The 48th annual Distinguished Journalist Awards Banquet of the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, honoring six local journalists, one high school adviser and two students, is Wednesday evening.
The honorees were chosen by the SPJ/LA board following nominations by fellow journalists. The honors recognize “outstanding contributions across print, television, radio, visual and digital media.”
This year’s honorees are:
— Louis Sahagun, reporter, Los Angeles Times (print media with 90,000+ circulation);
— Toni Sciacqua, managing editor for digital, Southern California News Group (print media, below 90,000 circulation);
— H. Susan Henderson, publisher/editor, Mountain Views News (print media, micro/community, below 10,000 circulation);
— Salvador Duran, national correspondent, Univision (broadcast/TV);
— Margaret Carrero, anchor, KNX (radio/audio);
— Ashley Alvarado, vice president of community engagement, LAist (digital); and
— Francine Orr, photojournalist, Los Angeles Times (visual media).
Adriana Chavira, a former reporter who now serves as a journalism adviser at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, will receive the organization’s Freedom of Information Award.
Two students will also be honored:
— Cebelihle Hlatshwayo, who became the first Black editor of The Corsair at Santa Monica College; and
— Anne To, who majored in journalism at Cal State Los Angeles and is a current fellow with the Berkeley California Local News Fellowship.
Bill Whitaker, a “60 Minutes” correspondent who has worked for CBS News for more than 40 years, will be the keynote speaker at the banquet, which will be at the Castaway restaurant in Burbank.