A stable of six of outstanding journalists will comprise the first induction class into the new Tennessee Journalism Hall of Fame on April 26 at Middle Tennessee State University’s Murphy Center Arena.

John Seigenthaler (Nashville Newspaper)

Nashville Tennessean Publisher Emeritus John Seigenthaler, a man who has impacted the media profession nationally and statewide, heads the group of inductees, chosen from throughout the Volunteer State.

Mr. Seigenthaler was knocked unconscious during a1960’s Alabama civil rights demonstration as administrative assistant to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, and was instrumental in the criminal investigation of Jimmy Hoffa that led to the impeachment of Chattanooga Criminal Court Judge Ralston Schoolfield.

Dan Miller (Nashville television)

Other inductees include: Dan Miller, deceased, for his achievements as chief news anchor at Nashville WSMV Channel 4 where he was named the “Most Popular News Anchor  in America” once, and multiple times  was voted Nashville’s “best news anchor.”

Bill Williams (Paris, TN newspaper)

William Bryant (Bill) Williams Jr., a third generation community newspaper publisher, is Publisher Emeritus of the Paris (Tenn.) Post-Intelligencer that has served the Henry County community since 1866.

Anne Holt (Nashville television)

Anne Holt is a 30-year veteran and 3-time Emmy Award winner at News 2, WKRN TV, in Nashville, recipient of the coveted George Foster Peabody Award for investigative reporting, and one of 13 children born in a sharecropper’s family at Henning, Tenn.

Chris Clark (Nashville television)

Chris Clark, retired chief news anchor for WTVF, Channel 5, who produced multiple global documentaries in foreign nations, including Russia and Israel, and played a strategic role in convincing the Tennessee Supreme Court to allow cameras in courtrooms.

Dean Stone (Maryville newspaper)

Dean Stone, editor of the Maryville Times where he still serves as a featured columnist. He served multiple terms as president of the Tennessee Associated Press Managing Editors Association.

The first class of honorees will be inducted in ceremonies scheduled at 3 p.m. at MTSU’s College of Mass Communication’s annual awards event honoring outstanding journalism students and educators.

Murfreesboro Mayor Tommy Bragg, whose father, the late State Representative John Bragg and his father, Minor Bragg, founded and published several mid-state newspapers this past century.

Mayor Bragg commented,  “Having the new Hall of Fame located on premises of the university is appropriate, since the Mass Communications collage is universally recognized as one of our nation’s most outstanding training grounds for journalism professionals of the future.”

The Murfreesboro Mayor noted, “It’s also appropriate having the Hall of Fame here, because Tennessee’s geographic center, known as the ‘Geographic Heart’ of the Great Volunteer State, is located within a few yards of MTSU and is in the city limits of Murfreesboro.”

Immediate past Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce Chairman Peter Demos, and president of Demos Restaurants, acknowledged the “positive presence” of having the hall of fame located in Rutherford County.

Demos said, “Having the Tennessee Journalism Hall of Fame here regularly points attention to our great university, its internationally-recognized Mass Communications journalism college and to our progressive community overall.”