BirminghamWatch founder Carol Nunnelley has been selected for the 2019 Distinguished Mass Media Achievement Award by the Auburn University Journalism Advisory Council.

Nunnelley, a graduate of Samford University, is among five journalists who were selected for this year’s journalism awards by the Auburn council.

Others who will be honored at a luncheon and program on Sept. 13 are Kim Chandler, Associated Press Alabama capital reporter, Distinguished AU Journalism Alumnus Award; Connor Sheets, Alabama Media Group investigative reporter, Roy Bain Distinguished Achievement in Journalism Award; John Underwood, Baldwin County editor/reporter, John Stephenson Distinguished Alabama Community Journalist Award; and John Zenor, Associated Press sports reporter, Distinguished Alabama Community Sports Journalist Award.

Nunnelley was a reporter, city editor and managing editor for The Birmingham News, serving with the newspaper from 1966 to 2000. She joined Associated Press Media Editors in 2001, developing programs that worked with newsrooms across the country, including the National Credibility Roundtables Project and NewsTrain. In 2008, she received APME’s top award for working for the betterment of journalism.

“You can break down Carol Nunnelley’s journalism career into four acts,” said Alec Harvey, adviser to The Auburn Plainsman student newspaper and Nunnelley’s former colleague at The News. “Any of those acts would be worthy of honor.”

The AU Journalism Advisory Council established the awards in 2004 to recognize and celebrate the best and most enduring professionals among individuals in the state and those outside the state with Alabama roots. Only the AU Journalism Alumnus Award must go to someone with Auburn connections.