The Selma Sun took home 11 awards for work produced in 2023 in the Alabama Press Association Media Awards presented on June 29.
Of the awards, six were first place and recognized the Sun's innovative multimedia efforts, including our live weekly newscast hosted by Publisher Cindy Fisher and Staff Writer Todd Prater and for best podcast series for “In the Black Belt” hosted by Prater. We also swept a video category, winning all three places. Visit our YouTube channel to see those videos.
The Sun won best breaking online news for coverage of the Jan. 12, 2023 tornado and best local news coverage.
The Selma Sun took home best public service for our Food for the Soul recipe video series that we produced in partnership with nonprofit Our Community Doc in Selma. You can watch those and read the recipes here.
The Selma Sun won first, second and third place awards in the category of Best Use of Video Shorter Than 2 Minutes for coverage of tornado damage by Fisher and staff member Chico Cleveland, for a story about Gees Bend Quilters by Fisher and Prater, and for a story produced by Fisher and Cleveland about a hero who saved children at a daycare center from tornado damage.
The Sun's parent company, Kingfisher Media, started the Black Belt News Network in 2023 to provide regional coverage of the Black Belt.
“The Black Belt Newscast: Year in Review” by Fisher and Prater won second place in the category of Use of Video Longer Than 2 Minutes.
Selma Sun’s Tic Tok channel received third place honors in the category Best Use of Social Media.
Fisher said she was proud that she and her staff were recognized for their work in digital categories.
“We believe the citizens of the Black Belt deserve the same quality and variety of news as Alabamians who live in big cities,” Fisher said. “We have a passion to bring news to our audience wherever they get their news, whether in print, online or on their phones.”
“We are thrilled to communicate and connect with even more communities in the Black Belt through strong hyperlocal news delivered online at BlackBeltNewsNetwork.com,” Fisher said. “We meet readers where they are through stories, videos and podcasts and are honored to now serve as the go-to information site for west and central Alabama.”
This year, 56 publications submitted 1,770 entries in the annual contest. Awards were given at the annual conference at Perdido Beach Resort. The Hoosier State Press Association membership judged the entries.
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