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The Mountain Home Observer has received multiple nominations in the 2025 Diamond Journalism Awards from the Arkansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the A-Mark Prize for Investigative Reporting, adding to a growing list of recognition for the publication’s coverage of local issues.
Chris Fulton of the Mountain Home Observer was named a finalist for the A-Mark Prize for Investigative Reporting in Arkansas, competing alongside journalists from KARK/FOX16 and the Arkansas Times. The A-Mark Prize, sponsored by the A-Mark Foundation and added this year, will award $15,000 divided among first, second, and third place winners, recognizing both reporters and their newsrooms.
The Observer also earned nominations in visual journalism and special awards categories. Alison Fulton and Chris Fulton were recognized as finalists in Visual Journalism, while Chris Fulton received an additional nomination in the Special Awards category.
The nominations build on a series of recent accolades for Fulton and the Observer. Fulton was a finalist in the Center for Integrity in News Reporting’s digital news category for a second consecutive year, placing second this year for his reporting on the Mountain Home A&P Commission and the Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce’s financial relationship. He is the only journalist in the United States to have been nominated twice for the Center’s award.
Last year, the Observer made state history by becoming the first digital-only newspaper to win the Arkansas Press Association’s General Excellence Award, marking a significant milestone for online journalism in Arkansas.
The Arkansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists announced the finalists for the regional competition, which attracted 704 entries across more than 80 categories from Arkansas and six bordering states. SPJ members from Connecticut judged the competitions.
The Diamond Journalism Awards recognize excellence in regional journalism, with categories spanning print, online, television, radio, and specialized reporting. The Observer’s nominations highlight the publication’s investigative work and visual storytelling in covering Mountain Home and surrounding communities.
Winners will be announced Saturday, July 26, at an awards ceremony at Next Level Events, 1400 W. Markham St. in Little Rock. The event will feature dinner at 5 p.m., followed by the awards program. FOX 16 Good Day Morning Anchor Ashlei King will serve as emcee.
