The Arkansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will present the Diamond Journalism Awards banquet on Saturday, July 25, at Next Level Events in downtown Little Rock, featuring a keynote conversation between Warwick Sabin, president and CEO of Deep South Today, and Heather Baker, president and publisher of AY Media Group.
Sabin leads Deep South Today, a nonprofit network of local newsrooms that includes The Current, Mississippi Today, Verite News and Arkansas Today, which is scheduled to launch in fall 2026. His career spans journalism, public service, philanthropy and nonprofit leadership. He served three terms in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019.
Baker has worked in the publishing industry for more than 30 years. Under her leadership, AY Media Group has grown into one of the region’s most recognized media organizations. She is also a prominent media personality and influencer whose work spans print, digital and broadcast media, as well as numerous philanthropic initiatives.
The Diamond Journalism Awards will recognize winners and finalists in more than 80 categories, showcasing exceptional journalism from Arkansas and neighboring states. Winners of the A-Mark Prize for Investigative Journalism, which carries $15,000 in prize money, will also be announced. This year’s finalists are Chris Fulton of the Mountain Home Observer and Josh Snyder of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
“This year’s contest was our most competitive to date, and we can’t wait to recognize the outstanding work being produced in Arkansas and throughout the region,” said Sarah Campbell-Miller, Arkansas SPJ president. “Warwick brings a unique perspective on the future of local journalism, and pairing him with media leader Heather Baker will create a dynamic conversation to cap off an evening dedicated to celebrating excellence in journalism.”
The 2026 contest drew 591 entries across more than 80 categories, including divisions for professional journalism, student journalism and communications. SPJ members from Connecticut judged the competitions.
This year’s emcee will be Sonseeahray Tonsall, KARK 4 News at Noon anchor. Throughout her award-winning journalism career, Tonsall has covered some of the nation’s most significant stories, from natural disasters and political conventions to investigative reports that have driven meaningful change in local communities. Back in Arkansas for a second stint at KARK, she remains committed to uncovering the truth, telling stories with integrity and serving viewers across the state.
The Diamond Awards ceremony will be held at Next Level Events, 1400 W. Markham St. in Little Rock. Dinner will be served at 5 p.m., and the program will begin immediately following. Tickets are $35 per person and can be purchased here.
AY Media Group is this year’s presenting sponsor, and the event is also sponsored by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the University of Memphis Department of Journalism and Strategic Media, and Crafton Tull. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available; contact Arkansas SPJ to learn more.
Finalists are listed below in alphabetical order by first name in each division. If multiple entries are finalists but are credited in the same manner, the entry credit is listed only once per division. To see the finalists listed by organization in addition to name, click here.
Print/Online Division
Aarron Fleming, Jane Donahoe, The Daily Memphian
Ainsley Platt, Antoinette Grajeda, Sonny Albarado, Arkansas Advocate
Alex Thomas, Ella McCarthy, Neal Earley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Aliyah Veal, Mississippi Free Press
Andrew DeMillo, The Associated Press
Antoinette Grajeda, Arkansas Advocate
Antoinette Grajeda, Ainsley Platt, Tess Vrbin, Sonny Albarado, Arkansas Advocate
Bill Bowden, Dale Ellis, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Bobby Ross Jr., Religion Unplugged
Brant Bingamon, The Austin Chronicle
Daniel Connolly, Matt Fair, Hilary Russ, Vince Sullivan, Orlando Lorenzo, Law360 (Legal news service)
Daniel Grear, Arkansas Times
David Barham, The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Donna Ladd, Mississippi Free Press
Doug Crise, Arkansas Money & Politics
Dwain Hebda, Ya!Mule Wordsmiths for AY Magazine
Ella McCarthy, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice
Erika Konig, Meghnad Bose, Daniel Connolly, David Waters, Marc Perrusquia, Marc Perrusquia, Institute for Public Service Reporting
Jane Roberts , Mary Cashiola, The Daily Memphian
Jennifer Tormo Alvarez, Hoa Vu, Melinda Gonzalez Galjour, 225 Magazine
Jody Callahan, Chris Herrington, The Daily Memphian
Jonathan Feldman, Leader Newspaper
Josh Snyder, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Kimberley Jones, The Austin Chronicle
Matt Campbell, Arkansas Times
Micaela Watts, Marc Perrusquia, Institute for Public Service Reporting
Natalie Wallington, Katherine Burgess, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism
Nick Judin, Ashton Pittman, Heather Harrison, William Pittman, Mississippi Free Press
Nick Judin, Kevin Edwards, Ashton Pittman, Mississippi Free Press
Philip Martin, The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Phillip Powell, Arkansas Times
Rebecca Cadenhead, Charity Scott, Kevin Wurm, Andrea Morales, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism
Riley Bienvenu Bourgeois, Bre Pizzolato, Sally Grace Cagle, Melinda Gonzales, Hoa Vu, inRegister Magazine
Sammie Seamon, The Austin Chronicle
Samuel Hardiman, Jane Donahoe, The Daily Memphian
Sonny Albarado, Arkansas Advocate
Sophie Bates, David A. Lieb, Illan Ireland, M.K. Wilderman, Alex Rozier, Mississippi Free Press, Associated Press, Mississippi Today
Staff, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism/ProPublica
Staff , The Austin Chronicle
Tess Vrbin, Arkansas Advocate
Tommy Foltz, The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Torsheta Jackson, Heather Harrison, Ashton Pittman, Jaylin Smith, Mississippi Free Press
Whitley O’Connor, Henry Hargreaves, Curbside Chronicle
TELEVISION
40/29 Staff, KHBS/KHOG
Ashlei King, Julian Jones, FOX16
Brad Horn, KNWA FOX24
Brandon Evans, KHBS/KHOG TV
Breanna Hampton, Cherokee Phoenix
Brett Rains, KHBS/KHOG
Doug Warner, KNWA
Doug Warner, Brad Horn, KNWA
Doug Warner, Joshua Rugger, Peyton Langford, KNWA
Dylan Price, Jacob Osborn, KARK 4 and FOX16
Kathryn Thornberry, KARK 4 and FOX16
Kevin Kelly, FOX16 KLRT
Kevin Kelly, Julian Jones, FOX16 KLRT
Kevin Kelly, Kwasi Harshaw, FOX16 KLRT
Kevin Kelly, Lavant Randall, FOX16 KLRT
Kimberly Rusley, Duncan Meece, KFDM 6
Lauren Motley, KNWA FOX24 Fayetteville
Madison Taylor, KHBS/KHOG
Matt Grant Josh Hinkle, Dalton Huey Chris Nelson, KXAN-TV
Micah Fletcher, Cherokee Phoenix
Michael Aaron, Skot Covert, Joel Kattner, KFSM
Phil Reed, KHBS/KHOG TV
Tiffany Baskerville, KFSM-TV Ft. Smith
Tyre White, Clover Wagner, KATV 7 NEWS
AUDIO
Danny Wicentowski, St. Louis Public Radio
Erika Konig, Institute for Public Service Reporting and WKNO-FM public radio
Josie Lenora, Little Rock Public Radio
Laura Kebede-Twumasi, Institute for Public Service Reporting and WKNO-FM public radio
Maggie Ryan, Little Rock Public Radio
Maggie Ryan, National Public Radio
Nathan Treece, Josie Lenora, Maggie Ryan, Emma Bertram, Little Rock Public Radio
Paul Ladd, World Christian Broadcasting’s New Life Station & worldchristian.org
VISUAL JOURNALISM
Adam Vogler, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Alison Fulton, Chris Fulton, Mountain Home Observer
Andrea Morales, Kevin Wurm, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism
Carrie Hill, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Chad Hunter, Cherokee Phoenix
Colin Murphey, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Henry Hargreaves, Whitley O’Connor, Curbside Chronicle
Jennifer Tormo Alvarez, Melinda Gonzalez Galjour, Collin Richie, 225 Magazine
Jordan Hefler, Riley Bienvenu Bourgeois, Bre Pizzolato, Sally Grace Cagle, inRegister Magazine
Mandy Keener, Layet Johnson, Sarah Richardson, Sara Reeves, Arkansas Times
Mandy Keener, Sara Reeves, Arkansas Times
Melinda Gonzalez Galjour, 225 Magazine
Michael Hoge, Sarah Smythe, Heather Kersten, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Riley Bienvenu Bourgeois, Jordan Hefler, Jackie Haxthausen, Hoa Vu, Bre Pizzolato, Sally Grace Cagle, inRegister Magazine
Staci Vandagriff, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Staff, Mississippi Free Press
Stan Denman, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Thomas Metthe, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
William Pittman, Mississippi Free Press
SPECIAL TOPICS
Aprille Spivey, Arkansas Catholic
Chase Hartsell, Ouachita Baptist University Athletics
Chris Fulton, Mountain Home Observer
Dwain Hebda, Ya!Mule Wordsmiths for AY Media Group
Dwain Hebda, Ya!Mule Wordsmiths for Arkansas Money & Politics
Dwain Hebda, Catherine Frederick, Ya!Mule Wordsmiths for Do South Magazine
Erik Tryggestad, The Christian Chronicle
Frank Lockwood, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Illan Ireland, William Pittman, Mississippi Free Press, Ag & Water Desk
Mark Carter, Arkansas Money & Politics
Mark Carter, Arkansas Money & Politics
Roger Amos, Mississippi Free Press
Stephanie Smittle, Arkansas Times
Tom Murphy, Matt Byrne, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
COMMUNICATIONS
Amye Buckley, Crafton Tull
Angelita Faller, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Aprille Spivey, Arkansas Children’s Health System
Chase Hartsell, Ouachita Baptist University
Crafton Tull Marketing Team, Social Media, Earned Media, Owned Media
Donnie Sewell, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts
Emily Partridge, Heifer International
Staci Miller, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Wendy Jordan, Crafton Tull
STUDENT JOURNALISM
Alexa Durben, The Volunteer Channel
Claire Thatcher, The Daily Beacon
Emma Fingeret, Sydney Barney, Lailah Rucker, Ablaze Magazine
Erika Konig, University of Memphis
Gracie Guillot, LSU Tiger TV
Gracyn Thatcher, Kate Barber, The Volunteer Channel
Kierra Evans, LSU Tiger TV
Lindsay Favre, The Daily Beacon
Luke Lamoree, The Volunteer Channel
Mary Lyle, The Echo
Meredith Lipsey, The Echo
Olivia Lee, Caden Dyer, Patrick Busch, The Daily Beacon
Patricia Caputo, LSU Tiger TV
Sophie Starkey, The Volunteer Channel
Tiger TV Staff , LSU Tiger TV
TVC Staff, The Volunteer Channel
Vivian Phillips, The Echo
CRAFT ACHIEVEMENT
Ashlei King, FOX16/KLRT
Ashton Pittman, Mississippi Free Press
Colin Murphey, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Darby Bybee, KHBS/KHOG
Heather Baker, AY Media Group
Kevin Kelly, FOX16/KLRT
Kimberly Rusley, KFDM 6
Lauren Motley, KNWA FOX24 Fayetteville
Matt Byrne, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Sarah DeClerk, AY Media Group
Staci Miller, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Thomas Metthe, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Wendy Jordan, Crafton Tull
DIAMOND HONORS
Ainsley Platt, Arkansas Advocate
Bill Bowden, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Bobby Ross Jr., The Christian Chronicle and Religion Unplugged
Caden Dyer, The Daily Beacon
Dwain Hebda, Ya!Mule Wordsmiths
Erika Konig, University of Memphis
Erika Konig, Meghnad Bose, Daniel Connolly, David Waters, Institute for Public Service Reporting
Illan Ireland, Mississippi Free Press, Ag & Water Desk
Lia Portillo, Marshall News Messenger
Matt Byrne, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Rebecca Cadenhead, Charity Scott, Kevin Wurm, Andrea Morales, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism
Tammy Keith, Log Cabin Democrat
A-MARK PRIZE
Chris Fulton, Mountain Home Observer
Josh Snyder, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
