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SPJI recognizes Jill A. Ditmire - by Mario Morone
by Mario Morone
posted: Jun. 24, 2021

Jill A. Ditmire posthumously received the Gene and Julie Slaymaker Award for Public Service in Journalism by the Indiana Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists earlier this month. The distinction honors a male or female professional journalist or student who has provided public service to journalism in the past year.

Jill Ditmire at a wine tasting demonstration at the Art Bank in 2008.
Jill Ditmire at a wine tasting demonstration at the Art Bank in 2008.
image courtesy of Mario Morone
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Ms. Ditmire was most recently host of Curious Mix, a local radio show that featured arts and music around Central Indiana that debuted in March of 2018.
Her biography at www.wfyi.org/news/authors/jill-ditmire, includes, "Jill Ditmire was no stranger to the broadcast world. Her face and voice were a daily part of the lives of viewers and listeners in the Midwest for 25 years. She was the local news anchor during "All Things Considered" and a contributor to "Morning Edition," "Sound Medicine," "Art of the Matter," "Curious Mix" and "Wednesday Live at 5:44." Jill's broadcast experience included anchoring and reporting news at television stations in Indianapolis, Detroit and Lafayette, including WTTV, WRTV, WLFI, WJBK, WTHR, WISH and the Ford Motor Company News Network. She produced her own television series on Indiana Public Television for eight years called "The Good Life" which showcased independent chefs, restaurants and local wineries.
She also co-hosted the Indiana Public Television show produced with the Department of Natural Resources and Ball State University, "Indiana Outdoors" for four years. Her radio experience included positions as anchor and reporter for WSAL, WAJC and Network Indiana. Jill was an Omnimedia Wine Specialist who used her wine wit and wisdom in print, radio, television and retail. An AWS Certified Wine Judge, Pillsbury BakeOff finalist and owner/buyer of The Mass Ave Wine Shoppe & Cafe in Indianapolis were a few of her other professional titles. Her "Mermaid Tipsy Tales," videos about wine and food, appear on www.massavewine.com.
Ms. Ditmire brought both depth of knowledge and innovation to her work, assets that led to a series of social media videos that many WFYI audience members used to stay connected to and inspired by the arts, especially during COVID-19. She also hosted/produced segments for the Indy Visitors Channel Network, which airs on 10,000 hotel rooms in Indianapolis.
She traveled regularly to wine regions of the world, sharing her findings with readers in magazines such as Tasters Guild, DINE, NUVO, Broad Ripple Gazette (Wine Scene column) and was a weekly contributor to "Too Many Cooks" on WICR. Jill wrote "Vintage Point" the wine review for the Indianapolis Star for four years. She was a freelance writer for Indianapolis Monthly Magazine and wrote the wine/food guides for Atlanta Magazine, Cabot Creamery, Michigan Wine Guide and Indiana Wine Guide. She was an AWS Certified Wine judge, working a number of competitions beginning in 1999 including the Indy International, San Francisco Chronicle and Sonoma County Harvest Fair. She was a finalist in the 2000 Pillsbury Bake Off. She and two other women created the Vintage Indiana Wine Festival in 2000. Jill also participated in the yearly event running the "Wine/Food Experience Tent."
She taught 'Newswriting 101' for Butler University, conducted media training sessions for 19th Star Production Company, appeared in numerous TV commercials and corporate videos through her work with Artistic Enterprises Casting of Indianapolis. Jill was the former President, Vice President and member of the Indyfringe Board of Directors and an active member of IDADA and the Mass Ave Merchants Association (MAMA). She emceed and served as the honorary chair for the yearly Ronald McDonald House "Taste of Tuscany" event, contributed to the WFYI IndyWine Fest, WICR-Fine Arts Society, wine events for the Italian-American Society, Pike Township Schools, American Cancer Society, Indy Spay-Neuter Clinics, YMCA and numerous others."
She could often be seen around Broad Ripple walking her dogs, Harp and Guinness.
She graduated from Butler University in 1986 with a B.S. in Radio/Television and Journalism/Political Science.
Gene Slaymaker inspired and educated generations of journalists during his prolific career. His biography (written by his wife, Julie, also a talented local journalist in her own right), at: ijhf.org/slaymaker-gene, "The voice for those who had no voice. The impact of his words resulted in more than 200 awards for journalism excellence during his distinguished career, which began when the Fremont, Ohio, native and World War II veteran was a reporter and announcer for WLWC-TV in Columbus, Ohio. After graduating from Ohio State University with a degree in radio journalism, he became a news anchor for Youngstown, Ohio's WKBN-AM-FM-TV before joining Cleveland's KYW-TV. Slaymaker moved to Indianapolis as news editor of WFBM-AM-FM-TV (now WRTV). In 1976, he was hired as news director of urban radio's WTLC-FM. His mandate was to make it a first-rate newsroom, which he did for 18 years. He also was news director of Big Band sister station WTUX- AM during the mid-1970s to early-1990s.

Gene Slaymaker was inducted into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame in 2015.
Gene Slaymaker was inducted into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame in 2015.
image courtesy of Julie Slaymaker


Slaymaker moved to Indianapolis as news editor of WFBM-AM-FM-TV (now WRTV). In 1976, he was hired as news director of urban radio's WTLC-FM. His mandate was to make it a first-rate newsroom, which he did for 18 years. He also was news director of Big Band sister station WTUX- AM during the mid-1970s to early-1990s.
Daughter Jennifer Page agreed. "My dad sought the truth. There wasn't a black truth or a white truth for him. Truth had no color. His job was doubly difficult because his audience didn't trust the outside media. WTLC was theirs. And Gene was their voice, an open-minded journalist at a time when their city passed judgment. As an investigative reporter, he was a victim of death threats while reporting on a multi-state drug ring. But he chose to stay on the story, even though my mother wanted to move," she said, laughing.
Another daughter, Leslie Farrell, said, "Dad believed that reporting the news was more than just a job; it was a way to better the world. When he died, Woman's Press Club of Indiana established the Julie and Gene Slaymaker Public Service to Journalism Scholarship to encourage their legacy of giving back to the profession."
Jill Ditmire and Gene Slaymaker's impact on the Central Indiana community can still be felt today in their work. Their spirit lives on in the careers of journalists they have each taught and inspired in Broad Ripple and beyond.



mario@broadripplegazette.com
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