Dirk Koning-George Stoney Humanistic Communication Award

The Dirk Koning – George Stoney Humanistic Communication Award is given annually to an organization or individual who has made an outstanding contribution to championing the growth and experience of humanistic community communications.

2023 Winner: CHAD JOHNSTON - CREATV San Jose

Chad has been working at the intersection of media and social justice since the late 90’s. He has led nonprofit Community Media Centers since 2004 in North Carolina and Minnesota, and in late 2016 moved to San Jose to take the CEO position at CreaTV. He has a passion for managing and shifting organizational cultures, and believes in challenging traditional nonprofit models. He has a double BA from Antioch College in Theater and Media Arts and a passion for community organizing.

As a board member of the Alliance for Community Media and member of the Media Action Grassroots Network, he has advocated for policies in support of community media and media justice. An occasional 35mm photographer and lover of all things in the kitchen, he feels at home when surrounded by plants and radical left political art.



Previous Winners

2023 - Chad Johnston, CreaTV
2022 - Maine Community Media Association
2021 - Peter Albert Williams, Northampton Open Media
2020 - Alan Bushong
2019 - Open Media Foundation
2018 - Curtis Henderson, Jr.
2017 - jesikah maria ross, Capital Public Radio
2016 – Ed Markey, U.S. Senate
2015 – Adrianne Furniss, Benton Foundation
2014 – Suzanne St. John-Crane, CreaTV San Jose
2013 – David C. Olson
2012 – Prometheus Radio Project
2011 – Susan Fleischmann, CCTV
2010 – Barbara Popovic
2009 – Randy VanDalsen
2008 – Margie Nicholson
2007 – Lauren-Glenn Davitian
2006 – Sam Behrend
2005 – Reclaim the Media, and Fred Cohn
2004 – Homer Baldwin, WCTV, Wadsworth, OH
Amy Goodman, “Democracy Now!”
2003 – Wanda Baer
2002 – The City of McMinnville, Oregon
2001 – The City of Brunswick, Ohio and Brunswick Township, Ohio
2000 – Dirk Koning, Grand Rapids (MI) Community Media Center
1999 – Sheriff B.J. Barnes
1998 – Anthony Riddle and Paula Manley
1997 – Eric Barnou
1996 – Shea & Gardner
1995 – Tremeleau County Cable Commission
1994 – Alan Dachman
1993 – Joe Van Eaton and Bob Devine
1992 – Herb Schiller
1991 – Dee Dee Halleck
1990 – The Benton Foundation
1989 – Alternative views, Austin, TX
1988 – Michael Myerson
1987 – Tom Borrup
1986 – Eugene Shirk, Mayor of Reading, PA
1985 – Nicholas Johnson
1984 – Roxie Cole
1983 – Diana Peck
1982 – Reverend Everett Parker
1981 – Jean Rice
1980 – Sue Miller Buske