Journalism Hall of Fame to induct 10

EDMOND, Okla. (AP) _ Ten Oklahoma journalists will be inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame during a ceremony next month at the University of Central Oklahoma. <br/><br/>This year's inductees

Saturday, March 12th 2005, 11:47 am

By: News On 6

EDMOND, Okla. (AP) _ Ten Oklahoma journalists will be inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame during a ceremony next month at the University of Central Oklahoma.

This year's inductees are photographer David G. Fitzgerald; photography professor Haskell O. ``Woody'' Gaddis of UCO; Sue Hale, executive editor of The Oklahoman; journalism educator Bettye Jane Johnston; James A. Killackey, education reporter for The Oklahoman; Mike McCormick, executive editor of the Shawnee News-Star; Publisher John D. Montgomery of the Purcell Register; radio journalist James G. Palmer; Dave Sittler, sports columnist for the Tulsa World; and Terri Watkins, reporter for KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City.

The luncheon program begins at 11:30 a.m. April 29 at UCO and is sponsored by the university's Journalism Department. Mark Thomas, executive director of the Oklahoma Press Association, will be master of ceremonies.

Eight journalists will be honored posthumously. The selection committee voted to induct them as a group.

They are Doris Hedges, 1910-1999, Eufaula Indian Journal; Vera Holding, 1884-1984, Waurika News-Democrat; Ben Langdon, 1913-1999, Mangum Star; Eugene Lorton, 1869-1949, Tulsa World; Joseph Miller, 1921-1992, Daily Oklahoman; Alexander L. Posey, 1873-1908, Eufaula Indian Journal; Wayne Singleterry, 1949-2001, Daily Oklahoman, and Tom Steed, 1904-1983, Shawnee News Star.

More than 150 journalists, friends and families are expected to attend the ceremony, which is co-sponsored by the campus chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Oklahoma Press Association.

``The annual ceremony has become an informal homecoming for distinguished previous honorees,'' said Dr. Terry M. Clark, UCO journalism chairman. ``The Hall is a virtual Who's Who of Oklahoma journalism, and the crowd will be filled with the giants of the profession.''

Honorees are selected by a committee composed of members of the working press, SPJ members and members of the Hall of Fame.

The committee sifts through all nominations, both new ones and those held over from previous years before selecting the honorees. Nomination forms are available at any time from the Journalism Department.

Framed citations are on display in a special Hall of Fame area in the Journalism Building at UCO.

The UCO Journalism Department is the host and administrator and the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation helped finance the display area.

All members of the Hall of Fame are listed at the Journalism Department's web site at http://www.libarts.ucok.edu/journalism.