2009 Online Journalism Award Winners Featured in New Newseum Display


WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - February 9, 2010) - The Online News Association, the world's largest membership organization of digital journalists, today announced the opening of an interactive display featuring the winners of the 2009 Online Journalism Awards (OJAs) at the Newseum, the interactive museum of news in Washington, D.C.

The award winners, announced by the Online News Association (ONA) in October 2009, are recipients of the only all-digital media awards celebrating the best of online journalism across the globe.

Featured on a digital kiosk in the Newseum's Digital News Gallery, the display highlights interviews with OJA-winning journalists -- ranging from major news outlets to bloggers to community publishers -- and includes samples of their work. Chosen for their innovative take on online news, either in coverage, format or technology used, the winners also will be featured on the Newseum's Web site, newseum.org.

"Too much important digital journalism is disappearing before our eyes, nearly as quickly as it's published," said ONA Executive Director Jane McDonnell. "This project will be a small first step toward an archive that will capture the best of new media for posterity."

The exhibit will be expanded during the year to explore a decade's worth of milestones and innovation in online news reporting. One-on-one interviews with previous OJA winners will be added to offer historical perspective on the early days of online journalism.

"The Newseum has an extraordinary collection of newspapers, books, television broadcasts, radio reports and films," said Ken Paulson, president of the Newseum. "This new partnership with the Online News Association to showcase great digital journalism ensures the preservation and celebration of contemporary reporting, regardless of medium."

The Newseum -- a 250,000-square-foot museum of news -- offers visitors an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits. Within its seven levels of galleries and theaters, the Newseum offers a unique environment that takes museum-goers behind the scenes to experience how and why news is made.

The Online News Association is the world's largest association of online journalists. ONA's mission is to inspire innovation and excellence among journalists to better serve the public. The membership includes news writers, producers, designers, editors, bloggers, technologists, photographers and others who produce news for the Internet or other digital delivery systems, as well as academic members and others interested in the development of online journalism. ONA also hosts the annual Online News Association annual conference and administers the Online Journalism Awards.

Contact Information: For more information, contact: Jane McDonnell Executive Director Online News Association Sherry Skalko Editor Journalists.org