The New England Newspaper and Press Association is pleased to announce that four New England journalists will be inducted into the New England Newspaper Hall of Fame, recognizing the most outstanding newspaper professionals from throughout our six-state region and their extraordinary contributions to the industry.

More than 100 individuals have been singled out over the past 20 years for their extraordinary contributions to their newspaper, the news industry, and their communities.

The Hall of Fame awards will be presented at a celebratory dinner as part of the annual convention of the New England Newspaper and Press Association on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Westin Waltham Boston Hotel in Waltham, Mass. Tickets are on sale now. For more information please visit the convention website.

The 2024 honorees are:

• George Brennan, The Martha’s Vineyard (MA) Times
• David Brooks, Concord (NH) Monitor
• Frank Dingley, Sun Journal, Lewiston, ME
• Melvin B. Miller, The Bay State Banner, Boston, MA
  

George Brennan retired from newspaper work at the end of 2022 with a long legacy of dogged accountability reporting, fearless crime reporting, sharp editorials, strong management, patient mentoring, and a litany of awards both personally and for the papers he captained. George devoted 38 years to the pursuit of journalism and excelled at effectively holding public officials accountable, reporting on major crimes, and inspiring and mentoring young journalists.

David Brooks was busy “engaging” with his readers across many platforms long before the term “engagement” became central to the future of local news organizations. This intimate connection has included print, websites, blogs, newsletters, podcasts, radio, and live events. He’s been doing it in New Hampshire for more than 35 years, and as technology evolves, the list grows. At the center of it all, is the expert reporting that’s made him among the most trusted voices in the state. To those in the newsroom, David is the fountain of information who takes young reporters under his wing. He’s the first in the office in the mornings and the one who willingly jumps into the fray when stories break.

Melvin B. Miller used his voice for more than five decades to dive deeper into issues ranging from politics, social justice, and economic development that have local and national impact. He was the founder, publisher, and editor of the Bay State Banner for 57 years. A weekly newspaper advocating for the interests of Greater Boston’s African American community, The Banner has meticulously told the stories of the minority community – stories often overlooked in mainstream media. 

Frank Dingley stood as the giant of Maine journalism from the start of the Civil War to the end of the First World War. Dingley, who died in 1918, was the Lewiston Evening Journal’s longest-serving and most influential editor. In its heyday, the Journal was one of the best and most innovative dailies in the country. Dingley mentored some of America’s finest journalists along the way and grabbed some astonishing scoops of his own, including a firsthand account of the sinking of the Titanic from a former Lewiston resident he tracked down within hours of her arrival in New York City.

The sixth annual Student Press Freedom Day is Feb. 22. It is an opportunity for us all to recognize the increasingly critical role student journalists play in our communities, but also to support the student press through legislation, legal and educational resources, and mentorships.

Justin Silverman of the New England First Amendment Coalition and Josh Moore at the Student Press Law Center are co-writing a forthcoming op/ed your publication can run in celebration of Student Press Freedom Day. NENPA will distribute the op/ed through our email lists on Feb. 16, 2024.

Student Press Freedom Day is an initiative by the Student Press Law Center where students, advisers and press freedom groups work together to:

• Raise awareness of the vital work of student journalists
• Highlight how censorship threatens that important work, and
• Empower student journalists to take action to restore their First Amendment Freedoms.

Each year, Student Press Freedom Day grows in scope as more students write op-eds, create videos, host events, tell their stories and build momentum for New Voices campaigns in their state.

The theme for Student Press Freedom Day 2024 is Powerfully Persistent.

Learn more about Student Press Freedom Day