Baltimore Times’ Joy Bramble Honored as Publisher of the Year at NNPA Convention

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Joy Bramble, founder of The Baltimore Times, was awarded the prestigious Publisher of the Year Award at the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) annual convention, held from June 19–22, at the Four Seasons in Baltimore. Bramble began her newspaper at her kitchen table on Madison Avenue in November 1986. She has been recognized for her unwavering commitment to community involvement, empowering Black Baltimore, and engaging younger readers and writers.

Bramble’s unwavering dedication to her work, which includes various programs and projects that have significantly strengthened the local community, was a key factor in her receiving the honor. Her tireless efforts have not only transformed The Baltimore Times from a monthly publication into an indispensable newspaper for its readers but have also inspired a new generation of community leaders.

The convention also saw The St. Louis American leading the pack with a dozen awards, including first place in the Armstrong Ellington Entertainment category and the Robert L. Vann Layout & Design Award. Real Times Media publications, the Michigan Chronicle, and the New Pittsburgh Courier secured a combined total of eight awards at the NNPA Fund’s Messenger Awards on June 20.

The Michigan Chronicle won five awards, including a first-place prize in the Facebook Campaign category and second in the A. Philip Randolph Website Excellence and Armstrong Ellington Entertainment categories, and third place in the Education, Frank L. Stanley Award, and Original Photography Use categories. Meanwhile, the New Pittsburgh Courier earned three awards, including third in the Business category for excellence in storytelling and second in the Newsletter Excellence and Broadsheet Layout & Design (Robert L. Vann Award) categories.

Hiram E. Jackson, CEO of Real Times Media and Publisher of the Michigan Chronicle, praised the dedication of their newsrooms, including the Atlanta Daily World and the Chicago Defender. “These awards are truly a testament to the dedication of our teams to tell stories that are reflective of our communities,” said Jackson. “I want to congratulate the Real Times Media staff for constantly staying abreast of the most important issues and reporting on these issues through the lens of the Black press, which has served as our collective voice for the last 197 years.”

Rod Doss, Publisher of the New Pittsburgh Courier, added “It’s a great honor to be
recognized for excellence by your peers, and it’s the collective hard work of the Real Times Media team – constantly learning and adapting with the times – that makes these honors truly special.”

“We are constantly searching for new ways to serve our communities, and it’s critically important, especially during such a tumultuous political climate, to continue to inform, educate, and entertain our readers with accurate and insightful journalism,” Doss stated.

The Atlanta Voice also earned six awards for journalistic excellence, including the
Emory O. Jackson Award for health coverage and the Ada S. Franklin Award for fashion. The Sacramento Observer, whose publisher Larry Lee won the 2023 Publisher of the Year, earned six awards. Additional winners included The Washington Informer, Texas Metro News, Houston Forward Times, Houston Defender, Insight News, Minneapolis Spokesman-Recorder, Los Angeles Sentinel, New York Amsterdam News, and Seattle Medium.

The NNPA’s daily digital show, “Let It Be Known,” was also honored with the Black
Press of America’s “Black Excellence in Media” award.

The NNPA, a beacon of the Black Press of America for 197 years, representing more than 200 African-American-owned newspapers and media companies, has been the voice of the Black community, celebrating excellence in journalism and community service. “These awards are not just a testament to the dedication of our teams to tell stories that are reflective of our communities,” said Jackson, “but also a testament to the rich history and legacy of the NNPA.”