The annual Salute to Excellence National Media Awards competition honors coverage of the African-American community. FishbowlNY emailed Ryan L. Williams, the Director of Programs & Professional Development for the National Association of Black Journalists on the awards.

FishbowlNY: The deadline for entries in the Salute to Excellence National Media Awards competition is February 20. There are obviously a lot of stories to chose from. How are the entries going?

Ryan L. Williams: These awards recognize journalists, no matter their ethnicity, and reward them for stories that are relevant, important, and most of all encouraged. We've received hundreds of submissions from print, broadcast, and online media from throughout the country, while opening our call for entries, we've receive a great number of telephone calls and emails regarding this year's work to enter into our annual contest. With so many great stories this year, I expect a flood of entries this February.

FishbowlNY: It is a very positive moment for African-Americans
in the media in the United States, with the rise of Senator Obama's candidacy, as well as Oprah's media position. What are your thoughts on the state of the media coverage of African-Americans right now?

Ryan L. Williams: I believe the work covered has been tremendously important. Award season is my favorite time of year here, a great time to sum up the year and the full amount of objective coverage of African/African-Americans. These awards recognize journalists no matter what ethnicity that their work these great stories is relevant, important, and most of all encouraged.

FishbowlNY: Over the years are there any favorite stories that
have won awards from the NABJ?

Ryan L. Williams: Best Online News Project, "Being a Black Man" Online Series. The Print version also won Best Newspaper Feature Story for the Washington Post, Staff of WashingtonPost.com.
''2007 - Lara Logan, Max McClellan, Bill Owens, Bob Hill 'Darfur' ,CBS Evening News, Best Network International Story.''

''2007 - Jason Carroll, 'Linguistic Profiling,' CNN Best in Network Television, News, Long Form

''2007 - Magazine, Specialty-Circulation Over 1 Million: Angela Burt-Murray, Claire McIntosh, Rosemarie Robotham, Lynya Floyd 'The Story of AIDS in Black America,' Essence magazine.''

The deadline for entry in the Salute to Excellence National Media Awards is February 20, 2008. Information here.

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