New leadership, directions named for news service
7/31/2003 News media contact: Stephen Drachler · (615) 742-5411
NASHVILLE,
Tenn. (UMNS) - Ginny Underwood has been named director, and Tim Tanton
managing editor, of United Methodist News Service, the Rev. Larry
Hollon, top staff executive of the church's communications agency, has
announced.
Underwood, 31, currently managing editor of UMTV, the
denomination's television news operation, and Tanton, 42, currently news
editor of United Methodist News Service, will assume their new duties
Aug. 1, Hollon said. The changes were announced July 31.
"Ginny
and Tim are outstanding journalists and committed United Methodists.
They bring strong and complementary skills to the table as the leaders
of our news team," Hollon said.
"United Methodist News Service
has long been respected as a credible and reliable source of news and
information from the church," Hollon said. "The changes we are making
will allow us to expand delivery of news and information to secular and
religious news organizations and to other internal and external
audiences."
The changes, Hollon said, result from the
realignment of some of the operations of United Methodist Communications
approved by its governing board at a meeting in San Diego earlier in
July.
UMTV, the denomination's nationally recognized television
news operation, becomes a part of the news service Aug. 1. An
Internet-based radio news operation is planned to go online this fall.
Earlier this year, the news service began offering e-mail newsletter
templates to local congregations. Headquartered in Nashville, the news
service also has offices in New York City and Washington.
"For
more than 60 years, United Methodist News Service has been telling the
stories of United Methodists living out their faith and making a
difference in the world. These changes reflect United Methodist
Communications commitment to share those stories and, more than ever,
its mission to live the gospel by giving voice to the voiceless
throughout the world," Hollon added.
Underwood joined United
Methodist Communications in 1994 as director of its Native American
Communications Office. She is a member of the Comanche tribe of
Oklahoma. In 1996, she joined the staff of "Odyssey Weekly," a
church-supported television news magazine, rising to become managing
editor of its successor, "True North," on the Hallmark Channel, from
2000 until 2002.
In 2002, Underwood became the lead developer
and manager of UMTV, a television news operation that produces about 100
stories annually for local and national broadcast outlets. In the first
six months of 2003, stations in 34 U.S. television markets reaching
nearly 45 million viewers picked up UMTV stories for broadcast.
Underwood began her television news career as an associate producer for
an Oklahoma City television station.
A graduate of Oklahoma City University, Underwood lives in Nashville with her husband, John, and two young daughters.
Tanton
joined United Methodist Communications in 1997 after serving as
business editor of the Nashville Banner, where his reporting won
numerous local and statewide honors. As news editor, he was responsible
for editing the copy of United Methodist News Service writers and
stringers, developing in-depth story packages and covering a news beat.
A
native of Huntsville, Ala., Tanton earned a bachelor's degree from the
University of Tennessee. He began his journalism career in 1983, working
for a number of newspapers before joining the Banner in 1989 as a
business writer. He was named business editor in 1993. He and his wife,
Jama Bowen, are the parents of a son. They live in Nashville.
At
its July meeting, the United Methodist Commission on Communication
approved the realignment of United Methodist News Service with UMTV and
the Office of Public Information.
|
Back : News Archives 2003 Main
|
|
“We believe in God and in each other.”The people of The United Methodist Church
Still Have Questions?
If you have any questions Ask
InfoServ
Purchase a $20 buzzkill t-shirt and help save a life
Buy a t-shirt
|
Korean News