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Press Freedom Gala honors 6 as ‘Supporters of Democracy’
A filmmaker, along with his late brother and partner … a civilian who died in a foreign war. A 50-year journalist and columnist. A longtime newspaper publisher. Arkansas’ governor. The state’s most prominent university athletic director.
These were the honorees at the inaugural Arkansas Press Freedom Gala, “Celebrating Supporters of Democracy” and hosted by the Arkansas Press Association. The event took place Oct. 20 in the Wally Allen Ballroom, Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, and was emceed by Rex Nelson, Democrat-Gazette senior editor and columnist.
Preceded by a reception, the dinner program got underway with a welcome by Ashley Kemp Wimberley, the association’s executive director; a video showcasing the association’s history; and a musical presentation by the Philander Smith Collegiate Choir.
John Tull presented Distinguished Service awards to Craig Renaud and the late Brent Renaud for contributions to journalism and documentary filmmaking in Arkansas and around the world. (Brent Renaud became the first American journalist casualty of the Ukraine war when he was killed while filming the refugees of the Russian invasion in March.) Skip Rutherford presented the first of two Golden 50 Service Awards to Democrat-Gazette columnist John Brummett. Eliza Hussman Gaines presented the second such award to her father, Democrat-Gazette publisher Walter E. Hussman Jr.
Mitch Bettis presented the 2020 Headliner of the Year Award to Gov. Asa Hutchinson for accessibility to the media and transparency to Arkansas citizens during the pandemic. Rusty Turner presented the 2021 Headliner of the Year Award to Hunter Yurachek — University of Arkansas, Fayetteville vice chancellor and director of athletics — for bringing national attention and positive headlines to the state with his leadership of the UA athletic program.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the nonprofit Arkansas Newspaper Foundation.