ONA 75th anniversary Web site launched
The public is being invited to join the observance of ONA’s 75th anniversary with this week’s launch of www.newspapersmakehistory.com. In development for several months, the special Web site features historical newspaper pages that describe 75 significant Ohio news events from the 75 years beginning with 1933, the year of ONA’s founding.
Site visitors are not only able to view the historical pages but are also invited to enter a contest by voting for what they think are the “top five” news events. The winner will receive $1,000 and will be a special guest at the 2009 ONA Convention on Feb. 11.
Voting for the “top five” news events will be tabulated, with results announced by ONA in late December. Although the contest deadline is Dec. 15, the site will remain active through February 2009.
Beginning with a dramatic account of gangster John Dillinger’s escape from a Lima jail in 1933 and concluding with coverage of last year’s flooding in northwest Ohio, the site features stories of significant events in business, sports, science and medicine, civil rights government and politics. More than 20 ONA member newspapers contributed pages from their archives.
In a welcome statement on the site, ONA president Ken Douthit and executive director Frank Deaner wrote, “This Web site has been developed so all Ohioans can join us in not only celebrating our anniversary, but to draw attention to the continuing importance of newspapers — in print and now online — to record the events in our communities.”
Ads to promote the site have been distributed to all ONA members. The Web site project is one of several that originated with ONA’s anniversary committee: Frank Beeson, Brown Publishing Co.; Hal Douthit, Douthit Communications; Dick Morris, Bowling Green Sentinel Tribune; and Lisa Reuter, Columbus Dispatch.
