Member Spotlight: Michelle Duke, National Association of Broadcasters

In the August 2022 issue of “A Minute with Membership,” AWM’s members-only newsletter, we heard from member Michelle Duke, President of the NAB Leadership Foundation and Chief Diversity Officer at NAB.

Why are organizations like the Alliance for Women in Media important today?

While women are making great strides in our industry, we still aren’t at parity with the number of men in leadership positions and certainly not in ownership. Organizations like the Alliance for Women in Media offer women the opportunity to be recognized for their contributions to the industry and network with other women who are making a difference. AWM and AWM Foundation are also a source of information and industry connections for women who are building toward leadership positions in media. 

What inspired you to become a member?

I have been a member of AWM since it was the American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT). I joined because of the opportunity to network with and be mentored by women who were making significant strides in the fields of television and radio. As the organization has expanded its reach to include all women in media, I have had the opportunity to learn from women who work in every facet of the media space. As a result, I’ve developed life-long friendships, fruitful partnerships, and a broader knowledge of the industry. I was honored to serve on the board of AWM for many years. It was a privilege to help shape the direction of the organization. Now, I strongly encourage individuals who want to be connected, build opportunities for others, and contribute to the advancement of women in our business to get involved at the committee or board level. 

What is your greatest advice, to women or men, no matter where they are in their career?

Make it a point to ask yourself with some degree of frequency if you are happy and having fun. Then, be brave enough to change the situation if you aren’t. That doesn’t always mean leaving a job or industry. It could, but it might also mean restructuring your current role, reinventing yourself, returning to school, giving back to others, or finding a side hustle that brings you joy. For me, happiness has been a significant key to success.

Michelle’s Bio

Michelle Duke has over 30 years of experience in the media industry working as a journalist, and a nonprofit and trade association executive. She is currently the President of the National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation (NABLF) and the Chief Diversity Officer of the National Association of Broadcasters.

Before joining the NAB Leadership Foundation in January 2005, she was the Director of Leadership Programs for the Newspaper Association of America. She started her media career as a reporter for the now defunct, afternoon daily The Nashville Banner, which was based in Nashville, TN. Duke received her Bachelor of Science in journalism from Middle Tennessee State University.

Knowledge Areas

Radio, television, diversity, strategy, leadership development, recruitment and retention, writing

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For more information about “A Minute with Membership,” AWM membership, or with suggestions for future member spotlights, please contact amy.burton@allwomeninmedia.org.

My Experience as a Gracies Judge

It is a privilege and unmatched opportunity to screen the countless amazing productions submitted for the Gracie Awards.  Over the years, I can barely remember few entries that did not make this a very competitive awards program. In many cases, it is difficult to limit oneself to watching only enough to rate the content as our inclination is to sit and watch or listen – everything is incredibly compelling.  

The Gracies are synonymous with the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation. Judging Gracie entries is one of the most enjoyable experiences I have annually in the world of media. With the mantra, “by women, for women, or about women” as the overarching philosophy, judges indulge in viewing and evaluating the production values as well as the content of television, radio, and digital media.

Gracies judging has evolved over the years. Ten years ago, it was a collaborative group effort, with everyone in-person, and has evolved as our world has to include virtual judges. Prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic, I judged in-person in Washington, DC for a weekend, beginning on Friday evening with dinner and networking with other judges. Saturday morning, judging began in small groups in separate rooms with a specific number of entries assigned to each group.  Any remaining submissions not completed on Saturday would be completed Sunday morning. Two very intense but delightful days!

With submissions growing each year, judging is now offered virtually and in-person to be inclusive of experts from across the country in all media genres. The number of entries submitted for each category varies, and the work is subdivided into manageable amounts of entries assigned for each judging group.

Often the programs are new, or just new to me, and I’m drawn into the subject. Most judges will tell you they keep a notepad nearby to jot down the names of programs to add to their personal viewing or listening.  

Not only have I been a judge for the last eleven years, but I had the opportunity to host the Gracies judging weekend at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, where I was the Director of the Studio Operation. Groups of judges utilized control rooms, studios and edit suites. How quickly the judges bonded over the shared experience of screening the countless works!

In-person judging is a wonderful networking opportunity for industry peers to gather. Working with other media professionals from around the country is another invaluable benefit of being a judge. To connect with women who are executives, producers, programmers, representing the countless fields of work in media is informative and gratifying. After all these years, I still look forward to the opportunity to participate and recognize the amazing talent of the women in media. I hope to see you in person in 2023 as we gather to experience and celebrate more outstanding content by, for and about women.

Vija Udenans has served as a Gracies Judge for eleven years. She is recently retired after working for over 40 years in the media industry.

NOTE FROM 2021 SCHOLARSHIP WINNER, OMOSE IGHODARO

Since being named the 2021 recipient of the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation & Ford Empowering America Scholarship, my dream is becoming a reality. Last month, I graduated from Columbia University, grew my platform AfroVibes.com, an online platform spotlighting African leaders and connecting the African diaspora to new levels, and will begin a new position at Bloomberg News this fall.

As a young Nigerian-American, the AWMF scholarship supported me and gave me confidence during a time where I hesitated to believe in myself. I’m grateful to have been introduced to many amazing leaders in media through AWMF as well.

I want to personally thank you for your generosity and vote of confidence. Without scholarship patrons willing to support women in media, students like myself would not be able to pursue advanced degrees that in turn, help to further propel diversity within the media community.

This week, I had the opportunity to attend the 47th annual Gracie’s Award Luncheon in New York which gave me much hope and inspiration. I saw several talented, diverse, award winners which reemphasized the possibilities for a recent graduate like myself.

So, thank you – I’m one step closer being a future media mogul. Stay tuned!

Omose Ighodaro is a Columbia University Journalism School Graduate, Masters of Science, Class of ’22. She was the recipient of the 2021 Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and Ford Empowering America Scholarship. We look forward to seeing even more from Omose in the future.

Dr. Joy Browne – A True One-Of-A-Kind

Joy Browne was like a one-of-a-kind, specialty Mattel Barbie doll, limited edition.  She had a Ph.D. from Northeastern.  She went on to Tufts University School of Medicine, though never finished because she was lured into broadcasting in 1978 by WITS-AM in Boston.  And during her nearly 40-year radio career she authored a shelf full of books, hosted two television shows, became a regular expert go-to guest appearing on such programs as The Oprah Winfrey Show and Larry King Live.  She landed a role in an off-Broadway play for three weeks.  And at the age of 70, she learned to ride an adult-sized tricycle – to get to and from the grocery store.

That she was one of the most intelligent broadcasters in our industry was no secret.  But what fueled her mind was something that boggled most of us – something unique to Joy Browne – her x-factor, the very thing that made her a lasting star in her field.   It had no name exactly… though today, we may want to call it, well, the “Joy” factor.  She spoke with heart.  Unlike the slightly caustic tone of other psychologist/talk show hosts when handling callers, Joy stepped into the role of everyone’s big sister and drove home intelligent direction, while always providing hope.  Always.  She cared deeply.

But also on air, she weaved in upbeat theatrics – no surprise, considering her lifestyle. For most of her career, when she’d leave the radio station after a three-hour program, she was off on her jam-packed “other life” of theater, film, restaurant-openings, and even dancing.  If ever you glanced at her wallet-sized daily calendar, you’d see how compressed her already-tiny-handwriting was so to squeeze in her hourly activities.  She was “Joy-on-the-run.”

Just like the American icon Barbie doll, Joy had an outfit for every occasion – another signature trait.  Only five months ago, she invited me to step into her train car-length bedroom closet.  It was busting with colors – only blindingly so.  I felt I had stepped inside a box of Crayola crayons – but the modern kind made with sparkles.

I was reminded of a story from a producer at WOR Radio back in the early 1990s the day before a group of advertisers were scheduled to drop by.  The general manager demanded that the producer convince Joy to “please-please-pleeeease tell her to tone down her outfit for the next day…  NO hot-pink-clingy-numbers.  We are a heritage radio station with an image to maintain.”  He obviously did not know that “stodgy” and  “gray” did not exist in Joy’s vocabulary or closet.   She returned the next day in a purple and black suit – with a frilly-flirty chemise peaking out from beneath.

I first got to meet Joy back in 1986 when, as a talk show producer, I was asked to fill in on her show at the last minute when her regular producer had the flu.  I swore I would NEVER become one of those producer-types who tried to snare advice about a personal problem.  But in typical fashion – and something I witnessed a million times over – Joy could and would laser-beam into a producer’s psyche as skillfully as she did with callers and lured OUT the trouble. Yes, on this particular day, I spilled.

The gist – my upcoming birthday was in five days – and a boyfriend of two years had just broken up with me.  Like many 25-year olds, I was drowning in drama wondering how would I survive.  The clincher?  Come the big day, there was no word from the boyfriend, but I did get a surprise phone call from my new friend Joy Browne.  She invited me out for a double-layer chocolate cake at the corner pastry shop.

Dr. Joy to the rescue.

Bernadette Duncan is author of YAPPY DAYS: Behind the Scenes with Newsers, Schmoozers, Boozers and Losers (AuthorHouse/TalkersBooks, 2016), a breezy memoir about her 26 years as a talk show producer, working with such high-profile talent as Larry King, Tom Snyder, Sally Jessy Raphael, Lou Dobbs, Charlie Osgood, and more.