Press Release

NAHJ Presents Scripps' Phillips and Temple with President's Award during Annual Hall of Fame Gala

WASHINGTON, D.C. - National Association of Hispanic Journalists' (NAHJ) President Juan Gonzalez has honored two key people who have played vital roles in the success of the organization's Parity Project.

Michael Phillips, director of editorial development for the E.W. Scripps Co., and John Temple, who is editor, president and publisher of the Scripps-owned Rocky Mountain News in Denver have received the NAHJ President's Award. They were honored during the association's Hall of Fame Gala at the UNITY 2004 convention last night.

Gonzalez cited the visionary leadership of Temple and Phillips in making Scripps the first media company to partner with NAHJ on the Parity Project. NAHJ launched the project at the Rocky Mountain News in April of 2003.

Since the paper joined the project, the number of Latino journalists has more than doubled, while the overall number of journalists of color in its newsroom has increased from 8.5% to 11.6%.

NAHJ's work with Scripps resulted in the association receiving a $1 million grant from the Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation to rapidly expand the Parity Project during the next three years.

Gonzalez presented the award as his last official act as president of NAHJ. Gonzalez term ended later that evening. He will remain on the board as an ex-officio member and will continue to serve as the chair of NAHJ's Parity Project committee.