafficking Mexican immigrants and keeping them in virtual enslavement in California restaurants.

In Minneapolis/St. Paul, Phil Lee of the Korean Quarterly was incensed when the Ladies Professional Golf Association announced new rules that would require golfers to be fluent in English. He responded by writing a blistering editorial, his first editorial ever, which won the award for Best Commentary.

The editors of Azizah magazine in Atlanta showed how going green was actually also good Islam. From car-shares to recycling it was all about how to be good regent or khalifah on earth as Allah had envisioned the role for humankind.

“The award entries clearly demonstrated the breadth of the ethnic media,” said Sandy Close, NAM’s executive director. “The ethnic media is reporting on stories that are making a difference in communities throughout the nation.” Ms. Close noted that NAM will be releasing a poll at the Expo in Atlanta documenting that the ethnic media has been growing, while mainstream media has struggled to keep readers.

See detailed list of award winners here.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Please contact Alicia Ingram at (404) 493-1724 ingramalicia@bellsouth.net or Michael K. Frisby (202) 625-4328 mike@frisbyassociates.com.

About New America Media
New America Media is the country's first and largest national collaboration and advocate of 2000 ethnic news organizations. Over 51 million ethnic adults connect to each other, to home countries and to America through 3000+ ethnic media, the fastest growing sector of American journalism.

Founded by the nonprofit Pacific News Service in 1996, NAM is headquartered in California with offices in New York and Washington D.C., and partnerships with journalism schools to grow local associations of ethnic media. www.newamericamedia.org

Ethnic Media Working Together To Build a Stronger Sector
June 4-5, 2009, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 265 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, GA

Join New America Media and the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication for the largest convening of ethnic media in the United States. On June 4th & 5th, 2009, NAM will host our National Ethnic News Awards Ceremony at a gala dinner and conduct a series of plenary sessions and professional development workshops for ethnic media practitioners and attendees interested in learning about the sector's vital role in journalism and communications.

For Conference Agenda, click here.

For full conference info, visit: http://expo.newamericamedia.org/

Register to attend Expo events at: http://expo.newamericamedia.org/registration