2008 Media Friend of the Year 2008 marks the first year for this award that honors the person in the local media who has been a friend to PRSA and the clients of PR professionals in the Dayton area. Natasha Baker, president of PRSA, introduced Jim at the PRism Awards Dinner on April 10, 2008. Her comments follow. When our board brought up this idea, one person in the Dayton media came to mind and was unanimously approved as a true friend to the Dayton PR community and our first recipient.  Congratulations to Jim Bucher of WDTN TV 2. Jim Bucher joined WDTN Channel 2 in October, 1984 as a news photographer. He continues in this capacity, but as his bio states his "zany" sense of humor in front of the camera with his unique way of storytelling have made him staple of morning news in more 60,000 Dayton homes every day. Jim has won numerous Ohio News Photographer Association awards and even has an Emmy. And I expect that his PRSA Media Friend Award will share equal billing. Outside of his Channel 2 duties, Jim is very active in the community. But what made him a natural choice for this award was his willingness to cover the small businesses and yearly events that many other members of the local media refuse. He has truly become a friend to many of us in this room. Let me say from personal experience, the first time I did Jim’s morning show it ended with me doing an unplanned 250 foot bungee jump. The next time I did his show, he did every live shot from the inside of a Porta-Jon. And since then I have become one of his biggest fans. Bucher is a native of Dayton and he is here tonight with his wife Lauren and cheering section. Congratulations, Jim Bucher, the 2008 PRSA Media Friend of the Year.