SALISBURY — The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA) & Hall of Fame, Inc. will now be known as the National Sports Media Association (NSMA) and Hall of Fame. The NSMA has re-launched its website, www.nationalsportsmedia.org as well.

“It makes sense to take advantage of the rapidly-changing media landscape to include all facets of sports media in our organization,” NSMA executive director Dave Goren said. “With the focus moving to digital media, and people performing different jobs, the timing is right for change.”

Goren said NSMA plans to open its membership to all sports media professionals, students and those who have an interest in sports communications. “From photographers to producers, directors, editors and more – it may be the sportscasters and sports writers who get the attention, but they can’t do their jobs without help from people behind the scenes,” Goren said. Plans to include other media in the NSMA’s Awards weekend are being developed for 2017.

The NSMA Hall of Fame features more than 90 inductees, including Grantland Rice, Mel Allen, Red Smith, Jim Murray, Lindsey Nelson, Shirley Povich, Jimmy Cannon, Dave Anderson, Jack Buck, Jim McKay, Howard Cosell, Marty Glickman, Keith Jackson, Vin Scully, Al Michaels, Dick Enberg, Frank Deford, Sally Jenkins, Bob Costas, Bob Ryan, John Feinstein, Dick Schaap and Lesley Visser.

The NSMA offices are currently located on the Catawba College campus, where the organization was founded in 1959.

Sports media interested in membership should go to www.nationalsportsmedia.org

ABOUT THE NSMA

The NSMA began in 1953, as the North Carolina Sports Writers and Sports Broadcasters Association. The organization transitioned to national status in 1959, held its first Awards Banquet in April, 1960, and was officially incorporated on Oct. 3, 1974. In a February 1976 Internal Revenue Service determination letter, the Hall of Fame was recognized as exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The NSMA will hold its 57^th Awards Weekend, June 18-20, 2016, in Salisbury, N.C. Chris Berman, Billy Packer, Gary Smith the late David Halberstam will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. National Sportscaster of the Year Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick and, National Sportswriter of the Year Tom Verducci will be honored, along with 104 State Sportscasters and Sportswriters from throughout the country. Registration and ticket information can be found at www.nationalsportsmedia.org.