Tom Siler, Knoxville News Sentinel sports editor

Escar Thompson, Associated Press, Knoxville bureau chief

Horace V. Wells Jr., editor & publisher, Clinton Courier-News

Glenn McNeil, executive director, Tennessee Press Association

Charlie Daniel, editorial cartoonist, Knoxville News Sentinel

Carson Brewer, columnist, Knoxville News Sentinel

Alex Haley, author of Roots and other works, resident of East Tennessee until his death

Carl Williams, news anchor, WBIR-TV

Tom Hill, publisher, The Oak Ridger

Kelly Leiter, professor and dean, University of Tennessee

Sammie Lynn Puett, professor and vice president, University of Tennessee

Wilma Dykeman, columnist, Knoxville News Sentinel

Carl Vines, Knoxville bureau chief, United Press International

Ben Byrd, sports editor, Knoxville Journal

Harry Moskos, editor, Knoxville News Sentinel

Heartland Series creators, WBIR-TV

Georgiana Vines, columnist and associate editor, Knoxville News Sentinel

Bob Gray, news reporter, WATE-TV

Richard Smyser, editor, The Oak Ridger

Bill Williams, news anchor, WBIR-TV

Jack Kirkland, chief photographer, Knoxville News Sentinel

Bobby Denton, WIVK-FM radio personality and general manager

Ron McMahan, editor, Knoxville Journal

Jim Crook, professor and director, UT School of Journalism, “Father” of the Front Page Follies

Sam Venable, columnist, Knoxville News Sentinel

Jackie Brown, news writer, Knoxville News Sentinel

Tutt Bradford, publisher, Maryville Daily Times

Tom Chester, managing editor, Knoxville News Sentinel

David Haley Lauver, songwriter, speechwriter and humorist, chief writer of the Front Page Follies since its inception

Jack McElroy, editor, Knoxville News Sentinel and Richard Hollow, First Amendment attorney (see below for more details on the 2008 honorees)