AMA Honors 5 Hall of Fame Legends, Unveils Bold 2024 Plans at Arizona Media Future and Awards Lunch

The Arizona Media Association (AMA) celebrated the induction of five media legends into its Hall of Fame during a record-breaking luncheon on January 26, 2024. The event took place at the Scottsdale JW Marriott Camelback Inn, drawing a crowd of 500 attendees.

This year’s Future and Awards Lunch marked the launch of a new statewide political debates partnership for 2024. The AMA also introduced the Arizona Local News Foundation and unveiled its “big tent” organization, representing a wide array of media including radio, TV, print, and digital.

The 2024 Hall of Fame inductees are Kit Atwell, Bruce Cooper, Al Macias, Terri Ouellette, and Floyd Simmons. Each honoree has made significant contributions to Arizona’s media landscape.

Kit Atwell has been an advocate for Arizona newspapers for nearly 50 years. She began her career as a typesetter and rose to roles such as publisher and CEO. Atwell is known for her leadership in transforming the newspaper industry to adopt digital technologies.

Bruce Cooper, affectionately known as “Coop,” served at 12News in Phoenix for 34 years. Starting in the mailroom, he became the lead sports anchor and director. Coop is renowned for his coverage of Arizona high school football and his community advocacy, notably through the 12News Turkey Tuesday charity drive.

Al Macias has a nearly 50-year career in Arizona journalism, beginning as a TV reporter and ascending to leadership positions. At KJZZ-FM, he spearheaded the Fronteras Desk project and expanded the station’s reach internationally. Macias is also a founding member of the Arizona Latino Media Association.

Terri Ouellette, known as Terri O, has been a prominent figure in TV news and lifestyle programming. She helped launch “Good Morning Arizona” on 3TV and currently hosts “Sonoran Living” on ABC15. Her work extends beyond TV to include significant community service.

Floyd Simmons has spent 30 years in radio and local media in Arizona’s White Mountains. Renowned for his local sports coverage, Simmons also heads a production company responsible for live broadcasting major indoor football events. His community work includes initiatives supporting Navajo youth through sports.

During the event, the AMA also outlined its main focus areas for the coming year: local media recruitment, a media information hub, media advocacy, and news preservation.