Valley Journals’ editors presented with national SPJ awards
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Valley Journals managing editor Linda Petersen, left, and assistant managing editor Tom Haraldsen, accepted national awards from the Society of Professional Journalists from outgoing national president Hagit Limor. The presentations were made at the SPJ national convention in New Orleans on Sept. 27.
The national Society of Professional Journalists presented two of their most prestigious awards to editors of The Valley Journals on Sept. 27, during the Society’s annual convention in New Orleans. The awards were presented by Hagit Limor, outgoing SPJ national president.
Linda Petersen, managing editor of the Journals, was given the Howard S. Dubin Outstanding Pro Member Award for her efforts in fighting for open access to government records and minutes from public meetings. Petersen helped spearhead the drive by Utah media and citizenry that led to the repeal of HB477 during the last legislative session. That bill, had it remained a state law, would have severely limited public access to minutes and records of government meetings. She became a member of the working committee that made recommendations to state officials on how to keep Utah’s Government Records Access Management Act, known as GRAMA, a viable and solid protection for the public’s right to know what their state governmental leaders are doing.
“Linda Petersen fought courageously for repeal of this bill,” Limor said in her remarks.
“No one worked harder to protect the rights of Utah’s citizens than Linda—from her many hours of working with legislative leaders to posting on social media the latest information as the battle continued,” said Tom Haraldsen, assistant managing editor of the Journals. “She was the champion of this effort, and the Society recognized her with the prestigious Dubin award.”
Haraldsen, who is also president of the Utah Headliners Chapter of SPJ, accepted the Society’s award for “National Outstanding Small Professional Chapter” of the year on behalf of the Utah chapter. He also spearheaded and coordinated the fight repeal of HB477. Haraldsen also accepted the SPJ Circle of Excellence award for the Utah chapter for “outstanding contributions and excellence in the area of First Amendment and FOI Activity.”
“The efforts of the Utah Chapter members in keeping the state’s legislature on track once again epitomize the importance of SPJ,” Limor said. “Tom and his fellow chapter members worked unceasingly to educate both the public, and the legislators themselves, on the importance of freedom of information and First Amendment rights. We salute their efforts.”
Both Petersen and Haraldsen have been active members of SPJ for many years. Petersen was just named national chairperson of the Freedom of Information national committee for the Society.
