The Missouri Press Association has named Rebecca Martin, city editor at the Jefferson City News Tribune, the 2018 William E. James/Missouri Outstanding Young Journalist award for daily newspapers in the state.
The recipients of the award have demonstrated excellence in the field of journalism and maintained the quality, ethics and standards of The Journalist's Creed.
Shortly after graduating from Benedictine College with a bachelor's degree in journalism, Martin was hired in June 2013 as a reporter at The Lake Today, a former sister publication of the News Tribune in the Lake of the Ozarks area. There she reported primarily on school and community news in Eldon and Versailles, as well as event coverage while offering readers new interactive features, an increased social media presence and more website content.
Martin moved to Jefferson City, where her role as a leader has grown. In January 2017, she became city editor, which has her supervising a staff of nine reporters, while coordinating and directing the newspaper's social media and digital ventures. Martin has also taken on the mantle of spearheading the News Tribune's efforts with the Trusting News Project through the Reynolds Journalism Institute.
"Rebecca has a seemingly unquenchable passion for making a difference through journalism," editor Gary Castor said. "She has this innate talent of building upon the traditions of journalism, while exploring how we can better communicate with our readers through a variety of new, cutting-edge approaches. Those who are blessed to work beside her can't help but catch some of that passion, and the community is definitely blessed by her devotion and talents."
Martin will receive her award during MPA's 152nd annual Convention in St. Louis.
Receiving the Outstanding Young Journalist Award for weekly newspapers was Ethan Colbert, editor of the Bowling Green Times.
In 2014, Colbert worked as an intern at the News Tribune while he was a student at the University of Missouri.