Local journalist Keith Lawrence is among the 10 inductees for the 2021 Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame class.
Lawrence began his career at the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer in January of 1972, and he said since then it’s been great to watch the town grow.
“I started reading newspapers when I was 8 years old — comics, sports and then I discovered the news,” Lawrence said. “Bill Powell was a reporter, columnist and editor for what was then the Paducah Sun-Democrat. I discovered the power of words through his writing. When I started at Murray (State University) in 1965, he hired me as a stringer for what’s now the Paducah Sun. The exciting thing for me is that although he died in 1991, he’s being inducted this year too.”
This year’s induction ceremony will be held online at 5 p.m. May 4.
This year’s other inductees are:
- Michael Collins, who covers economic issues and the White House for USA Today;
- The late Bill Cox, who served as an editor at The Honolulu Star-Bulletin and The Courier-Journal;
- Monica Dias, senior counsel for content and intellectual property at The E.W. Scripps Co. and former reporter for The Cincinnati Post/The Kentucky Post;
- John Lansing, president and CEO of National Public Radio and former managing editor at WAVE-3;
- The late Chuck Olmstead, who was a longtime reporter with WHAS-11;
- The late Bill Powell, who was a reporter for the Paducah Sun;
- Keith Runyon, former editorial page editor of The Courier-Journaland editorial writer of the Louisville Times;
- Pam Spaulding, former photographer of The Courier-Journal;
- Melissa Swan, former reporter and anchor for WHAS-11.
The Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame recognizes Kentuckians who have made significant contributions to the profession of journalism. Nominees must be natives of Kentucky or journalists who have spent a significant portion of their careers in Kentucky.
The Hall of Fame has inducted Pulitzer Prize winners, reporters, editors, photographers, publishers, broadcasters, journalism teachers and others who have left their mark on journalism.
