November 19, 2024 (New York, NY) – The Alliance for Women in Media (AWM) celebrated the achievements of eight trailblazing leaders at the Gracies Leadership Awards, on Tuesday, November 19 at Tribeca 360° in New York City. The event honored these extraordinary women for their significant contributions to the media industry, showcasing their leadership, vision and dedication to excellence across broadcasting, journalism, digital media and beyond.
In
addition to the awards, the luncheon featured a special fireside chat with Andrea
Mitchell, recipient of the Gracies Icon Award. As NBC News’ Chief
Washington Correspondent and Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent and Host of
MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports, Mitchell shared her incredible journey
in journalism, offering powerful insights into her decades-long career. Her
conversation with Libby Leist, Executive Vice President of TODAY and Lifestyle highlighted
the importance of elevating women’s voices in the media, mentorship and the
lasting impact of bold, investigative storytelling made possible by diligent
homework, checking your facts and doing research.
Highlights from the honoree acceptances
included:
Sylvia Strobel, AWM Legacy Leadership Award recipient and President & CEO, Twin Cities PBS, began her remarks by saying, “This recognition is not just a personal honor, it represents a collective effort of countless women who’ve paved the way for us in this industry, many of whom are in this room.”
Holly Tang, CFO, NBCUniversal Entertainment, expressed her gratitude for the award and explained why it meant so much to her by noting, “I am a product of a women supporting women philosophy… throughout my career, influential women have gone above and beyond in supporting me, this is why I believe the Alliance for Women in Media’s mission is so important for all of us.”
Jennifer Leimgruber, EVP Entertainment Programming, Premiere/iHeartMedia,noted, “If we all continue to use our positions to mentor and champion younger women within our organization the representation of women in the future will be changed forever.”
Deborah Parenti, President & Publisher, Streamline Media (Radio Ink, RBR + TVBR) concluded her acceptance by emphasizing, “To everyone in this room, young and old, remember to find your passion and pursue it…as long as I have a voice, I’m going to use it. Use your voice and encourage others to do the same.”
Jen Sargent, CEO, Wondery, proudly expressed, “I’m humbled to be among this year’s Gracie Leadership Awards honorees, especially given the amazing work of the Alliance for Women in Media…a powerful force for change, ensuring that women’s voices are heard, valued and celebrated across every platform… it’s an honor to be a part of that mission today.”
Sylvia Bugg, Chief Programming Executive & GM, PBS, began her acceptance noting it was an honor to be recognized among another Sylvia, “media trailblazer, Sylvia Strobel.” She continued, “my parents would tell my sister and I growing up, would tell us, ‘you’re judged by the company you keep’ and that holds true here today… there’s beautiful company in this space.”
In accepting her honor by video, Sonia Coleman, ESVP & Chief Human Resources Officer, The Walt Disney Company, stated it is an immense honor to receive the Gracies Leadership Award and thanked AWM Board members Debra OConnell and Katina Arnold, who have recognized, supported and mentored women around the world.
Becky Brooks, President of AWM,
emphasized the importance of fostering the next generation of women in media: “Today,
we celebrate women who are making a powerful impact in executive suites and
boardrooms. While we know there is still much work to be done, those of you in
this room are paving the way for the next generation of women in media.”
AWM Board Chair and VP of
Corporate Communications at ESPN, Katina Arnold, spoke about the significance
of the largest fundraiser of the year for the AWM Foundation, the Gracie Awards,
stating, “As we approach the milestone 50th anniversary of the Gracie Awards in
2025, we are reminded of the importance of honoring and uplifting women in
media. The Gracies continue to celebrate outstanding achievements by, for, and
about women, recognizing talent across all areas of media.”
As part of the event, the AWM Foundation is hosting an auction to continue bringing students and connect the next generation of women in media. Bidding is open now.
The Gracies
Leadership Awards would not be possible without the generous support of our
sponsors, including Presenting Sponsor, The Walt Disney Company, alongside ABC
News, Audacy, Clear Channel Outdoor, Hallmark Media, Katz Media Group, KPMG,
NBCUniversal, NBCUniversal News Group, NCTA-The Internet & Television
Association, Premiere Networks, Twin Cities PBS, and Wondery.
###
About the Alliance for Women in Media (AWM): The Alliance for Women in Media connects, recognizes and inspires women across the media industry. AWM is a diverse community – whether type of media, job or global location – that facilitates industry-wide collaboration, education, and innovation. Established in 1951 as American Women in Radio & Television (AWRT), AWM is the longest-established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. AWM harnesses the promise, passion and power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change for our industry and societal progress. More information is available at https://allwomeninmedia.org.
Being chosen as a 2022 Mattel Fellowship recipient at the Gracies Leadership Awards was an experience I will never forget as I continue to develop my career as a media professional. Throughout the afternoon, I was able to absorb wisdom from leading women in the media industry, including Soledad O’Brien, Nancy Daniels, Debra OConnell, and Wendy Goldberg. Every honoree had a unique and inspiring story to tell. One of the most important lessons I learned from these women and their stories is that adversity is common and can be defeated, and challenges can be overcome through the power of unity and the support of one another. I left the Gracies Leadership Awards with an overwhelming feeling that I can find success in any field of work that I may decide to pursue in the future. This is largely due to the fact that I stand on the shoulders of women before me who have helped pave the way and who have broken glass ceilings in order to open doors for those following in their footsteps.
I also had the opportunity to network with individuals from a variety of media companies on a multitude of platforms. I spoke with men and women who have spent decades in the broadcast radio industry and shared their experience of having lived through the evolution of radio and seeing first-hand the changes that have occurred through time. Some others in attendance had just started their careers in the industry, getting their feet wet in television or advertising. We shared our common goals for the future and issues currently at hand in the media industry. There was a wealth of information to be learned from every individual in attendance, be it an honoree, an AWM board member, or a fellow student being sponsored by Mattel or the Google News Initiative.
I am beyond grateful that I had the opportunity to share this experience with other women studying journalism and media from across the country. We fostered friendships, shared life stories, and discussed our passions about the future of the media industry. Being able to spend the afternoon with ambitious, like-minded women was an invaluable experience. Knowing that I am entering the media industry with so many courageous and driven women by my side is both comforting and empowering. I would like to extend my gratitude to Mattel for making this fellowship possible and to the Alliance for Women in Media for hosting the celebratory Gracies Leadership Awards ceremony where women in the media industry can be recognized for their outstanding efforts and groundbreaking contributions to society.
Megan Hatlee is a recipient of the 2022 Mattel Student Fellowship. She is currently a student at Southern Illinois University, and we look forward to seeing how she continues to shape the world of media in the future.
I will never forget
receiving the email that I was one of seven students chosen to receive the
Mattel Fellowship this year. This is such a huge honor not only for myself, but
for my University, as no Oklahoma State University student has received such
recognition. At the awards ceremony, I was welcomed by none other than Valerie
Blackburn, who truly embodies a woman leader in media. Her pure joy to be at
the event and kindness towards me was enough to show that many more wonders
were in store for me the rest of the afternoon.
I was surrounded by so
many wonderful women, both executives in the industry, as well as my peers. It
was great to be able to speak with both the other Mattel Fellows and Google
News Initiative Fellows. Learning what other females my age are doing at their
individual universities was empowering in itself, but little did I know what
awaited me from the eight honorees. All of these women had such powerful, yet
humble speeches, and each one made sure to appreciate everyone who helped shape
them to be the leader they are today.
This was an amazing
opportunity to network and talk one-on-one with those in my industry,
specifically Marie Donoghue. She gave a wonderful speech focusing on women in
sports and sports media and seeing how she has made it to the top further
encourages me to continue to strive for success.
Thank you to Mattel for
making the opportunity for me to attend such an event possible and to the
Alliance for Women in Media for hosting the wonderful Gracies Leadership
Awards. Continually recognizing and honoring women leaders is how we encourage
young women in the industry, and I for one am confident we as a society
are heading in the right direction.
Alex Dusky is a recipient of the 2022 Mattel Student Fellowship. She is currently a student at Oklahoma State University, and we look forward to seeing how she continues to shape the world of media in the future.
When I found out that I was selected to attend the Gracies Leadership Awards in New York City, a large smile illuminated my face; I simply couldn’t believe that I was going to have the incredible opportunity to hear from high-achieving women in the industry including keynote speaker, Soledad O’Brien, who has greatly shaped my decision to work in the journalism field.
For me being chosen not only meant that I was going to hear
from powerful women in the industry, it also made me realize my worth. Growing
up in France, I was accustomed to often being the only black face in the room ‑
and the one who people would routinely bet against. They assumed I wouldn’t
succeed and, consequently, wouldn’t push me to do better. When I moved to the
United States for my undergraduate and master’s degree and saw the larger
amount of women of color in media, I regained faith in myself and felt
motivated to succeed even more because I was not alone.
Attending the Gracies Leadership Awards reinforced that state
of mind.
From the moment I entered the room of the Tribeca 360 11th floor,
I felt inspired, proud and happy. There was so much diversity in the room but
also so much power. The room was filled with the promise that the media
industry is heading in the right direction. Since my selection, I’d read the
honorees’ biographies at least ten times. That day, I read them again on one of
the walls in order to keep reminding myself that it was a true honor to be at
the Gracies event.
Shortly after that, I sat in the main room with the rest of
the guests and the Google News Initiative team. We all chatted and networked
for a while and the honorees’ speeches started shortly after.
I felt inspired by each and every one of the honorees and
their journeys to success. I enjoyed them sharing not only the accomplishments
in their lives but also times where things did not go as planned yet ended up
working out. Sharing the good and bad made me realize that despite their
accomplishments, these amazing women were also humans, like me.
I felt particularly inspired by Kim Godwin’s speech. Indeed,
her speech on not being seen and being denied certain opportunities resonated
with me the most: “For every person who didn’t see me, there was a person who
did,” Godwin said. “For every person who denied me an opportunity, there was
person who gave me one. Because people gave me a chance, I have decided I will
give others a chance.”
As I heard Ms. Godwin’s speech, I started tearing up a little
because it reminded me of so many times I had the feeling that I didn’t fit in.
As bad as it may sound, hearing that a woman as accomplished as her has also
had to endure some of the same things as me made me feel less alone. But it has
also made me realize that oftentimes when I was being told that I was too
angry, too obsessed with including more diversity in the workspace, I was
making valid points.
Black women are often portrayed as being angry,
being too strong to the point of being inhuman. One main thing that I took away
from my experience at the Gracies Leadership Award is that when you fight for respect
and for what you truly believe and want, you will find a way to get where you
want to be. Some of the honorees said that a few years ago, they would have
never thought that they could have had the job position that they have now. The
media’s industry willingness to change things, to hire more people of color and
accept more different points of view will keep leading to more impactful and
powerful changes in the industry. To me, that’s one of the most significant
innovations of the coming years.
Lisa Setyon is a recipient of the 2022 Google News Initiative Student Fellowship. She is currently a student at Stanford University, and we look forward to seeing how she continues to shape the world of media in the future.
My
name is Phoebe Chen, and I’m a senior student at Boston University studying
journalism and will be joining Bloomberg News as a Content Producer soon in
December. I’m all about storytelling — It’s why I read, why I write and why I
love hearing people’s stories. It’s why I’m pursuing a career in journalism. I
will stop talking about myself here since all I did was watch, listen, and pay
attention to the outstanding women I met on a wonderful afternoon at Tribeca
360.
I
was honored to be selected as one of the Google News Initiative fellows to
attend this year’s Gracies Leadership Award. It was an amazing opportunity to
attend the award as a student, which, I’m not going to lie, was a little
intimidating at first. I mean, that was a reasonable feeling for a student
sitting with a group of the most influential figures in the media industry,
right? But as the award started, my attention shifted to the speakers, who
offered life-changing speeches that stayed in my mind for the next few days.
What they have achieved in their career and for the growth of the industry are
something no words could hold, yet, they were so humble and were still settling
for more.
In
my opinion, the Asian perspective is immensely underrepresented on the global
stage, and I have witnessed how news could make a difference. The advancement
of news inclusiveness is one of the main drives of my passion for news
production — But before changing the world, we have to make changes from the
inside. Noted from the award, according to a study spanning 20 years, “across
114 countries, women comprise only 24% of the people we read about, see, or
hear from on television, radio, and in the newspapers.” Despite the
disadvantage, we women did not and would not step back but only become
motivated — I was touched by all the winners and speakers for their courage,
perseverance, and commitment towards inclusiveness in media. The role of women
in media is gaining recognition for striving for media freedom, pluralism,
independence, and safety. I can never express my gratitude for these great
women who paved the way for our generation.
Taking this chance, I also want to touch on what I think will be the most significant innovation in news in the next 10 years. We all know that news is always timely, and it never stops changing. However, the way the news is being reported is also changing — apparently, it is a corresponding effect of the rise of streaming services and our dependence on the Internet. Not everyone watches TV anymore, but almost everyone consumes news on their laptop or cellphone. Thus, I consider digital journalism to be one of the most important tools moving forward for creating positive change in the world and establishing an informed global citizenry. I believe that all of us in the media industry — both students and working professionals — play leading roles in this process.
I’m
grateful for the opportunity to attend the award and meet all the outstanding
female figures in the media industry — it was a dream come true.
Phoebe Chen is a recipient of the 2022 Google News Initiative Student Fellowship. She is currently a student at Boston University, and we look forward to seeing how she continues to shape the world of media in the future.
Women are the present and future of media. I felt deeply inspired by all the pioneering women in media that spoke by the podium at the 2022 Gracies Awards. Standing on the shoulders of these women, I can see the future of media being more remarkable and innovative than ever. In my opinion, the most significant innovation in news in the next 10 years will be AI technology. I think journalists will use artificial intelligence to enhance their reporting. Through augmented reporting, journalists can utilize content generated by AI machines, such as macro data trends and phenomenons, and focus on deriving insights instead of gathering information. The journalist’s role will evolve from a one-dimensional news gatherer to news curator. Future journalists will develop better decision making and narrative creating skills because of AI reporting.
Aria Young is a recipient of the 2022 Google News Initiative Student Fellowship. She is currently a student at New York University, and we look forward to seeing how she continues to shape the world of media in the future.
Caitlyn Moran is a recipient of the 2022 Mattel Student Fellowship. She is currently a student at Hofstra University, and we look forward to seeing how she continues to shape the world of media in the future.
When I learned I was being recognized as a Mattel Fellow by the Alliance for Women in Media, I was ecstatic to be among such prominent women at the luncheon. On my way to the Gracies Leadership Awards, I remembered vivid snapshots from prior honoree ceremonies I was invited to this year — The President’s Platform Party for distinguished Purchase College graduates, The Black Graduation, and The State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence ceremony. It’s empowering to take in how people congregate to celebrate the achievements of one another and, furthermore, uplift communities that often have the odds stacked against them. Stepping out of the elevator and into The Gracies Leadership Awards, there was an overwhelming feeling knowing that I was in a space, this time, recognizing phenomenal women movers and shakers.
Chesley Maddox-Dorsey, CEO of A wonder Media Company (AWMC, LLC), said, “For me, business is personal, disruptive, and a force for transformative change.” As a scripted TV writer, I apply this mindset in my creative work. I write stories to bridge gaps and break boundaries by emphasizing authentic representation of diverse characters and stories. To push the envelope and be daring as a writer is just as important because the stories we see in the media reflect the world we live in and how people see themselves. Being empowered to shape the next iteration of television makes me hopeful for the future. Thanks to the Gracies Leadership Awards, I am further reminded I am in good hands working with women leaders and business executives that are paving the way for these stories to be heard beyond the page.
Laila Wilson is a recipient of the 2022 Mattel Student Fellowship. She is currently a student at Stony Brook University, and we look forward to seeing how she continues to shape the world of media in the future.
Being able to attend the Gracie’s Leadership Awards was a really amazing and moving experience for me, as someone who is a young adult entering the television field. I was able to witness history by being in a room with a powerhouse group of women. The speeches were phenomenal, and everyone was so motivational and showing that no matter where you came from, no matter what you looked like, and no matter what your circumstances are, you can do anything you put your mind to. I was really amazed at the way that everyone empowered each other. I enjoyed being in the city, and it was an amazing venue as well, and watching the painting being made was something very interesting. I was able to connect with a lot of the women I met on LinkedIn which shows me that they actually do care, more than about just saying they do but actually showing that they want to help people who are coming up in the industry. Many people I spoke with had very interesting stories and I hope someday that I can be on the other side and accepting an award for something this great someday!
Rachel Katz is a recipient of the 2022 Mattel Student Fellowship. She is currently a student at Hofstra University, and we look forward to seeing how she continues to shape the world of media in the future.
Attending the Gracie Awards as a Mattel Fellow, I was unsure what to expect from the experience. I understood the event would provide us students with an invaluable networking opportunity. However, the highlight of the Gracie’s was listening to the empowering stories of the women being honored. As an avid media consumer, I often study the reporters I see on TV, trying to learn as much as I can through observation. Yet, as viewers welcome these friendly faces into their homes as they tune in to watch the news, people often neglect to recognize all the work behind the scenes to create a quality production. I was delighted to see that the Gracie’s provided a space to recognize the heart of media. It was so rewarding to listen to the female honorees who are living proof that with passion, drive, and hard work, women can continue to break glass ceilings and produce honest content that continues to inquire and inspire.
Jordan Ruttert is a recipient of the 2022 Mattel Student Fellowship. She is currently a student at New York University, and we look forward to seeing how she continues to shape the world of media in the future.
January 17, 2023 (New York City/Los Angeles) – The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) is pleased to announce that the deadline to submit entries for the 48th Annual Gracie Awards has been extended through January 26, 2023 (11:59 pm ET). The regular deadline, with no additional fee, is January 19, 2023 (11:59 pm ET). The Gracie Awards, presented by AWMF, celebrate programming and individual achievement by, for and about women in television, radio/audio and digital media. Submissions from all facets of media are encouraged. A full list of the categories can be found here.
“As our largest fundraiser of the
year, the Gracie Awards empower the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation to
deliver on its promise of advancing all women in media by strengthening their
connection, education and recognition in our industry,” says Becky Brooks, AWMF
president.
The Gracie Awards Gala will be May
23 at the renowned Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire hotel and the Gracie Awards
Luncheon will be held on June 20 at the Cipriani 42nd Street, New
York. AWMF is grateful to its donors and sponsors committed to furthering the
mission of the organization including Hallmark Media and NCTA – The Internet
and Television Association.
The Gracie Awards are also honored
to have the leadership of Ms. Heather Cohen, Executive Vice President, The
Weiss Agency; Annie Howell, Chief Communications Officer, Hallmark Media; and
Mike McVay, President, McVay Media Consulting as Gracies Co-Chairs and Mr.
Vicangelo Bulluck serving as Executive Producer.
The 2023 Gracie Awards entry eligibility air dates are from
January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022. Entry details, including pricing
and updated categories, can be viewed at https://allwomeninmedia.org/gracies/call-for-entries/.
About the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation: In 1960, the Alliance for Women in Media became the first professional broadcasting organization to establish an educational foundation. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (formerly known as The Foundation of American Women in Radio & Television) supports and promotes educational programs, charitable activities, public service campaigns and scholarships to benefit the public, the electronic media and allied fields. The Foundation also produces nationally acclaimed recognition programs, including the Gracie Awards®, a gala that honors exemplary programming created by, for or about women. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, educational organization. For the latest news on the Gracies, follow The Gracies on Instagram,LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. For more information about the Gracie Awards and to submit your entries, please visit www.allwomeninmedia.org/gracies.
It is refreshing to write a Year in Review where we’ve had the opportunity to get together in-person for nearly every AWM-hosted event in 2022 for the first time in three years. Who would have ever dreamed it would take this long to consistently connect again? In March of 2020, many of us thought we needed to stay at home for a few weeks – three years later, we’re back-ish.
While we still must take precautions and there’s
a hint of uncertainty, there
is also a willingness to
gather at the risk of staying isolated any longer. 2022 was unpredictable and created inherent hesitancies
after a two-year separation.
This was a year where COVID vaccines became widely available, where we learned more about
“supply chain” than ever thought possible,
where we paid attention to
gasoline prices and felt the pain of grocery bills. All
the while, there were enjoyable and even epic moments like seeing the
world come together for the World
Cup, unite behind causes like women’s
rights in countries where they
are suppressed and find reasons for hopefulness such as recent protections
secured for equality in marriage.
As we say every year, through it all, media was
there, on the frontlines, to tell the stories. You were there when others couldn’t be so our communities could see and hear first-hand accounts of life in their backyards and around the
world.
Brave journalists were the feature of this acknowledgement at the Gracie Awards Gala this year,
which focused on war correspondents — throughout history and this year on the
frontlines in Ukraine and elsewhere.
At the end of every year, I reflect on the
bravery of the women signing AWM into existence more than 70 years ago and then
creating an awards program 50 years ago to celebrate the programming and individual talent
created by, for and about women. This
year, we continued that tradition through gatherings at the NAB Show, our Gracie Awards, the first Gracies Leadership Awards in three years and the second AWM
Connects where those newer to the industry are connected to executives.
As we move forward, our leadership is focused
squarely on a phrase that encapsulates who we are – advancing women in
media. This will
continue through our existing programs and scholarships as well as additional
opportunities added following the
recent Strategic Planning session. This is only possible through the
engagement of our media community. You can make this possible through a donation (Venmo @AWM-Foundation), join AWM and enter outstanding
content and programming for the Gracie Awards.
On a personal level, it was so good to be back “in-person”
across the board. I thrive being around people and get energy
from events and experiences. Our
kids started high school and
middle school in an actual building, which was so refreshing (of course, with its own set of “special” at those ages.) And as so many who read this note can appreciate,
balancing work-life with family
and work is fulfilling and
exhausting. I’m a better mom and steward
to AWM with organized chaos.
I’m finishing 2022 cautiously hopeful for next year. We know things can
change on a dime and value the connections and work of our industry and know
there is more we can do together.
On my way to the Gracies, a truck parked and
filled with men honked at me as I crossed the street.
I found the blare so perplexing that I
stumbled and fell in the middle of the street. In my mortified state, I picked
myself up, dusted off my skirt and continued my walk.
When I arrived, I quietly shared the elevator
with other attendees. I had copies of my resume and writing samples in my
folder. I had remarks and questions in my mind. Still, we rode up to the
eleventh floor in complete silence.
It’s so easy to feel small.
In classrooms and meetings, I try to be myself
even if it’s at the expense of coming off annoying or any of the other
connotations that come with being a confident woman.
But being a 21-year-old in a too-big blazer
and no industry connections while standing on a Tribeca rooftop can be
intimidating. I found myself nervously drinking water and wandering around,
hoping my apprehension wasn’t apparent.
When I began meeting the other college
students attending the event, I traded my third glass of water for a state of
ease. We exchanged our ambitions and shared our anxieties of not fitting in
with the accomplished lineup.
Somewhere along the way of being incredibly
impressed by the attendees in my age group, I thought to myself, “there’s a
reason why I’m here.”
As strange of a thought as was, I had to come
to terms with the fact that I was invited to the Gracies, that I had every
right to feel a sense of belonging in the vast room. The room was simply too
big for me to feel conscious about how much space I took up.
Once I sat with the rest of my table, I began
to think about how the event wasn’t incredibly different from a lecture. Like
in any traditional academic setting, I was here to learn.
Of the seven honorees, Valerie Blackburn, Nancy Daniels, Marie Donoghue, Kim Godwin, Wendy Goldberg, Chesley Maddox-Dorsey, Debra OConnell and Dawn Porter along with the event’s keynote speaker, Soledad O’Brien, there was never a dull moment.
Nearly every honoree spoke about moments like
the perturbing truck honk or hushed elevator ride, about critical points that
caused them to question the value they brought to a room. And, still, all of
them managed to overcome these doubts, woes and setbacks.
At one point during her acceptance speech, one
of the speakers had to pause and ask for water. While we all laughed it off, I
kept thinking about this moment for the rest of the event and how there was
power to it.
The more I watched these high-achieving women
accept awards with hearts-on-their-sleeves speeches, I realized that asking for
help or tearing up on stage are acts that require admirable amounts of
vulnerability.
Women are punished constantly for traits
commonly associated with femininity, like openly displaying our emotions. If
there was anything I took away from my time at the Gracies, it’s that strong
women don’t shrink because of their weak moments.
While I fell, I also stood up. While I didn’t
introduce myself in the elevator, I still made it to the event. While I don’t
always feel my own value or power, that doesn’t negate from its existence.
Haajrah Gilani is a recipient of the 2022 Google News Initiative Student Fellowship. She is currently a student at Temple University, and we look forward to seeing how she continues to shape the world of media in the future.
Being chosen as a 2022 Mattel Fellowship recipient at the
Gracies Leadership Awards was an experience I will never forget as I continue
to develop my career as a media professional. Throughout the afternoon, I was
able to absorb wisdom from leading women in the media industry, including
Soledad O’Brien, Nancy Daniels, Debra OConnell, and Wendy Goldberg. Every
honoree had a unique and inspiring story to tell. One of the most important
lessons I learned from these women and their stories is that adversity is
common and can be defeated, and challenges can be overcome through the power of
unity and the support of one another. I left the Gracies Leadership Awards with
an overwhelming feeling that I can find success in any field of work that I may
decide to pursue in the future. This is largely due to the fact that I stand on
the shoulders of women before me who have helped pave the way and who have
broken glass ceilings in order to open doors for those following in their
footsteps.
I also had the opportunity to network with individuals from
a variety of media companies on a multitude of platforms. I spoke with men and
women who have spent decades in the broadcast radio industry and shared their
experience of having lived through the evolution of radio and seeing first-hand
the changes that have occurred through time. Some others in attendance had just
started their careers in the industry, getting their feet wet in television or
advertising. We shared our common goals for the future and issues currently at
hand in the media industry. There was a wealth of information to be learned
from every individual in attendance, be it an honoree, an AWM board member, or
a fellow student being sponsored by Mattel or the Google News Initiative.
I am beyond grateful that I had the opportunity to share
this experience with other women studying journalism and media from across the
country. We fostered friendships, shared life stories, and discussed our
passions about the future of the media industry. Being able to spend the
afternoon with ambitious, like-minded women was an invaluable experience.
Knowing that I am entering the media industry with so many courageous and
driven women by my side is both comforting and empowering. I would like to
extend my gratitude to Mattel for making this fellowship possible and to the
Alliance for Women in Media for hosting the celebratory Gracies Leadership
Awards ceremony where women in the media industry can be recognized for their outstanding
efforts and groundbreaking contributions to society.
Megan Hatlee is a recipient of the 2022 Mattel Student Fellowship. She is currently a student at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and we look forward to seeing how she continues to shape the world of media in the future.
Photos and video from the event can be found here.
November 14, 2022 (New
York, New York) – The
Alliance for Women in Media (AWM) hosted the Gracies Leadership Awards luncheon, back for the first time in person
after three years, Monday, November 14 at the Tribeca 360° in New York
City. Keynote speaker Soledad O’Brien inspired
the audience and referenced the honorees in the room as representing “Stories
not just of grit, vision, and opportunity, but of women helping women and
celebrating women and the story of how those women didn’t forget that they got
into media to elevate people and issues and struggles that were not in the
spotlight.” She continued, “When I look around this room, I know we are in
great hands. So, let’s reach out to each other and make change happen, let’s
have each other’s backs.
Seven female leaders in media were honored at the event,
along with the AWM Legacy Leadership recipient, Valerie Blackburn. Highlights from the speeches include:
Valerie Blackburn, AWM Legacy Leadership Award recipient, began her remarks by referencing the pivotal role her family made in her life and career and continued, “Most of you know I have been gifted with a larger extended family, many in this room, and largely in part to AWM. It’s difficult to articulate what AWM has meant to me professionally and personally- even though I am merely a blip in these 70 years, being involved has been one of the greatest journeys of my life.”
Nancy Daniels, Chief of Content, NTets, Discovery, Animal Planet &Science Channel, discussed leadership and what it means to her, “The best leaders that I encountered in my career always led by example, they always showed up, they expect a lot, but they also give a lot in return-mentorship, experience, and they give opportunity.”
In accepting the honor, Marie Donoghue, Vice President, Global Sports Video, Amazon, said, “Being a woman in sports can be an amazing career- but it can also be lonely and challenging. I’ve always relied on my own mini alliance, we came up together and supported each other in so many ways, we lift each other up, amplify each other, celebrate each other. Most importantly, we’ve got each other.”
Kim Godwin, President, ABC News began her acceptance speech referring to the late Gracie Allen and the meaning of grace. She continued in referencing the many “she-ros” in her life, “For every person who didn’t see me, there was one who did, for every person who denied me an opportunity, there was someone who gave me one, and because someone gave me a chance, I have decided I will give others a chance, and because someone invested in me, I will invest in others.”
Wendy Goldberg, Chief Communications Officer, iHeartMedia,Inc. focused on the importance of mentorship and the women around her, saying, “Instead of seeing it through my own leaders or mentors, I saw it from the people I had around me. So, for me, this award is really about them- their generosity, their talent and their example… I’m inspired by them, I respect them, I’m often in awe of them.”
Chesley Maddox-Dorsey, CEO, A wonder Media Company (AWMC, LLC) said, “For me business is personal, disruptive, and a force for transformative change.” She spoke directly to all the women and students beginning their media careers, “My advice is, be curious, learn, improve- we need you, we need your creativity, we need your unique perspectives, we need you to take up the gauntlet.”
Debra OConnell, President, Networks, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, said during her acceptance, “Yesterday I received a gift, it was a t-shirt that said- ‘As Strong As The Woman Next To Me’- I feel very strong with all of the women next to me today.” OConnell continued, “We have the opportunity to share stories of strong exceptional women, and we take this responsibility so seriously to message to our communities, the importance of women representation and inclusivity.”
Dawn Porter, Founder, Trilogy Films, said upon receiving her honor, “We are a small but mighty group of strong women (and a very few men). I trace my earliest professional inspiration to women like Kerry Smith from ABC News who showed me that integrity is central to everything. The women I work with now are smart, capable and fun. I know that I could never do everything I do without their wisdom and grace.”
“This is a pivotal event for us because it
covers all three of our pillars- it’s recognition, it’s education, and it’s
connection,” added Heather Cohen, Chair, Alliance for Women in Media
Foundation. “We
shine a light on exceptional women in media- those who have shattered glass
ceilings and proven their leadership and notable today, what an honor to have Soledad
O’Brien, one of the greatest storytellers of our time as our keynote.”
Sponsors of the event include Google News Initiative, ABC
News, AURN-American Urban Radio Networks, Clear Channel Outdoor, Disney Media
& Entertainment Distribution, Hallmark Media, iHeartMedia, KatzMedia Group,
Mattel, NCTA-The Internet & Television Association, Warner Bros. Discovery,
and Sony Pictures Television.
###
About the Alliance for
Women in Media (AWM):
The Alliance for Women in Media connects, recognizes and inspires women across
the media industry. AWM is a diverse community – whether type of media, job or
global location – that facilitates industry-wide collaboration, education, and
innovation. Established in 1951 as American Women in Radio & Television
(AWRT), AWM is the longest-established professional association dedicated to
advancing women in media and entertainment. AWM harnesses the promise, passion
and power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage
in thought leadership, and drive positive change for our industry and societal
progress.
In the October 2022 issue of “A Minute with Membership,” AWM’s members-only newsletter, we heard from member Zena Burns, SVP, Content and Special Projects for Futuri.
Why
are organizations like the Alliance for Women in Media important today?
Real talk: I wish organizations like the Alliance for Women in Media weren’t necessary. I wish women at all levels of media organizations stood on equal footing with men. But while we’ve made incredible strides over the years, we’re not there yet, so organizations like the Alliance for Women in Media are crucial for helping to level the playing field. As you say, the Alliance for Women in Media connects, recognizes, and inspires women across the media industry, and I love that AWM has so many different ways for women to learn, grow, and support one another. Because if we don’t support one another, we’re never going to get to that place of equal footing.
What
inspired you to become a member?
As I was
progressing in my career in media and getting to a place where I had some
juice, I felt that I had a responsibility to other talented women to help them
move forward as well. I’d benefitted from that support from other women as I
was moving up the ladder, and I wanted to pay it forward.
Also, I’d been
unbelievably lucky to develop a strong network of personal and professional
friends in the industry where we could have candid conversations about our
experiences and help each other strategize on how to overcome gender-related
obstacles in the workplace. This is not something that everyone has. When I
learned more about the Alliance for Women in Media, I saw that it was a way for
me to grow and learn from a broader community, and also give back by sharing my
own experiences and helping others avoid some of the many, many mistakes I’ve
made over the years!
What
is your greatest advice, to women or men, no matter where they are in their
career?
This is something
I learned from Martha Nelson, the former Editor-in-Chief of Time Inc, when I
was Music Editor at Teen People Magazine back in the day: “Long life, long
career.” There are so many different ways to use that advice. On one hand, it’s
a way to put setbacks in perspective. I use it primarily to remind myself that
just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do something.
Professionally, if you have an opportunity to advance by stabbing someone in
the back, or by being less than truthful when trying to get a deal done, it’s
going to come back to you in a negative fashion one way or another. Like Warren
Buffett says, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to destroy
it.” So with me, what you see is what you get, like it or not, and I sleep well
at night. Have I missed a few opportunities to advance because of that? Sure.
But beyond the fact that it’s just not who I am, the stress and pressure
associated with acting like that just isn’t worth it. It goes back to a cheeky
but useful phrase my dad started using with me as early as I can remember: “You
don’t have a good enough memory to be a liar.” I don’t want to have to remember
what story I told what person!
On the advice
front, I just launched a new podcast on this topic — My 23-Year-Old
Self: True Stories From the Come-Up. It features conversations with
successful women in media, entertainment, and technology (and some good male
allies) about the advice they’d give their younger selves as they were growing
their careers. It’s designed for young women in those industries, and really
anyone who’s interested in hearing great stories and advice from accomplished
and amazing women. You can follow or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
I’d love to hear feedback on the teaser and ideas for women you think should be
featured on the show!
Zena’s Bio
Zena Burns has
spent more than two decades at the forefront of developing iconic brands in the
media, entertainment, and technology spaces. As SVP, Content & Special
Projects at Futuri, Burns runs content creation efforts tied to its innovation
initiatives; known for its groundbreaking software solutions rooted in AI,
Futuri helps its thousands of broadcast and digital publishing partners
worldwide grow audience and revenue through wise use of technology.
Before Futuri,
Burns was SVP, Programming Partnerships, in iHeartMedia’s NPG team, having
started at then-Clear Channel NYC in 2006 as the radio industry’s first Digital
Program Director. She’s also a proud alumnus of TEEN PEOPLE Magazine, where, as
Entertainment Director and Music Editor, she played a key role in driving pop
culture and giving early looks to countless numbers of today’s
superstars.
For more information about “A Minute with Membership,” AWM membership, or with suggestions for future member spotlights, please contact amy.burton@allwomeninmedia.org.
October 13 (New York City/Los Angeles) – The
Gracie Awards, presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF),
is proud to open the call for entries for the 48th Annual Gracie
Awards.
“The Gracie Awards
celebrate and honor truly exceptional content by, for and about women. We are
more committed than ever to honor the remarkable work by so many in our
creative community”, says Becky Brooks AWMF president. “As our most important
fundraiser of the year, the Gracies enables the Foundation to deliver on its
promise to further the connection, education and recognition of women in
media,.”
For nearly 50 years, the
Gracies has honored individual talent and exemplary programming created by
women, for women and about women in television, radio and digital media in news
and entertainment.
Serving again as co-chairs
for the 2023 Gracie Awards are Heather Cohen, executive vice president,
The Weiss Agency, Annie Howell, chief communications officer Hallmark
Media and Mike McVay, president, McVay Media Consulting. Vicangelo
Bulluck, an Emmy Award-winning, seasoned veteran in awards production, has
produced the Gracie Awards since 2016 and will return to produce the Gracie
Awards in 2023.
Entry eligibility air dates
are from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022. Early Bird rates for
entries end on December 15, 2022, at 11:59 PM Eastern. The deadline for all
entries is January 12, 2023, at 11:59 PM Eastern. Entry details including
pricing, updated categories can be viewed at https://allwomeninmedia.org/gracies/call-for-entries/.
The 48th Annual Gracie Awards call for entries will be opening soon and everyone is looking forward to seeing the extraordinary content that will be submitted! The Gracie Awards recognizes exceptional content at the national, local, public, and student levels throughout radio, television, and digital media. It is a prestigious award that celebrates the work done by, for and about women.
Deborah Horne, the 2022 recipient of the On-Air Talent [TV – Local] Gracie Award, had this to say about what winning a Gracie meant to her, “For me, because it is coming at this time in my career, it has meant that all of these years of doing this job that I love, that I was born to do, I’ve made a difference in a way that I did not anticipate.”
Ms. Horne went on to say, “To be in a position where women are being recognized for the work we have been doing, that alone makes this a very special day and an incredibly special award.”
The Call for Entries for the 48th Annual Gracie Awards will be opening on Thursday, October 13, 2022. Entry eligibility air dates are January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022. If you have any questions about entering, please contact gracies@allwomeninmedia.org.
In the September 2022 issue of “A Minute with Membership,”
AWM’s members-only newsletter, we hear from two of the 2021 AWM Connects
mentees about their experience with the inaugural mentorship program, what they
are doing now, and the advice they would give to future AWM connects
participants.
AWM Connects is a virtual mentoring program that will connect young/new professionals with senior level executives throughout television, radio, and digital media. The inaugural event was held in December 2021 and we are excited to announce that it will be back on December 14, 2022! If you would like to receive an alert when the 2022 AWM Connects information goes live, please email amy.burton@allwomeninmedia.org.
How did the 2021 AWM Connects program have an impact on your
career and/or your outlook on your career path?
ALEX RAZO: While it was a wonderful experience getting to
meet and learn from the mentors, what made the program extra special was also
connecting to the fellow mentees. Meeting women who are currently going through
similar experiences was cathartic and helped reignite my love of broadcasting
at a time when I really needed the boost.
LINDSAY GUENTZEL: Prior to applying for the 2021 AWM
Connects program, I felt kind of lost. The pandemic combined with a new ADHD
diagnosis — add in an intense couple of years in Minnesota where I live and
work in news – I wasn’t sure what I even wanted anymore. Even just applying
felt like a shot in the dark. So, when I found out I was accepted into the
program, I was elated. It felt like someone had looked at all the work I’ve
done, most of which I had either forgotten about or had been too hesitant to
promote, and thought I was good enough.
And then to meet my mentor and have her ask questions about my
career and to have her be genuinely engaged. It was so energizing. It was such
an awesome reminder of the power we have to inspire people by simply being
present. And it was the reminder I needed to keep pushing myself, to keep going
after my own goals and aspirations. As cliche as it might sound, it made me
feel like I belong, that my talents and my skills belong.
What new endeavors have you undertaken since the AWM Connects
program in December 2021?
RAZO: While I’ve continued to maintain the high
standards and ratings for both of my shows, I will also be given the
opportunity to join one of our reporters as he begins production on the latest
installment in his documentary series for the station and iHeartMedia.
GUENTZEL: In May of 2022, I launched Refocused with
Lindsay Guentzel, a podcast collaboration with ADHD Online, a telemedicine
healthcare company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan that provides ADHD
assessments, medication management and teletherapy. My own ADHD diagnosis was
truly life-changing, the answer to a question I had been looking for my entire
life but didn’t even know. So, to be able to combine my love of storytelling in
a way that’s helping people, it’s overwhelming in the best way. I do still have
career goals that aren’t tied to my ADHD, but it feels like every role I’ve had
over the last 15 years was meant to prepare me for this. That this is what I’m
meant to do.
Why
are organizations like the Alliance for Women in Media important today?
RAZO: I think
organizations like the Alliance for Women in Media are important because it’s
wonderful to have a sense of community. Every person I’ve met and interacted
with in and through the organization has been kind, forthcoming and very
willing to help.
GUENTZEL: We’re finally seeing results after years
and years of talking about the importance of representation. Organizations like
Alliance for Women in Media, along with this mentorship program, help speed up
those timelines for change. They also work to increase accountability and
transparency and they instill a sense of community and support for people
working in jobs that have been under fire for the last six or seven years.
What advice would you give someone who is interested in
participating in the next AWM Connects mentorship program?
RAZO: Don’t be afraid to ask questions…it may feel
intimidating to speak with the mentors, but they WANT to talk to you! Also,
connect to your fellow mentees…it’s just as rewarding connecting with them as
it is with the mentors.
GUENTZEL: Know what you are looking for before you head
in. And by that, I mean, be able to give your mentor a list of actual things
you need help with. Need your demo looked at? Have the file in a Dropbox folder
so you can forward it immediately. Have a specific organization you want to
work for but don’t have a foot in the door? Tell them. Don’t hold anything
back. Outside of asking for $1 million dollars and expecting to get it, go in
thinking the sky’s the limit. Because for your mentor, that truly might be the
case. And you do not get enough time in the mentorship – or in life – to be
demure. Get after it.
Bios
RAZO: Alex has over 5 years of radio and
broadcasting experience. After graduating from Cal State Northridge in 2017,
she began working for KFI AM 640 in Los Angeles as a producer. KFI is one of
the most listened to news-talk radio stations in the country and serves all of
Southern California. Alex started her career there as an intern for the morning
show while as a student, and after being hired part-time was promoted to being
the full-time producer of both morning shows (Wake Up Call and the Bill Handel
Show) only a few months later.
GUENTZEL: My name is Lindsay Guentzel and I’m the host
and producer of Refocused with Lindsay Guentzel, a podcast collaboration with
ADHD Online that explores the often-misunderstood world of attention-deficit
hyperactivity disorder. I really like to work and I’m incredibly ambitious so a
lot of time, there’s no distinct line showing where work ends and my life
begins. But when I do take a break, I enjoy running, eating delicious food
(preferably cooked for me, although I do love having the time to try new
recipes at home), attending sporting events outdoors in nice weather, and
anything crafty and creative.
Knowledge Areas
RAZO: Radio, television, communications, video and
audio editing, news writing and editing, research, media relations,
programming, field producing, digital and social media management.
GUENTZEL: Radio, television, content creation,
audio, producing, journalism, on-air talent, writing, and media relations.
For more information about “A Minute with Membership,” AWM membership, or with suggestions for future member spotlights, please contact amy.burton@allwomeninmedia.org.
Valerie
K. Blackburn to receive AWM Legacy Leadership
Award at event
September 19, 2022 (New York) – The Alliance for Women in Media
(AWM) is pleased to announce that Soledad O’Brien – award-winning journalist,
CEO of Soledad O’Brien Productions, philanthropist, and author – will keynote
the Gracies Leadership Awards on Monday, November 14, 2022, at Tribeca 360 in
New York, New York. At the awards event, AWM will present its Legacy Leadership
Award to Valerie K. Blackburn, a longtime radio executive, industry leader as
well as active and committed supporter of AWM. Google News Initiative is a
presenting sponsor for this key education and recognition celebration.
The annual event provides an
opportunity to recognize and celebrate the significant impact women have made
in the media industry, while also spurring to action and emboldening female
leaders in attendance. The list of this
year’s honorees will be announced soon.
“The Alliance for Women in Media’s
commitment to shining a light on the impressive work of women in our industry
and how they cover them in support and celebrate their talent makes me all the
more honored and delighted to serve as keynote,” said O’Brien.
O’Brien has been a mainstay in the
world of media for several decades. She currently anchors and produces Hearst
TV political program “Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien” and is a correspondent
for HBO Real Sports. O’Brien’s history
in the industry includes the anchor chair on CNN, MSNBC, and NBC, as well as
reporting for Fox, A&E, Oxygen, Nat Geo, the PBS Newshour, and many others.
“The Alliance for Women in Media is
proud to recognize women for their exceptional achievements,” said Becky
Brooks, president, AWM. “It is our honor to have Soledad O’Brien as keynote and
Valerie Blackburn as the AWM Legacy Leadership recipient, both undoubtedly
trailblazers in the world of media leaving a legacy for all women in media to
follow.”
Blackburn said, “This is an
exceptional honor, and I am incredibly appreciative to be recognized among this
alliance of women I admire and respect, who continue to educate and connect
those of us in media.”
Tickets are available today including
a special student rate for undergraduate students with proof of enrollment.
Students may also apply for a sponsored tickets made available through the
Google News Initiative and Mattel Fellowships. For more information on the
Fellowships and to reserve your seat, visit https://allwomeninmedia.org/events/gracies-leadership-award/.
Special thanks to sponsors of the
Gracies Leadership Awards including Google News Initiative as a presenting
sponsor, ABC News, Clear Channel Outdoor, Katz Media Group, Mattel and NCTA –
The Internet & Television Association. For sponsorship or advertising
information about the Gracies Leadership Awards, or any other AWM/F
opportunity, please contact Becky Brooks.
About the Alliance for Women in Media (AWM): The Alliance for Women in Media connects, recognizes,
and inspires women across the media industry. AWM is a diverse community –
whether type of media, job, or global location – that facilitates industry-wide
collaboration, education, and innovation. Established in 1951 as American Women
in Radio & Television (AWRT), AWM is the longest-established professional
association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. AWM
harnesses the promise, passion and power of women in all forms of media to
empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive
change for our industry and societal progress.
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
For more information about “A Minute with Membership,” AWM membership, or with suggestions for future member spotlights, please contact amy.burton@allwomeninmedia.org.
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.
My dream to attend Columbia University’s Journalism school was achieved, thanks to the generous
educational scholarships offered by the Alliance for Women
in Media Foundation (AWMF).
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.
ESPN SportsCenter Anchor Hannah Storm Hosted and Curb Recording Artist Hannah Ellis Performed at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City
PHOTOS AND CLIPS: CLICK HERE*Credit: Getty Images for AWM (Alliance
for Women in Media Foundation)
June 22, 2022 (New
York City) – The
Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) presented the 47th Annual Gracie AwardsLuncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York
City on June 22. Host Hannah Storm, anchor of ESPN SportsCenter, led the
program alongside presenters Paul “Cubby” Bryant, Co-Host 106.7
LiteFM Morning Show with Christine Nagy; Linsey Davis, ABC News Live
Prime Anchor, Weekend “World News Tonight” Anchor, and ABC News
Correspondent; Larry O’Connor, Host, O’Connor & Company on
WMAL; Kate Snow, NBC Nightly News Sunday, AnchorandNBC
News Senior National Correspondent; and Shelley Wade, Afternoon Host,
New York City’s 94.7 The Block and podcast host All the Rage with
Shelley Wade. The Gracie Awards were presented to honorees which were
previously announced (full list of honorees here) in recognition of
individual achievement and outstanding programming by, for and about women in
local and student television, radio and digital media.
Highlights
from the show included:
AWMF Board Chair and executive vice president of The Weiss
Agency Heather
Cohen opened the Luncheon by acknowledging local radio, television,
and student awards is the heart of the Gracies and how happy we are to be
together again.
Hannah Storm, anchor of ESPN
SportsCenter and six-time Gracie winner, hosted the awards. When presenting the awards for outstanding work in
Local Market Radio, Storm said, “As we all know, the connection to our
local communities happens through local television and radio. Breaking news,
keeping us informed, uplifting moments, and understanding how we are all
interconnected happens with those of you in this room.”
Curb
Recording artist and singer/songwriter Hannah Ellis performed “Us” along with her soon-to-be-released
single “Country Can.” Ellis said, “It’s
such honor to perform at the Gracie Awards this year. There is something so
special about being here and celebrating accomplished and talented women!’
Presenter Kate Snow, NBC Nightly News Sunday, AnchorandNBC News Senior National Correspondent
and 2022
Gracies Award recipient for Outstanding
News Feature Series, discussed the
importance of fact-checking, vetting and research, noting that right now is a
significant moment for journalism.
Presenter
Larry O’Connor, Host, O’Connor & Company on WMAL said, “I have always, and will always, work on a team led by
women.”
Presenter
Linsey Davis, ABC News Live Prime Anchor, Weekend “World News
Tonight” Anchor, and ABC News Correspondent spoke
on the benefits of being a mentor and
finding a mentor. “Over the process of me
being a mentor, she has helped me.” She said before presenting an award to one
of her own mentees.
Presenter
Paul “Cubby” Bryant, Co-Host 106.7 LiteFM Morning Show with
Christine Nagy, said, “I am very excited to present today especially to my
morning show partner. Everyone who listens knows the Gracie-worthy
content comes from her!”
Presenter
Shelley Wade, Afternoon Host, New York City’s 94.7 The Block and
podcast host All the Rage with Shelley Wade, said “I’m honored to be
here and am a firm believer in women supporting other women. Thank you all for
having me involved.
The
National Gracie Award honorees were recognized at the Gracies Gala, May 24, at
The Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills. Again, a full list of recipients may be
found on the Alliance for
Women in Media website.
About
the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and The Gracie Awards – The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (formerly known
as The Foundation of American Women in Radio & Television) supports and
promotes educational programs, and scholarships to benefit the media, the
public, and allied fields. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has
created partnerships and joint initiatives with many organizations that are
philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. In addition to
giving $20,000 a year in scholarships to deserving female students, the
Foundation also produces nationally acclaimed recognition programs, including
the Gracie Awards that exemplary honor programming created by, for and about
women.
For more information about The
Alliance for Women in Media, please visit: allwomeninmedia.org and follow on Twitter, Instagram
(@AllWomeninMedia) (#TheGracies), and Facebook.
Sponsors of The Gracies Luncheon include Audacy, Beasley Media
Group, Cox Media
Group, ESPN, Graham Media Group, Gray Media, iHeartMedia, Katz Media Group,
NBCUniversal News Group, NCTA
– The Internet & Television Association, Hofstra University, Point-To-Point, TEGNA, Townsquare Media, WABC, and WideOrbit.
###
Media Contact: Becky Brooks 859.226.4240 and becky.brooks@allwomeninmedia.org
Musical Talent, Curb Recording Artist, Hannah Ellis to Perform on June 22 at Cipriani 42nd Street
June 16, 2022 (New York,
N.Y.) – The leadership of the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) announces that Hannah Storm, ESPN SportsCenter Anchor
will host the 47th Annual Gracie Awards Luncheon set for June 22 at
Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.
The Gracie
Awards recognize exemplary content created by, for and about women in all
facets of media and entertainment.
“Throughout
this past year we have seen a number of remarkable projects by and about inspirational
women and Hannah Storm will serve as the ideal host to recognize their work,”
said Heather Cohen, Chair, Alliance for Women in Media Foundation. “We
are honored to shine a spotlight on these women, whose stories have driven
cultural awareness, offered entertainment that has made us laugh, cry, and
everything in between. We are delighted to return to an in-person format so
that we can properly celebrate together,” added Becky Brooks, President,
Alliance for Women in Media Foundation.
In addition to serving as SportsCenter Anchor, Storm is a
five-time Gracie winner herself. She
is an award-winning journalist, a pioneer in the field of sports
broadcasting for women, founder of Brainstormin’ Productions, President
of Hannah Storm Foundation who funds surgeries for children suffering with
vascular anomalies and a
published author. In addition to anchoring various editions of SportsCenter,
Storm has co-hosted many of the network’s marquee events including: Wimbledon,
the U.S. Open, the NBA Finals, the New York
Marathon, Veteran’s Day, the Super Bowl, the NCAA College Football Playoff
National Championship and the Rose Parade on ABC. Storm became the first woman
in American television history to solo host a broadcast network’s sports series
when she hosted NBC’s Major League Baseball coverage, including three World
Series. Since 2018, Storm and Andrea Kremer have called Thursday night NFL
games for Amazon Prime.
“It’s an honor to host the Gracies and to be among the most
inspiring, empowering and talented women in our business,” said Storm.
Performing
at the Luncheon will be singer-songwriter, Curb Recording Artist, Hannah
Ellis. Ellis is a mix of favorite flannel, sparkling pink wine and welcome.
Whether pouring from a car radio or your phone, the act named to Rolling
Stone Country’s “Artist To Watch” list reminds you big leaps often come as
a series of small steps when no one is looking. She has since written songs
recorded by artists, and been featured as a vocalist on songs, spanning
multiple genres, including: Russell Dickerson, Carly Pearce, FOR KING +
COUNTRY, Emily Weisband, Cassadee Pope, Filmore, and Sidewalk Prophets who also
made her Grand Ole Opry debut.
Presenters at the Gracie Awards Luncheon
will include Paul “Cubby” Bryant, Co-Host 106.7 LiteFM Morning Show
with Christine Nagy; Linsey Davis, ABC News Live Prime Anchor, Weekend
“World News Tonight” Anchor, and ABC News Correspondent; Larry O’Connor,
Host, O’Connor & Company on WMAL; Kate Snow, NBC Nightly
News Sunday, AnchorandNBC News Senior National Correspondent;
and Shelley Wade, Afternoon Host, New York City’s 94.7 The Block and
podcast host All the Rage with Shelley Wade.
The National Gracie Award honorees were recognized at the Gracies Gala, May 24, at The Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills. A full list of recipients may be found on the Alliance for Women in Media website. For more information about the 2022 Gracies Luncheon or to secure tickets, please visit HERE.
About the Alliance for Women in Media
Foundation and The Gracie Awards – The Alliance for
Women in Media Foundation (formerly known as The Foundation of American Women
in Radio & Television) supports and promotes educational programs, and
scholarships to benefit the media, the public, and allied fields. The Alliance
for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint initiatives
with many organizations that are philosophically aligned with the mission of
the Foundation. In addition to giving $20,000 a year in scholarships to
deserving female students, the Foundation also produces nationally acclaimed
recognition programs, including the Gracie Awards that exemplary honor
programming created by, for and about women.
For
more information about The Alliance for Women in Media, please visit:
allwomeninmedia.org and follow on Twitter,
Instagram
(@AllWomeninMedia) (#TheGracies), and Facebook.
Sponsors of The Gracies Luncheon include Audacy, Beasley Media Group, Cox Media Group, ESPN, Graham Media Group, Gray Media, iHeartMedia, Katz Media Group,
NBCUniversal News Group, NCTA
– The Internet & Television Association, Hofstra University, Point-To-Point, TEGNA, Townsquare Media, WABC, WideOrbit
###
Media Contact: Becky Brooks 859.226.4240 and becky.brooks@allwomeninmedia.org
Gala Hosted by Holly Robinson Peete featured Performances by Christina Perri and Celebrated Women in Media and Entertainment
PHOTOS: CLICK HERE*Credit: Getty Images for AWM (Alliance
for Women in Media Foundation)
CLIPS:CLICK HERE*Credit:
Courtesy of Alliance for Women in Media Foundation
LOS
ANGELES (May 24, 2022) – Tonight, the Alliance for
Women in Media Foundation presented the
47th Annual Gracie Awards at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills,
CA. Hosted by Holly Robinson Peete,
the awards recognized exemplary programming created by women, for women and
about women in all facets of media and entertainment.
Highlights from the awards include:
Actress Jillian Mercado received the Gracie Award for her role in the Showtime
drama The L Word: Generation Q, which
she dedicated to the millions of people with disabilities who want to see
physical manifestations of themselves on screen. In a heartfelt speech she
said, “It was hard to imagine that as a young disabled Latina, I would ever be
on this stage with you all winning this award for Actress in a Breakthrough
Role. My mind can’t honestly compute what is happening but I am so beyond
thankful and grateful to be here.” She continued, “opportunities are far and
few in between for the disabled community. We must do better.”
Tamron Hall accepted the Gracie Award for
“Best On-Air Talent.” In her acceptance speech, she spoke about the importance
of seeing diverse role models on screen and noted her appreciation for
trailblazers like Carole Simpson, Robin Roberts, Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters,
Linsey Davis. Hall concluded her speech by addressing the Texas elementary
school tragedy, saying. “You don’t have to be a parent to understand pain, you
don’t have to be a mom to understand loss, but you have to be a human to open
your eyes and to see that none of us should rest easy tonight because too many
tonight won’t be able to say goodnight.”
Award-winning writer, director and
producer Ava DuVernay accepted the
award for “Best Family Series” for her first unscripted television series Home Sweet Home that sends powerful
messages about inclusion and acceptance, and
used the platform to encourage empathy after today’s Texas elementary school
tragedy.“It’s so important to tell
these [types of] stories because the stories that we tell each other matter. If
we can tell stories that allow us to see each other in ways that we truly are
our most intimate spaces, maybe we would safeguard so that there were not
shootings, mass shootings. If we could just see each other, understand each
other, have empathy for each other…. See each other,” DuVernay pressed, “and
let’s be kind and better to each other. Storytelling can do that.”
POSEwas
honored with the Grand Award for Drama. Actor Our Lady J took the stage to accept the award from Medalion Rahimi. “Thank you for tuning
in to laugh with us, and not at us, as trans women continue to be the butt of
jokes today,” she said. “We’re at a very volatile moment and a very sensitive
and delicate moment for the trans community and for the world at whole. We know that we can go backwards
in time and it’s organizations, and thanks to allyships of every person in this
room tonight that hopefully we won’t go back in time.”
Actress Nasim Pedrad accepted the award for “Best Actress in a Breakthrough
Role in Comedy ” for CHAD, for which
she is also creator, writer, executive producer and showrunner. She thanked the
Alliance for Women in Media and her parents, saying, “Mom, I can’t think of
anything less exciting for immigrant parents than to find out your daughter
wants a career in improv, but you always encouraged me to follow my heart and
do what makes me happy.”
Rose McIver presented the award for “Best
Actress in Leading Role Drama” to Melanie
Lynskey for her character in Showtime’s acclaimed new series Yellowjackets. In her acceptance speech,
Melanie joked, “It’s amazing to be 45 years old in a size 12…and be playing the
sexiest, most interesting, most fun role of my entire career. I never thought
it was going to get better, but it did.”
Singer-songwriter Christina Perri unveiled her baby bump for the first time on the
red carpet and then performed during the show. She opened the gala with a
special performance of her chart-topping single “A Thousand Years.” Later in
the evening she returned to the stage to perform “Evergone,” a deeply personal
song off of her new album about the loss of her daughter.
Additional winners, presenters and notable
attendees included Brie and Nikki Bella, Kimberly Williams-Paisley,
Sheinelle Jones, Bethany Joy Lenz, Shannon Thornton, Sarah Thomas, Angelica Vale, Zach Sang, Ashley Williams, Mimi
Rogers, the Mathis family, Ellen K, Deon Cole and more.
To view the complete list of winners, their
work and acceptance speeches, visit allwomeninmedia.org.
Sponsors of the Gracie Awards include ABC,
CBS, CNN, Crown Media, DJV, ESPN, Elvis Duran, NBC, NCTA, NPR, iHeart, HBO Max,
Katz Media Group, Meruelo Media, National Geographic, Premiere Networks,
Skyview, Showtime and Warner Entertainment.
# # #
About The Gracie Awards
The Gracie Awards
is the largest fundraiser of the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation
(formerly known as The Foundation of American Women in Radio & Television)
which supports and promotes educational programs, and scholarships to benefit
the media, the public and allied fields. In addition to giving $20,000 a year
away in scholarships to deserving female students, the Foundation also produces
the nationally acclaimed recognition program – the Gracie Awards which honors
exemplary programming created by, for and about women. The Alliance for Women
in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint initiatives with the
Emma Bowen Foundation, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), NCTA –
The Cable and Telecommunications Association and other organizations that are
philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. For more
information about The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and the Gracie
Awards please visit allwomeninmedia.org and follow on Twitter
(@AllWomeninMedia), (#TheGracies), Instagram (@allwomeninmedia) and Facebook.
Awards Ceremony to take place on May 24 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel
Holly Robinson Peete Photographer: Antwon Maxwell
Christina Perri Photographer: Ashley Osborne
LOS ANGELES
(May 4, 2022) – The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) today announced
actress Holly Robinson Peete will
host the 47th Annual Gracie Awards and
multi-platinum singer-songwriter Christina
Perri will give a special live performance of her brand new single,
“Evergone.” The event will return in-person on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at the
Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles, and will
honor some of the most talented women in television, radio and digital
media who have demonstrated their commitment to sharing emotionally-charged,
timely and compelling content that continues to further the achievements of all
women in media.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of such a special day
honoring the tenacity, intelligence and fierceness of my fellow women in
media,” said Robinson Peete. “I attended my first Gracie Awards over 10 years
ago and have been a fan of AWMF and the work they do to uplift women ever
since, so being asked to come back as the host is quite the honor. I can’t wait
to celebrate all of the many accomplishments in person this year.”
Since 1951, AWMF has been committed to inspiring,
educating, celebrating accomplishments and expanding networks of women across
all segments of media.
In the seventh consecutive year as Executive
Producer, Vicangelo Bulluck will spotlight these prolific women in the industry
who continue to inspire and support others, break down barriers, and lead by
example in creating opportunities for future generations.
Sponsors of The Gracie Awards include Crown Media,
Warner Media, CNN, NCTA – The Internet and Television Association, WWE, ESPN,
Premiere Networks, Meruelo Media, Skyview, NBC Sports & News, ABC News, HBO
Max, Katz Media Group, and National Geographic. Gracie Luncheon sponsors
include Audacy, TEGNA, Townsquare, Graham Media, Cox Media Group, and Hofstra
University.
About The
Gracie Awards
The Gracie Awards is the largest fundraiser of the
Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (formerly known as The Foundation of
American Women in Radio & Television) which supports and promotes
educational programs, and scholarships to benefit the media, the public and
allied fields. In addition to giving $20,000 a year away in scholarships to
deserving female students, the Foundation also produces the nationally
acclaimed recognition program – the Gracie Awards which honors exemplary
programming created by, for and about women. The Alliance for Women in Media
Foundation has created partnerships and joint initiatives with the Emma Bowen
Foundation, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), NCTA – The Cable
and Telecommunications Association and other organizations that are
philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. For more
information about The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and the Gracie
Awards please visit allwomeninmedia.org and follow on Twitter
(@AllWomeninMedia), (#TheGracies), Instagram (@allwomeninmedia) and Facebook.
Wow – what a year! We are closing out twelve months at a
time when most of us can use the phrase, “if someone had told me eight months
ago we would…” fill in the blank. The silver lining? There are few times in
history where a single event, or experience, has impacted nearly everyone in
some way. There is some measure of comfort in that all of us are living with the
same uncertainty…and hope.
In past “Year in Review” reflections, I recall events that took
place throughout the year — those moments, by the time we get to December, we
forgot happened and the role media played in the storytelling. In the spirit of
not “doing things just because we’ve always done them” – I won’t walk down
2020’s memory lane!
What should stay the same, however, is the importance of celebrating
storytellers. 2020 was an opportunity for journalists to put into action what
we’ve known is true and hadn’t seen to even these extremes – to share the
must-tell stories however and from wherever they could – basements, front rooms
of apartments, in the streets and everywhere in between. Our connection to
media, in every form, was even more powerful in a year that brought a pandemic,
social justice movement and a challenging presidential election.
And we have a heightened need to connect with others in
person.
Speaking for myself, this lack of connection is real and
it’s hard. We have two kids who are attending school virtually since March while
my husband and I work from home. As I said at the beginning, if someone told us
eight months ago our kids wouldn’t walk the halls of a school and we would work
from home through the end of the year – oh, and pulling off events virtually
for the first time ever – we would have had a good laugh over the absurdity! Yet
we did it. We have enjoyed breathing for a minute when not at a soccer game
that was cancelled or swim meet we watched online – and remembered to enjoy
every minute of cross country and activities outside.
So, while we don’t want to ignore that things are hard – it’s
taught us more in a short period of time than imaginable. We are courageous and
tenacious albeit weary. One of my favorite stories of courage is that of the
founders of AWM. We celebrate 70 years of AWM next year. Imagine the courage of
those women signing an organization into existence in 1951! There were so few
women in media roles at that time they formed a group to educate, connect and
recognize others just like them.
As we look to turn the page into 2021, we invite you to join
us in celebrating the courage of all women in media and supporting our journey.
We will offer opportunities throughout the year to engage and recognize those
who have inspired you. We need your financial support to keep doing the
important work of creating programs, offering scholarships and recognizing the
courageous storytellers. Please consider a donation to the Foundation, joining
AWM, posting your jobs on our career center and entering for a Gracie. These
are all ways to keep us active and thriving and we cannot do it without you.
I am so grateful for the amazing leadership of AWM and our
partners who navigated and steered us through 2020 while looking forward to everything
that is possible as we build on the lessons from this historic and unimaginable
year!
Show Will Feature Impact Award Recipient Katy Perry, and Honorees Including Danai
Gurira, Naomi Watts, Michelle Williams, Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler, Tamron
Hall, Gayle King and More
Program will
Feature Performances by Mickey Guyton,
Special Award Tribute by Dr.Sanjay Gupta to
Frontline Journalists Bringing COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter Coverage to
Homes across America, and Grey’s
Anatomy’s “Silent All These Years” Episode will Receive a Stand-out Moment
The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) announced the 45th annual Gracie Awards program will air live on AWMF’s Facebook page on September 10, 2020 at 7pm ET/PT. The virtual event will recognize esteemed honoree Katy Perry, who will receive the Gracies Impact Award, which is presented to an artist who has made a positive impact on society through their music. Dr.Sanjay Gupta will deliver a special tribute to frontline journalists who covered breaking news regarding the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter movement, and some of the most talented women in television, radio, and digital media will be honored for their incredible contributions to media this year including Naomi Watts, Michelle Williams, Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler, Tamron Hall, and Angela Yee.
Danai Gurira, Norah
O’Donnell, Fiona Shaw, Andrea Mitchell and Gayle King will appear in the virtual show along with country
superstar Mickey
Guyton who will perform twice throughout the night, and Grey’s Anatomy’s “Silent All These Years” episode will receive the
Grand Award for the incredibly powerful episode which brought attention to
sexual assault survivors. Tune-in on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 7 pm ET/PT at
@AllWomenInMedia on Facebook and Instagram, as well as the Alliance for Women in Media’s YouTube page.
“There’s no doubt
that this year has been indescribable – but one thing that has stayed
consistent is the level of content that continues to be generated by and for
women,” said Becky Brooks, Executive
Director, Alliance for Women in Media Foundation. “We understand that people are going through
unprecedented times and it’s our commitment to bring the world in for the first
time and see the magic of the Gracie Awards as we celebrate some of the brave
and poignant, storytellers of our time.”
In the fifth consecutive year as Executive
Producer, Vicangelo Bulluck will spotlight these prolific women in the industry
who continue to inspire and support others, break down barriers, and lead by
example in creating opportunities for future generations.
Sponsors of the
Gracie Awards include Ziploc®, Facebook, NCTA – The Internet & Television
Association, CNN, Crown Media, CBS Corporation, Katz Media Group, Beasley Media
Group, and the Ford Motor Company.
Please celebrate all Gracie Award winners with us by watching the video montage dedications on the AWM website. Acceptance speeches of all honorees highlighting their content are available in montages beginning today.
About The Gracie Awards
The Gracie Awards is the largest fundraiser of the
Alliance for Women in Media Foundation which supports and promotes educational
programs, and scholarships to benefit the media, the public, and allied fields.
In addition to giving $20,000 a year away in scholarships to deserving female
students, the Foundation also produces the nationally acclaimed recognition
program – the Gracie Awards which honors exemplary programming created by, for,
and about women. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has created
partnerships and joint initiatives with the Emma Bowen Foundation, the National
Association of Broadcasters (NAB), NCTA – The Cable and Telecommunications
Association and other organizations that are philosophically aligned with the
mission of the Foundation. For more information about The Alliance for Women in
Media Foundation and the Gracie Awards please visitallwomeninmedia.org and follow on Twitter (@AllWomeninMedia), (#TheGracies),
Instagram (@allwomeninmedia) andFacebook.
Moderated by Entercom’s Kelly Ford, Host of the ‘Kelly Ford in the Morning’ Show
The Alliance for
Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) released the latest installment of the AWM
Gracie Interview Series – A Virtual Gathering with American Medical
Association President Susan R. Bailey, M.D. Titled “Medicine and The Media
– Leadership in Historic Times,” the session was moderated by Entercom’s Kelly
Ford, host of Kelly Ford in
the Morning on
New York’s
Country 94.7. The Gracie Interview Series – A Virtual Gathering series was
created to engage leaders in media to share wisdom and guidance during a time
of immense change and unpredictability.
In response to a question about what medical experts have learned since February, Dr. Bailey shared, “It’s not flip flopping – this is how science is supposed to work. When we get new data, we draw new conclusions and may need to change recommendations.” Regarding how media can be of service to the medical community, Dr. Bailey added, “Ultimately, we are all in this together. By sharing information, we can kick this virus.”
The full recording of the session can be experienced here:
“Dr. Bailey shared meaningful
insight into the important partnership between media and the medical community.
This is a critical time for media to understand its role and for all of us to
know our roles as individuals,” Becky Brooks, Executive Director of the
Alliance for Women in Media Foundation stated. “We look forward to hosting more
virtual gatherings to share the wisdom of experienced leaders.”
The Gracie Interview Series – Virtual Gatherings are a segment of The Gracie Awards brand. The Gracies are the largest fundraising event by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Alliance for Women in Media (AWM), which supports educational programs, charitable activities and scholarships. To engaged with AWM, please consider joining the association or donating to the Foundation so we can continue to offer important programs like this interview series.
June 30, 2020 – The
Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) announces the 45th
Annual Gracie Awards will be streamed virtually on September 10, 2020. The Gracies Gala, originally scheduled for
May 19, 2020, was intended to be held at the Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills, A
Four Seasons Hotel, and the Gracies Luncheon, originally scheduled for June 24,
2020, was intended to be held in New York City at Cipriani 42nd Street. The
2020 honorees will now be celebrated through a series of digital acceptance speech
montages along with a virtual awards ceremony.
“The leadership of AWMF, which
annually presents the Gracies as our largest fundraiser, has had one singular
focus – to appropriately acknowledge and celebrate our outstanding winners in
whatever manner is feasible this year,” said Becky Brooks, Executive Director
of AWM/F. “Therefore, we have made the
decision to shift this year’s events to virtual experiences to ensure
recognition of all winners in this very important year.”
The Gracie Awards recognize exemplary programming created by, for and about women in radio, television, and interactive media. Honorees are selected in national, local and student markets, including both commercial and non-commercial outlets. The full list of this year’s honorees can be found here.
AWMF extends a tremendous thank
you to sponsors of the Gracies Awards, who are committed to supporting the
future of women in media. Along with Ziploc®
Brand, the Diamond Sponsor of the 2020 Gracie Awards, this year’s sponsors
include Crown
Media, CBS, CNN, Katz Media Group, NCTA – The Internet and Television
Association, Beasley Media Group and Cox Media Group.
About the Alliance for Women
in Media Foundation: In 1960, the
Alliance for Women in Media became the first professional broadcasting
organization to establish an educational foundation. The Alliance for Women in
Media Foundation (formerly known as The Foundation of American Women in Radio
& Television) supports and promotes educational programs, charitable
activities, public service campaigns and scholarships to benefit the public,
the electronic media and allied fields. The Foundation also produces nationally
acclaimed recognition programs, including the Gracie Awards®, a gala that
honors exemplary programming created by, for or about women. The Alliance for
Women in Media Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, educational organization.
For the latest news on the Gracies, follow The Gracies on Twitter and Facebook.
For more information about the Gracie Awards and to submit your entries, please
visit www.allwomeninmedia.org/gracies.
By: Keisha Sutton-James, Chair, Alliance for Women in Media
The recent brutal murders of George
Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, combined with a global health pandemic
that has had a disproportionate effect on communities of color, have laid bare
the injustices and inequalities that continues to exist in America to this
day. Media outlets have offered around
the clock coverage of this tragic moment in our country’s history, and of the
massive protests that have gripped our nation.
On behalf of our leadership across
the United States and Canada, the Alliance for Women in Media supports the
human rights of all Americans, including Black Americans. Black lives do matter. As a Black woman whose grandfather, Percy
Sutton, was a Freedom Rider, politician and activist before moving into media
in order to effect change through the use of media, I have always been keenly
aware of this fact. And now, this moment – a health crisis and the senseless murders
of innocent people – has served to remind us as a nation of this fact.
We, the media, are the storytellers –
whether through scripted or journalistic work.
We tell the stories of our humanity – trauma and triumph, denial and
victory, betrayal and reconciliation. We,
the Alliance for Women in Media, stand with the protestors who are peacefully
marching our country toward its founding ideals. We stand with the storytellers,
journalists, producers and directors and particularly the women in these roles,
who are sharing the truth of this moment for the world to see. We applaud the bravery and tenacity displayed,
some at the risk of their own safety.
The AWM will continue to recognize
and celebrate the women who are frontline journalists and storytellers, women behind
the cameras and microphones, and the true protagonists in our nation’s story:
those who are leading our nation to its higher self. We thank you for all that you do.
Keisha Sutton-James
Founder, Sutton Button Productions, LLC
Chair, Alliance for Women in Media
Please
allow us to highlight a few of the important, ongoing conversations on this
topic through pieces that reflect the work and voices of some of our Gracies
honorees in radio, television and digital media.
Angela Yee
and the Breakfast Club Conversation with Rush Limbaugh
45th ANNUAL GRACIE AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED BY THE ALLIANCE FOR WOMEN IN MEDIA FOUNDATION
This week, The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) announced the winners of the 45th annual Gracie Awards. The list of honorees includes such esteemed honorees as Michelle Williams, Amy Poehler, Natasha Lyonne, Tamron Hall, Naomi Watts, Angela Yee, Norah O’Donnell, Niecy Nash, Stephanie Beatriz, and Soledad O’Brien, along with more than 100 of the most talented women in television, radio and digital media.
The Gracies
recognize exemplary programming created by, for and about women in radio,
television, and interactive media. Honorees are selected in national, local and
student markets, including both commercial and non-commercial outlets. This
year’s honorees represent the substance and ethos of women’s storytelling and
journalism at its best. Their work during
this global state of affairs – full of innovation, courage and endurance –
serves as inspiration today for the journalists of tomorrow.
Some of the honorees have recorded special messages of thanks and appreciation:
Becky Brooks, Executive Director, The Alliance for Women in
Media Foundation stated, “Our leadership is proud to honor the best of the best
who embody the spirit and intention of the Alliance for Women in Media
Foundation’s Gracie Awards. We want to thank
those on the front lines telling the important stories still impacting our
world. It is our distinguished honor to recognize the reporters, hosts,
producers and media executives who are working to ensure the public is
informed. We know everyone in media has been impacted in some way, and we
continue to salute this outstanding list of honorees for their award-winning
passion, energy and perseverance.”
AWMF
extends a tremendous thank you to sponsors of the Gracies, who are committed to
supporting the future of women in media.
Along with Ziploc® Brand, the Diamond Sponsor of the 2020 Gracies Gala,
this year’s sponsors include Crown Media, CBS, CNN, Katz Media Group, NCTA –
The Internet and Television Association, Beasley Media Group and Cox Media
Group.
TV
NATIONAL HONOREES
60 Minutes: The Chibok Girls (60 Minutes)
CBS News
News Magazine
Abby McEnany (Work in Progress)
SHOWTIME
Actress in a Breakthrough Role
Alex Duda (The Kelly Clarkson Show)
NBCUniversal
Showrunner – Talk Show
Am I Next? Trans and Targeted
ABC NEWS Nightline
Hard News Feature
Angela Kang (The Walking Dead)
AMC
Showrunner- Scripted
Better Things
FX Networks
Comedy
BookTube
YouTube Originals
Non-Fiction Entertainment
Caroline Waterlow (Qualified)
ESPN Films
Producer- Documentary /Unscripted / Non-Fiction
Catherine Reitman (Workin’ Moms)
Wolf + Rabbit Entertainment (CBC/Netflix)
Actress in a Leading Role – Comedy or Musical
Catherine Reitman (Workin’ Moms)
Wolf + Rabbit Entertainment (CBC/Netflix)
Director – Comedy
Clarissa Ward (CNN International)
CNN International
Reporter/Correspondent
Danai Gurira (The Walking Dead)
AMC
Actress in a Leading Role – Drama
Fiona Shaw (Killing Eve)
BBC AMERICA
Actress in a Supporting Role – Drama
Francesca Gregorini (Killing Eve)
BBC AMERICA
Director – Scripted
Gender Discrimination in the FBI
NBC News Investigative Unit
Interview Feature
Grey’s Anatomy
ABC Studios
Drama- Grand Award
Izzie Pick Ibarra (THE MASKED SINGER)
FOX Broadcasting Company
Showrunner – Unscripted
Michelle Williams (Fosse/Verdon)
FX Networks
Actress in a Leading Role – Made for TV Movie or
Limited Series
Mission Unstoppable
Produced by Litton Entertainment
Family Series
MSNBC 2019 Democratic Debate (Atlanta)
MSNBC
Special or Variety – Breakthrough
Naomi Watts (The Loudest Voice)
SHOWTIME
Actress in a Supporting Role – Made for TV Movie or
Limited Series
Host – Morning Drive – Small Market [Radio – Local]
Rebekah Maroun (Bex) (Matty In The Morning)
iheartmedia
Producer – Commercial [Radio – Local]
Shannon Farren (Gary and Shannon Show)
iHeartMedia
Crisis Coverage/Breaking News [Radio – Local]
Shannon Farren (Gary and Shannon Show)
iHeartMedia
Talk Show [Radio – Local]
Starving for Perfection
WTOP-FM
Hard News Feature [Radio – Local]
RADIO
LOCAL STUDENT HONOREES
Brittany McGowan (Women Surfers Fundraise In Honor Of
Feamle Surfing Icon)
Radio Hofstra University – WRHU FM / WRHU.org
Host/Personality
Eli Finkelson (A League of Our Own – Single Moms Share
& Inspire)
Radio Hofstra University – WRHU FM / WRHU.org
Talk Show
Julia Presti (A League of Our Own – Fearless Female
Firefighters)
Radio Hofstra University – WRHU FM / WRHU.org
Public Affairs
Karina Gonzalez (KUNR Public Radio & Noticiero
Móvil)
University of Nevada, Reno
Interview Feature
Madison Bristowe (Cityscape:Back to the Garden,
Remembering Woodstock)
WFUV / Fordham University
Producer
Marian Mohamed (The barrier between us is breaking:
How politics brought my mom and me closer)
KUOW Puget Sound Public Radio
News Feature
INTERACTIVE
MEDIA STUDENT HONOREES
Eliot Schiaparelli (Around My Block)
WFUV / Fordham University
Original Online Programming
Kacie Candela (Prickly Politics: Women in the Room)
WFUV / Fordham University
Podcast
Celebration details for this year’s winners will be announced soon.
About The Gracie Awards
The Gracies Awards is the largest fundraiser of the Alliance for
Women in Media Foundation (formerly known as The Foundation of American Women
in Radio & Television) which supports and promotes educational programs,
and scholarships to benefit the media, the public and allied fields. In
addition to giving $20,000 a year away in scholarships to deserving female
students, the Foundation also produces the nationally acclaimed recognition
program – the Gracie Awards which honors exemplary programming created by, for
and about women. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships
and joint initiatives with the Emma Bowen Foundation, the National Association
of Broadcasters (NAB), NCTA – The Cable and Telecommunications Association and
other organizations that are philosophically aligned with the mission of the
Foundation. For more information about The Alliance for Women in Media
Foundation and the Gracie Awards please visit allwomeninmedia.org and follow on
Twitter (@AllWomeninMedia), (#TheGracies), Instagram (@allwomeninmedia) and
Facebook.
The Coronavirus has changed how we are living our lives at this moment in time. Social distancing, quarantining, sheltering … are all words that have become a way for us to describe our lives. Some of us are wearing masks and gloves when we must go out in public. Some never go out in public, while others continue to question if the restrictions on our lives isn’t too much.
How audiences
are using media, and when they’re using it, has also changed. Morning and Afternoon
commute times are non-existent. Even those who work from home are awaking later
and they wrap-up work in time for dinner. Few people have in-home radios and
much listening is being done on smart speakers, streaming on-line via laptops,
apps or phones, and some listeners will time-shift their radio listening by using
the on-demand listening that a radio show on podcast allows.
Many of us
are working from home. Video conferencing is becoming a way of life for work
and family connectivity. A large number of our fellow citizens are unemployed
or on furlough. They’re suffering, dealing with anxiety, fear and the stress of
not knowing what the future holds for them or for all of us.
Alcoholism,
Drug Addiction, Spousal Abuse and Domestic Violence are all magnified in times
of stress and panic. Suicide levels are predicted to increase. Recognize our first
responders in the health sector as well as fire, police and military.
Acknowledge them by name. Salute and honor them. Thank them.
There is the
possibility that some of us, as members of media, have been exaggerating its
seriousness while others have not been taking it seriously enough. We need to
be factual in the information we deliver. We need to pay attention to the
doctors and scientists and not politicians. Politicizing this pandemic has no
purpose in serving your community.
We, as
members of media, have to be sensitive to the concern of the audience. Our responsibility
is to serve the community and provide them with information that can be useful
to them. Stations are airing regular updates. Some are breaking away for news
reports, which was not previously a part of their scheduled programming.
One of my
concerns is that the contradictory opinions of commentators, especially those on
TV and on Network Radio, is destroying what little credibility was left for
electronic media news operations. Mainly because some of them present
themselves to be news reporters or news journalists. The content of a news
report, should be factual and focused on what is important to the target
audience. The content of a commentator or talk host should be labeled as
commentary. There is absolutely nothing
improper about a commentator taking a stance and presenting a position that may
include political views and editorial commentary. Don’t present it as news. It
is commentary.
Real people have died and are dying. Real people are becoming sick, or will become sick, and some of those who are yet to be inflicted will die. Someone recently commented to me “fewer have died than what was predicted.” That doesn’t mean that we didn’t need to take steps to protect our citizenry. It means that the steps we have taken, and are still taking, are working.
I remember when I was a small child, just about 10, my father and I would watch the nightly news on TV. In those days, the Vietnam War was in full swing and the evening news would include a daily death toll of Americans who lost their lives. One evening the number was single digits. I said aloud “that’s not very many.” My father replied “unless its your son that died.” That’s how I feel when I hear someone note that the death toll for Coronavirus, while high, is less than what was predicted to happen by this time.
This story
is meant to underscore that you should be sensitive to the loss of familial lives
that many are enduring. It’s time for a kinder, gentler world. It should be
reflected in what you say and how you deliver content on-air.
Be factual.
Don’t politicize. Don’t exaggerate or dismiss the information that is being
delivered to us from recognized credible medical experts who are at the center
of the research that’s being done to find a vaccine and a cure for COVD-19.
Those shows
that play games and air bits that make light of someone’s lack of intelligence,
should be reconsidered, much like the sometimes-collegial humor that makes fun
of an on-air partner. Don’t be mean. Avoid sounding mean spirited. Your
credibility, as an air talent, will be magnified by being understanding of the
less fortunate. Don’t make every story of hardship about you. Acknowledge how
blessed you are to be working. Realize that many aren’t as lucky as you are.
There are four faces of Coverage of the Coronavirus. Awareness, Acceptance, Encouragement and Memory.
Awareness was when we first heard of the virus. It ramped up significantly before we were able to grasp and understand that this was unlike anything that we had faced in our lives.
Acceptance is when we acknowledged that the pandemic was real, that we would all know individuals who would be infected with this virus, and that some would die.
Encouragement is what we have to do for our audiences. Encourage them that we will get through this pandemic. Share with them things that they can do while sheltering. Look for positive, but factual, news to report to the audience. The peak having been reached in some communities. A decline in deaths. Talk of sports activities being rescheduled. It gives us all an “end point” to look forward to.
Memory is what we hope is ahead of us. Remembering what it was like when we were in lockdown. What good came from it, besides health, and what lessons can we learn from it?
There are some artists and production houses working on creating a musical tribute to the heroes of the pandemic and others working on an event to raise funds for the memory of this event. Don’t be gratuitous and, if you’re an artist, don’t be opportunistic by taking advantage of this crisis to personally benefit.
We need to plan for what happens when we’re allowed to come back to the “outside world.” Party Centers, normally only open during weekends, will be booked for events seven days a week. There will be “make-ups” for lots of events that had been postponed. Wedding Receptions, Baby Showers, Graduations, Birthday Parties, Celebrations of Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah, Baptisms, Funerals or Celebrations of Life.
Provide guidance on where your listeners can find information on filing for unemployment. Where can individuals go to find out their options to refinance their homes or delay payments. What can be done to assist small businesses to stay in business during this time? How will the government’s COVID-19 recovery plans help everyone from individuals to big business? Surviving is what’s most important to all of us, at this moment, and will be important to our recovery.
Benztown and
Emmis have worked together to create a short series of updates named Corona411.
Westwood One is developing information for stations to use. Some stations will
create their own info pieces. These are not promotional messages. They shouldn’t
sound like a promo or a sweeper. These are elements of information that carry
weight. They should sound special and unique.
We should be
messaging that this is not a time to make jokes about the outbreak. It isn’t a
time to present tongue-in-cheek contests that are about this health crisis. It’s
also not a time to panic our listeners by being anything more than factual. It is
a time to share positive news, too. Give the audience a reason to smile.
It may be months
and months before there is a vaccination that will prevent this virus from
infecting our listeners. We’re all hoping that we’ll see life start to get back
to normal, soon. However, we’ve not yet seen the crest of the wave of this illness
in a total fashion for the United States. We have to help the world live a
normal life.
Many
air-talents are broadcasting remotely. Encourage them to mention that fact
on-air. How is working from home impacting their lives? How are they occupying
their days and the days of their family members? The purpose of such talk is
not to make it about them, but to create the feeling of community. “We’re all in
this together. We’re going to get through this.”
Update your
imaging. Eliminate the “Listen at Work” liners. Come up with imaging that
reinforces listening “Listen while you work, no matter where and when you work,
whether at home or on-site.”
Look for WOW
moments to unite your audience. It could be playing the National Anthem daily
at 12:00pm to salute the men and women who are fighting on the frontline of the
Coronavirus. It could be creating a consistent moment to underscore that we’re
all in this together. Like playing Queen’s song “We Will Rock You” at 6:00pm
nightly … as some radio stations are doing. Honor your hometown heroes while
giving the rest of us hope.
Don’t talk
about what you’re doing on-air as if it is work. It isn’t “work” compared to
what the majority of your audience considers to be work. Embrace your audience
and relate to them by acknowledging how tough these times are for them.
———————————————————————————————————–
Mike McVay is President of McVay Media Consulting. A media firm that
focuses on content creation, coaching on-air personalities, marketing strategy,
audience development and growth, and advises all platforms for audio companies.
www.mcvaymedia.com
At the end of each year, many of us stop to take time to reflect on
what we have seen, experienced and learned, and then, hopefully, how to take
that into the next year. It is often a time to also consider those historical
moments that emerge, and in the case of 2019, it was significant. And each of
you, the community of the Alliance for Women in Media (AWM), provide your own
unique window for the world to see, experience and learn.
Increasingly, watching television, listening to the radio or to a
podcast can feel overwhelming with divisiveness and endless opinions on just
about every topic. Amid hearing those stories – a common theme that emerged at
AWM in 2019 – is courage.
Courage was prominently in the background of the magnificent storytelling
we experienced while reviewing content for the 2019 Gracies Awards. Just a few
examples were Noor Tagouri’s podcast series Sold in America that researched
the sex trade industry from every angle; Leah Remini executive producing and hosting
a program, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath that revealed the
truths of a religion in which she previously participated; Madison Lawson, a
student from the University of Missouri, telling her story of living with a
disability (and flying to New York to accept the award!) and LaDona Harvey on
iHeart’s AM 600 KOGO reminding us in her interview, “I am NOT grateful, I am
qualified”.
Each of these Gracie winners had the courage to tell a story. And many
times, through courage also comes hope. Just this year: A record number of
women were installed in congress; the largest class of African American women
graduated from West Point; an entire community in Texas showed up to a funeral
to support a man who lost his wife in a mass shooting so that he wasn’t alone;
a group of women in Iran seeing their first soccer game from the stands, an
activity that was once forbidden; and, a child hosting a hot chocolate stand to
pay for a classmates’ lunch at school. That – is hope.
One of our favorite stories at AWM is the courage it took for a group
of women in the 1950’s to form a group called the American Women in Radio &
Television – now known as the Alliance for Women in Media. They created the
path for the community we have today, and our current leadership continues to
forge that path.
AWM has given nearly $20,000 in scholarships, created an online
community forum for our members, interviewed more women (and men!) in media to relaunch
our Gracie Interview Series to provide insight and education and heard
first-hand the harrowing experience of Elizabeth Smart during her keynote at the
Gracies Leadership Awards where we also heard from six inspiring and fearless leaders
in our industry about their career journeys.
On a personal level, these stories give me hope and courage for the
future. As my husband and I raise two kids who are seeing and experiencing life
in a different way than we did – we can tell them the stories you have the
courage to tell and encourage them to do the same. We have friends who have
experienced unimaginable health scares and loss – yet our personal community
rallies to support one another – just as we see happening in communities across
the country.
AWM is committed to do even more in 2020. We will recognize story
tellers, bring communities together through our membership and events and
connect women (and men) in radio, television and digital medias who may not
otherwise have known one another. We ask you to join AWM, submit your content
for Gracies consideration, judge Gracie Awards, attend an event – stay
connected.
Our challenge to you in the new year is to continue telling important
stories and to give hope.
I walked into the
newsroom fifteen minutes after midnight, late, my apology ready at the lips.
The lights were on; reporters and editors were frantically running around,
yelling commands and information. The newsroom, that was usually quiet until
reporters started trickling in at 3 a.m., was buzzing with excitement.
I had just walked
into my ABC 7 Early Morning News internship half an hour after news broke of a
mass shooting at the Thousand Oaks Borderline Bar & Grill.
As a student
journalist, this incident has been the most significant media event in my life,
because it is the first national breaking news story in which I was part of the
news-gathering process, working alongside writers, editors and reporters. It
provided me with a chance to put my knowledge to the test in a high-pressure
situation, dealing with an incredibly sensitive subject. It also made me
seriously consider how this career path can weigh on one’s mental and emotional
well-being.
That night, I answered phone calls, monitored
social media for official updates, watched the Air 7 helicopter feed in police
rescue efforts, and contacted witnesses and families of victims to give us
details about the incident. I tried my best to be sensitive, thanking people
for speaking with me and wishing them well.
Thousand Oaks was about a half hour away. It was a
city that people didn’t know about unless they had connections to the San
Fernando Valley. To us, it was an affluent neighborhood, quiet and safe. Now it
has become known for this.
My shift ended at 8 a.m., and I was off until
Tuesday. I had a lot of time to reflect during that weekend, and I wondered:
How do journalists do this every day? How can they see so much tragedy and
continue with this career path?
The shooting in Thousand Oaks made me realize that
anything can happen anywhere. For a while, I didn’t leave the safety of my
home. I thought about the sarcastic mantra “If it bleeds, it leads,” and was
reminded of the freeway accidents we covered and the gruesome caught-on-video
attacks that we pulled from the internet.
I spoke to journalists and professors about covering
tragedy, and many told me they had to desensitize themselves early in their
careers. Some had to step away from their jobs for a period of time after a
particularly harrowing event.
Because of this incident, I reflected on what
measures I would take to care for my emotional and mental needs. It made me
realize that sensitivity is not antithetical to good journalism. I saw that
people want and need to be heard, and journalists can act as facilitators to
accomplish that.
As I continue my practice as a reporter for UC
Berkeley’s student newspaper the Daily Californian, I find myself gravitating
toward stories that underscore issues in communities. I would like for my
journalism to serve as a platform for those who are underserved and struggling,
for those who aren’t being heard.
The Alliance for Women in Media
(AWM) is pleased to announce Elizabeth
Smart, author, founder of the “Elizabeth Smart Foundation” and children’s
advocate, will serve as keynote at the Gracies Leadership Awards on Thursday,
Nov. 21, 2019, at The Plaza Hotel, New York City. The annual event provides an opportunity to
recognize and celebrate the significant impact women have made in the media
industry, while also spurring to action and emboldening female leaders in
attendance. The list of this year’s honorees
will be announced soon.
“The Alliance for Women in Media
has a strong history of supporting and celebrating women in media. I am honored to be a part of an event that
aims to inspire a new generation of trailblazers,” said Elizabeth Smart, past
Gracie winner and keynote speaker for the event.
Elizabeth Smart is best known for
her abduction in 2002 and has since become the founder of the “Elizabeth Smart
Foundation” and an advocate for change related to child abduction, recovery
programs, and National legislation. She
is also the author of the New York Times best-selling book “My Story”, “You’re
Not Alone: The Journey From Abduction to Empowerment” and “Where There’s
Hope.”
“The Alliance for Women in Media is
proud to honor women for their extraordinary accomplishments,” said Becky
Brooks, executive director, AWM/F. “It is our honor to have Elizabeth Smart, a
past Gracie winner, as this year’s keynote speaker, as her address will surely
inspire and empower all in attendance.”
Tickets are available for AWM
members at a rate of $250 and for non-members at a rate of $350. A special
student rate of $100 is available for undergraduate students with proof of
enrollment. Students may also apply for a sponsored ticket made available
through the CBS
Fellowship.
For table sales with premium
seating or additional support opportunities, contact Alliance for Women in
Media Executive Director Becky Brooks at becky.brooks@allwomeninmedia.org.
About the Alliance for Women in Media (AWM): The Alliance for Women in Media connects,
recognizes and inspires women across the media industry. AWM is a diverse
community – whether type of media, job or global location – that facilitates
industry-wide collaboration, education, and innovation. Established in 1951 as
American Women in Radio & Television (AWRT), AWM is the longest-established
professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and
entertainment. AWM harnesses the promise, passion and power of women in all
forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and
drive positive change for our industry and societal progress.
Tracey Quezada, the winner of the 2019 Ford “Empowering America” Scholarship, submitted this video profiling Danielle Castro, a transgender, Latina activist. Tracey is pursuing a Masters in Journalism at UC Berkeley.
By Julia Morrison, 2019 Loreen Arbus Foundation & AWMF Scholarship Winner
If all determination is through negation, then disability is not inability, nor is it a lack of strength, desire or resolve. (Dis)ability is an opportunity to explore what it means to be a human being in all of our infinite glory. The Latin prefix dis- means ‘apart’; disability as apart from ability, but not as mutually exclusive. What may constrain a person in one area may liberate them in another through the gift of profound insight. Some of humanity’s most important discoveries were born from the minds of those who struggled with disabilities, people whose experience of time & the universe were unlike the experiences of others. Among those who have contributed groundbreaking insight to humankind include dyslexic Albert Einstein, who gave us the theory of relativity; theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, bound to a wheelchair & dependent on a computerized voice, transported us to other dimensions of space-time with a theory of cosmology; A Beautiful Mind mathematician John Nash Jr closed gaps in game theory with his internal life rich with numbers & schizophrenic characters; Thomas Edison, America’s greatest inventor of the motion picture camera, electric light bulb & more, made use of a hearing aid; & life-long disability advocate Helen Keller, who touched the lives of millions with her unparalleled vision for peace & radical progress even though she couldn’t see or hear a thing. I believe that Ability is a philosophy of life rooted in the spirit of the scientific method, for better it is to try, fail & try again, then never to have tried at all.
Language is the key, but where is the door? The words we choose to define our lives, ourselves, & each other are inextricably tied to the outcomes we receive. Words take shape, giving form to ideas like seeds give sprout to trees in an old growth forest. My speech impediment led me to study my voice & language, practices that serve me well as the artist, actress & writer I am. I may not have pronounced clearly my ‘R’s’ until the age of thirteen, but that didn’t stop me from speaking poetry as a child or my truth loud enough to send the man who molested me years earlier to prison in third grade – the same year I started speech therapy. To some, I could have been from New England, while others insisted I spoke like a baby. Random kids I’d never seen or met before would demand I entertain them a few sentences as I’d try to pass in the hallway. They’d sneak in one more laugh, meanwhile I’d find another time & place pretending to be dinosaurs with a few friends on the school’s front lawn. But even my best friends couldn’t resist the temptation to interrupt me mid-sentence to showcase their best rendition of “I park my car in Harvard yard” & wait for me to say it in turn. “C’mon, say it: I pahk my cah in Hahvahd yahd”, they’d push until I’d cave like the prehistoric bones in my velociraptor body.
The year preceding my graduation from speech therapy was wild: my brother & I were homeless, Columbine happened, Clinton faced impeachment & my Grandma died while the whole world watched, anxious with anticipation as Y2K came & never showed up. But I was used to things & people not showing up by then. As someone who overcame my impediment later in life & a child of foster care, I was surprised to learn that 70% of children in the foster system struggle with an impediment or disability. I am beyond grateful for my school for identifying my speech impediment & getting me the therapy I needed. I even looked forward to the hour I’d spend every Friday during my Physical Education class working on my speech while my peers ran a mile around the racetrack. Instead I got to be inside perusing images, shapes, colors, & syllables while practicing my ‘R’ sound in a small room wedged between the main office & the boys’ bath woom – excuse me: room. To this day I slip up in speech when I’m anxious, but my therapist taught me there is nothing we cannot achieve when we take our time & articulate our target outcome into a series of clear, identifiable steps. Figuring out how different parts of my tongue fit into the corners of my upper cleft & met my individual teeth was like finding a whole new landscape within myself – a body map defined yet free from border. In facing my struggle, I discovered new parts of my Self.
I believe in the power of film to ignite social change, catalyze catharsis for self-growth & most importantly: heal. I hope to use my story to help people. Music, myth & metaphor are the three most powerful signatures in the world, which is why I cherish the art of cinema. I aim to maximize my focus over these next few years in my educational career so I may pay this debt forward in the aspiration of helping others. My next great challenge is to honor the girl I raised to turn the page & deliver her story to the big screen. As an actress, artist, & activist, I can appreciate that some of the greatest moments in our lives have the power to render us disabled: the butterfly in our stomach that takes our breath away, the cries of a man as he screams “I can’t breathe’ that render us speechless, or the depressive spell that seeps into every facet of our lives & cripples our spirit. Whether it be physical, that moment we jumped & took a risk, or something intangible, extreme vulnerability harbors an ancient wealth, 1 a secret gem unique to each individual that only she can mine, for in the struggle of its discovery holds the truth behind what makes the human spirit the most dynamic force in the world, as the butterfly strengthens its wings breaking from its cocoon to fly.
On my last day in speech therapy, my therapist paused, expressing concern about my ‘-ing’ sound. I let out a sigh resounding throughout the hallway, closing the door behind me as she pulled out a deck of cards I’d never seen before. I read them off for her one at a time:
Hoping.
Working.
Wishing.
Laughing.
Crying.
Dreaming.
Praying.
Loving.
Falling.
Trying.
“How’s that,” I begged her, “is that good enough?”
THE ALLIANCE FOR WOMEN IN MEDIA FOUNDATION SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES 44th ANNUAL GRACIES LUNCHEON
Erin Moriarty Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award, 3rd Hour of TODAY’s Sheinelle Jones Hosted and Pop Artist Brynn Elliott Performed at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City
June 26, 2019 (New
York City) – The
Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) presented the 44th Annual Gracie AwardsLuncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York
City on June 26. Host Sheinelle Jones, co-host of “3rd Hour
of TODAY” and co-anchor of NBC News’ “Weekend TODAY” led the
program alongside presenters Angela Yee from “The Breakfast
Club”; supermodel, TV personality and podcast
host Emme;Roula Christie of “The Roula and Ryan
Show” on KRBE; and Duarte Geraldino from Al Jazeera Digital and “PBS
NewsHour.” The Gracie Awards were presented to honorees which were previously
announced (full list of honorees here) in recognition of
individual achievement and outstanding programming by, for and about women in
local and student TV, radio and interactive media.
Highlights
from the show included:
AWMF Board Chair and Katz Radio Group President Christine Travaglini
opened the Luncheon. After welcoming the record-breaking crowd, she introduced
AWM Board Treasurer and Gracies Co-Chair Heather Cohen,
executive vice president of The Weiss Agency.
Lifetime Achievement Honoree Erin Moriarty, correspondent for “48 Hours”, was
presented her award by Susan
Zirinsky, president of CBS News, who
said, “She
has been producing impactful content for CBS News for three decades. Erin, you are a force of nature. I can think of no better honoree for this
Lifetime Achievement Award. Erin is
relentless, authentic, a great person and a damn good reporter. She represents
the very best of CBS News.” Erin
Moriarty, while accepting the award, said, “You hear Lifetime Achievement, and
I think a lot of us think of retirement and receiving it when you’re heading
out the door, but really I see that it takes a lifetime to make a
difference. Our 48 Hours team is making
an impact.”
Sheinelle Jones, co-host of the “3rd Hour of
TODAY”,
hosted the awards. When presenting the awards for outstanding work in
Local Market Television, Jones said, “It is my hope that I can inspire
and reassure you that – even when it doesn’t feel like it – our work is making
a difference.”
Pop Singer Brynn Elliott performed “Might Not
Like Me” along with her new single “Letter 2 a Girl.” Brynn said, “I have been blessed with a really strong
mother, and this has inspired me to write songs to empower women.”
Presenter Angela Yee, who won a National Gracie Award
for Outstanding Host/Personality this year, said, “I won a Gracie Award, and it was one of
the greatest honors. I am honored to be
here with such strong women and the men who support us.”
Presenter
Duarte Geraldino from Al Jazeera Digital said, “When I was first starting in the industry, I
was told, ‘You need to find a mentor. A
man who knows the ropes.’ I found some
men to look up to, but for the most part, my mentors have been women.”
The
National Gracie Award honorees were recognized at the Gracies Gala, May 21, at
The Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills. Again, a full list of recipients may be
found on the Alliance for
Women in Media website.
About
the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and The Gracie Awards – The Alliance for Women
in Media Foundation (formerly known as The Foundation of American Women in
Radio & Television) supports and promotes educational programs, and
scholarships to benefit the media, the public, and allied fields. The Alliance
for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint initiatives
with the Emma Bowen Foundation, NCTA, NAB and other organizations that are
philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. In addition to
giving $20,000 a year in scholarships to deserving female students, the
Foundation also produces nationally acclaimed recognition programs, including
the Gracie Awards that exemplary honor programming created by, for and about
women.
Sponsors
of The Gracies Luncheon include: CBS, Beasley Media Group, Cox Media Group, Cumulus,
Discovery, Entercom, Hofstra University, iHeartMedia, Katz Media Group, Lerman
Senter, NAB, NBC, NCTA – the Internet & Television Association, Sinclair, SiriusXM,
TEGNA, Townsquare and vCreative.
For
more information about The Alliance for Women in Media, please visit:
allwomeninmedia.org and follow on Twitter, Instagram (@AllWomeninMedia) (#TheGracies), and Facebook.
TODAY’s Sheinelle Jones to Host and Pop Artist Brynn Elliott to Perform on June 26 at Cipriani 42nd Street
The leadership of the Alliance for Women in Media
Foundation
(AWMF) announces that Erin Moriarty,
“48 Hours” correspondent, will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement
Award at the 44th
Annual Gracie Awards Luncheon to be presented to
her by Susan Zirinsky, president and senior executive producer, CBS News. Hosting the luncheon
will be another television news veteran, Sheinelle
Jones, co-anchor of “Weekend TODAY” and co-host of the “3rd
Hour of TODAY.” The annual Gracies Luncheon set for June 26 at Cipriani 42nd
Street in New York City honors individual
achievement and outstanding programming at the local level for television and
radio, public radio and students in television, radio and interactive media.
The Gracie
Awards recognize exemplary content created by, for and about women in all
facets of media and entertainment. Given this year to Moriarty, who has covered some of the biggest crime and justice stories for three
decades for CBS News, the Gracies Lifetime Achievement Award honors a woman in
media who exemplifies and embodies the essence of the iconic trailblazer, the
late Gracie Allen, the namesake of The Gracie Awards.
“The Gracie Awards celebrate the bravery of
storytellers to share relevant, compelling content while pushing boundaries to
create an environment of equality,” said AWM/F Chair Christine Travaglini,
President, Katz Radio Group. AWM/F Executive Director Becky Brooks added, “Throughout
her 40-year journalism career, Erin Moriarty’s well-researched, diligent approach to
covering stories about crime and justice, about consumer issues and much more
has been consistent and illustrates why she is so worthy of this Lifetime Achievement Award. Through
the Gracies, we are incredibly proud to honor and celebrate outstanding talent
and content by, for and about women.”
Highlights of Moriarty’s award-winning career include:
Moriarty
earned a law degree from Ohio State University in 1977.
In
1986, Moriarty began her career at CBS News as a consumer correspondent for “CBS
This Morning” and “CBS Evening News with Dan Rather.”
She
has served as correspondent on CBS News’ “48 Hours” since 1990.
She
also reports for “CBS Sunday Morning.”
A
three-time Gracie Award winner, she has also won nine Emmy Awards.
Due to her training as a lawyer, Moriarty has covered some of the most important social and legal issues in the last three decades, including cold cases, DNA testing of evidence in death-row cases, wrongful convictions and spousal abuse. She was also part of the team that covered the Newtown, Conn. elementary school shooting, which earned CBS News a DuPont-Columbia award.
“This is an incredible honor to receive this
Gracie from the Alliance for Women in Media,” said Erin Moriarty. “It is truly
humbling to be recognized with this award and to join the list of notable women
who have come before me. It is because of this organization that I, and so many
others, have flourished in our profession.”
Gracies
Luncheon host Sheinelle Jones is a co-anchor of NBC News’ “Weekend TODAY”,
a co-host of “3rd Hour of TODAY” and she hosts “TODAY’s”
digital series, “Through Mom’s Eyes” whileco-hosting “Off the
Rails”, a Sirius XM radio show with NBC’s Al Roker and Dylan Dreyer. Jones joined “TODAY”
in 2014 and has since covered breaking news events and human-interest
stories. Prior to joining “TODAY”, she
served as co-host of FOX’s “Good Day Philadelphia.”
“It’s an honor to host the
Gracies and to be among the most inspiring, empowering and talented women in
our business,” said Jones.
Performing at
the Luncheon will be singer-songwriter Brynn Elliott. In the past few years, Elliott has signed
with Atlantic Records, graduated from Harvard University and played over 250
shows. Brynn has performed on
the “TODAY” show, MTV’s “TRL”, and “Live with Kelly and Ryan”
and has spent the last year touring with artists such as Why Don’t We and AJ
Mitchell.
The National Gracie Award
honorees were recognized at the Gracies Gala, May 21, at The Beverly Wilshire
in Beverly Hills. A full list of
recipients may be found on the Alliance for Women in Media website. For more
information about the 2019 Gracies Luncheon or to secure tickets, please visit HERE.
About the Alliance for Women in Media
Foundation and The Gracie Awards – The
Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (formerly known as The Foundation of
American Women in Radio & Television) supports and promotes educational
programs, and scholarships to benefit the media, the public, and allied fields.
The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint
initiatives with the Emma Bowen Foundation, NCTA, NAB and other organizations
that are philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. In
addition to giving $20,000 a year in scholarships to deserving female students,
the Foundation also produces nationally acclaimed recognition programs,
including the Gracie Awards that exemplary honor programming created by, for
and about women.
For more information about The Alliance for
Women in Media, please visit: allwomeninmedia.org and follow on Twitter, Instagram (@AllWomeninMedia) (#TheGracies), and Facebook. Sponsors of The Gracies Luncheon include Beasley
Media Group, CBS Corporation, Cox Media Group, Cumulus Media, Discovery, Inc., Entercom,
Hofstra, iHeartMedia, Inc., Katz Media Group, Lerman Senter, NAB, NBC, NCTA –
The Internet and Television Association, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Tegna,
Townsquare Media, and vCreative.
For my final blog post for the Alliance for
Women in Media, I wanted to express my gratitude for the organization and all
that it does to advance diversity and inclusion in the industry.
Formed in 1951, the organization was known as
the American Women in Radio and Television and was a part of the women’s
division of the National Association of Broadcasters. That same year,
Marguerite Higgins became the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for
International Reporting. It was a historic time for women in the industry,
however women were not being recognized to the same degree as their male
colleagues, nor did they have the same professional opportunities.
As time went on, the Alliance for Women in Media continued to develop new ways to advance opportunities for women. In 1960 the alliance became the first professional broadcasting organization to establish an educational foundation, and in 1975, they began an annual award program recognizing the people in the media that represented the changing roles, issues, and concerns of women. Around that time Cosmopolitan Magazine relaunched as a magazine for women with Helen Gurley Brown as its first Editor in Chief and a few years later, Barbara Walters became the first female news anchor on network television. In 1978 Boylan et al v. The New York Times became a landmark case for female journalists. The ruling allowed women the same promotion opportunities as men as well as equal pay.
Despite these groundbreaking moments, there is still work for the Alliance to do. A report from the United Nations, that utilize research spanning more than 100 countries, found that 46% of news stories, in print and on radio and television, uphold gender stereotypes, while only 6% highlight gender equality. According to another global study spanning 522 news media organizations, behind the scenes, men still occupy 73% of top media management positions. Additionally, while women represent half of the world’s population, less than one third of all speaking characters in film are female.
From 1951 to today, the work the Alliance for
Women in Media does is vitally important to the longevity of the media
industry. Their scholarships support young women across the industry at schools
all over the nation in their pursuit of journalism, communication, film and
other degrees. The Gracie Awards allow those who work tirelessly to better the
industry a moment of recognition and the programming and events the Alliance
works on allows women to network and learn from experts in the industry.
I feel immensely grateful to have been
selected to represent the Alliance this year. The scholarship I received has
helped me pursue my MA in Strategic Communication and better understand the
media landscape and the issues facing the industry today. I look forward to
participating in events with the Alliance for Women in Media long after my
scholarship comes to an end.
SANDRA OH, TISHA THOMPSON, RACHEL MADDOW, CONNIE BRITTON, ELIZABETH PERKINS, PATRICIA ARQUETTE, AND LEAH REMINI AMONG HONOREES;
CEREMONY TO TAKE PLACE MAY 21 IN LOS ANGELES
Local and Student Award Winners to be Honored at the Gracie Awards Luncheon on June 26 in New York CityHonored at the Gracie Awards Luncheon on June 26 in New York City
LOS ANGELES (April 16, 2019) – The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF)
announced the winners of the 44th annual Gracie Awards to take place May
21 at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. The event will recognize such
esteemed honorees as Sandra Oh, Tisha Thompson, Rachel Maddow, Connie Britton,
Elizabeth Perkins, Patricia Arquette, Leah Remini, Robin Roberts, Laura Lynch,
Rachel Bloom, Angela Yee, Maura Tierney, Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie, along
with some of the most talented women in television, radio and digital media.
Local and student award winners will be recognized at the Gracie Awards
Luncheon on June
26 at Cipriani in New York City.
Becky Brooks,
Executive Director, Alliance for Women in Media Foundation stated, “Our
leadership is proud to honor the best of the best who embody the spirit and
intention of the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation’s Gracie Awards.”
Christine Travaglini, President, Katz Radio Group and Chair of the Board of
Directors continued, “In the more than four decades since the inception of the
Gracie Awards – what stands out in 2019 is bravery. The courage of storytellers
to share poignant, relevant and compelling content. This will be a year of true
celebration.”
The Gracies recognize exemplary programming
created by, for and about women in radio, television, cable and interactive
media. Honorees are selected in national, local and student markets, including
both commercial and non-commercial outlets.
In the fourth consecutive year as Executive
Producer, Vicangelo Bulluck will spotlight these prolific women in the industry
who continue to inspire and support others, break down barriers, and lead by
example in creating opportunity for future generations.
Sponsors of The Gracies include Ford Motor Company, Crown Media Group, CNN, CBS Corporation, Discovery, Inc., NCTA – The Internet and Television Association, NPR, Premiere Networks, SiriusXM, Katz Media Group, Sun Broadcast Group, Beasley Media Group, Cox Media Group, vCreative, Entercom and Hofstra University.
As I sat and watched the 91st Academy Awards from my couch on Sunday, February 24th, I couldn’t help but notice that the awards this time felt a little different. Seeing women like Yalitza Aparicio and Regina King nominated for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively, was a truly exciting moment and got me thinking about the importance of representation. While Hollywood still has a long way to go, some of this year’s biggest blockbuster hits, like Crazy Rich Asians and Black Panther, have done a great job elevating the conversation about representation in the media.
Carlos Cortes, author of The Children Are Watching: How the Media Teach About Diversity, offers a significant example of why representation matters in his article “A Long Way to Go: Minorities and the Media”. Cortes examines a 1986 episode of The $25,000 Pyramid, where one contestant was attempting to give his partner clues to help him guess the word on screen correctly and earn money. During this specific episode, the word “gangs” came up on the cluer’s screen. Cortes explains, “without hesitation, he fired out the first thing that came to his mind: ‘They have lots of these in East L.A.” (a heavily Mexican-American area of Los Angeles). Responding at once, his guest celebrity partner answered, gangs. Under competitive pressure, two strangers had immediately and viscerally linked “East LA” with “gangs.” Cortes goes on to explain that representation in mass media is to blame for this immediate association of gangs and a predominantly Latino part of Los Angeles. Cortes states that “the entertainment media have offered a comparatively narrow range of other Latino characters, while the news media have provided relatively sparse coverage of other Hispanic topics, except for such problem” issues as immigration and language. The result has been a Latino public image — better yet, a stereotype — in which gangs figure prominently.”
Cortes’ assessment is an important one. It is the job of media professionals to make sure everyone sees themselves accurately represented in movies and news stories, and while we are far from a perfectly representative media landscape, we are making great strides to tell better, more inclusive stories. Media professionals across the country must continue to make commitments to tell more diverse stories so that more young woman can look at their televisions and say, “She looks like me”.
2019 Gracie Awards Garner Record Number of Entries
February 14, 2019, New York City/Los Angeles – The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) has announced that the 2019 call for entries for the annual Gracie Awards was the most successful in the program’s history.
The Gracies are the largest fundraising event by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, the philanthropic arm of AWM that supports educational programs, charitable activities and scholarships to benefit women in media. The milestone comes as AWM and its Foundation (AWM/F) announce their 2019 National Board of Directors. New to the AWM Board are Abby Greensfelder, co-founder & co-owner, Half Yard Productions, Brenda Hetrick, chief revenue officer, Matrix Solutions, and Katherine Wolfgang, head of public relations, CBC.
“The number and caliber of extraordinary programs and performances entered for the 2019 Gracie Awards is an unprecedented milestone for the AWM/F,” said AWM/F executive director Becky Brooks. “Gracies Judges – women and more men than ever before – include executives and talent from across every form of media. They have their work cut out for them in deciding the 2019 winners from this exceptional pool of nominees.”
“The role of the AWM and Foundation boards is to lead our organizations and industry as we recognize, connect and educate women in radio, television and interactive media,” stated Christine Travaglini, AWM/F board chair and president, Katz Radio Group. “We are thrilled to have these talented, accomplished women joining our leadership for the next two years.”
Keisha Sutton James, vice president, Inner City Broadcasting Corporation, will serve as incoming chair, Heather Cohen, executive vice president, The Weiss Agency, will serve as Treasurer. Josie Thomas, executive vice president, chief diversity and inclusion officer, CBS Corporation, will serve as treasurer-elect, while Sarah Foss, senior vice president, strategic initiatives, Freewheel Advertisers at FreeWheel will serve as immediate past chair.
The following individuals will serve as Directors at Large of AWM: Joyce Fitch, executive vice president, general counsel and secretary, Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc.; Jinny Laderer, president, vCreative; Meg LaVigne, president of television, Litton Entertainment; Kelly DeLace Perdomo, vice president, content, sports, entertainment, and partnership marketing, SiriusXM; and Diane Schwartz, SVP and group publisher, Access Intelligence.
The following individuals will serve as Directors at Large of AWMF: Anne Cowan, senior vice president, communications and marketing, CTAM; Annie Howell, co-founder and managing partner, The Punch Point Group; Deborah Parenti, publisher, RadioInk, RBR and TVBR; Rob Stoddard, SVP program network policy, NCTA – The Internet & Television Association; and Kristen Welch, chief financial officer, Illustrative Mathematics.
The 44th Annual Gracie Awards Gala will take place May 21, 2019, at the Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills, A Four Seasons Hotel, and the Gracie Awards Luncheon will be held June 26, 2019, in New York City at Cipriani 42nd Street.
The Gracies recognize exemplary programming created by, for and about women in radio, television, cable and interactive media. Honorees are selected in national, local and student markets, including both commercial and non-commercial outlets. Please visit http://allwomeninmedia.org/gracies/ for more information about the Gracie Awards, and to apply to participate as a judge.
####
About the Alliance for Women in Media (AWM): The Alliance for Women in Media connects, recognizes and inspires women across the media industry. AWM is a diverse community – whether type of media, job or global location – that facilitates industry-wide collaboration, education, and innovation. Established in 1951 as American Women in Radio & Television (AWRT), AWM is the longest-established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. AWM harnesses the promise, passion and power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change for our industry and societal progress.
About the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation: In 1960, the Alliance for Women in Media became the first professional broadcasting organization to establish an educational foundation. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (formerly known as The Foundation of American Women in Radio & Television) supports and promotes educational programs, charitable activities, public service campaigns and scholarships to benefit the public, the electronic media and allied fields. The Foundation also produces nationally acclaimed recognition programs, including the Gracie Awards®, honoring exemplary programming created by, for or about women and individual achievement. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, educational organization. For the latest news on the Gracies, follow The Gracies on Twitter and Facebook. For more information about the Gracie Awards and to submit your entries, please visit www.allwomeninmedia.org/gracies.
LEXINGTON, KY January 31, 2019 – The Alliance for Women in Media and its Foundation (AWM/F) are pleased to announce that Jason Bailey, President, Sun Broadcast Group, will be continuing his longstanding support of AWM/F as an Honorary Trustee. Bailey is the founder and CEO of Sun Broadcast Group, a national radio sales and syndication company.
Bailey has been at the forefront of innovation in the national radio space for more than 25 years and has championed new products designed to reshape how radio is programmed, measured, bought and consumed. Bailey has been featured in numerous industry articles for his unique insight on the radio space, most recently on the cover of Radio Ink Magazine where he was named “Network Radio’s Next Big Star”.
“For the last several years, I’ve been honored to watch firsthand the amazing support the AWM lends to women across all media. The work that is done, the guidance provided, and the accolades given that are so wonderfully deserved are just the tip of the iceberg to what this incredible organization is all about,” said Bailey. “I am delighted and humbled to be welcomed back to serve as an Honorary Trustee through 2021. My hat is off to the leadership of AWM for the good they sow throughout media. And I urge anyone reading this to make today the day to get involved!”
Bailey started his broadcast career as the Morning Show Producer at WXLO-FM in Worcester at the age of 17. In 1994 he became the arena announcer for the AHL’s Worcester IceCats, a position he held for 10 years. In late 2000, Commonwealth Broadcasting recruited him to rebuild and program two radio stations in Worcester, including WORC-AM, the first station to play the Beatles. Throughout his radio career he was also privileged to serve as consultant in different capacities with companies such as Nextel, The NCAA, Boston Celtics and the Boston Bruins.
Prior to founding Sun Broadcast Group, Jason launched a marketing firm that helped streamline the sales and advertising process of more than 35 luxury real estate projects across North and Central America. He became one of the pioneers of an innovative personalized marketing approach by developing software that created email, direct mail and website experiences personally tailored to each individual prospect. During his three years in the industry, Bailey helped his clients realize more than $2 Billion in sales.
“Honorary Trustees have the unique ability to advise and shape the Alliance for Women in Media and its Foundation while publicly acknowledging the value of women in the media industry,” said Christine Travaglini, AWM/F Chair and President, Katz Radio Group. “Jason is a consummate leader, both at Sun Broadcast Group and in the radio industry and we value his ongoing support,” added Becky Brooks, AWM/F Executive Director.
The Honorary Trustee program at AWM/F offers senior executives the opportunity to engage and influence the strategy of AWM/F and its support of women in media. The HT program highlights ways to work together that are exclusive to Honorary Trustees and not available at any other partnership level through the Alliance for Women in Media or the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation.
Jason Bailey joins Catherine Frymark, Discovery Communications, and Mark Gray, Katz Radio Group, as an Honorary Trustee.
About the Alliance for Women in Media (AWM): The Alliance for Women in Media connects, recognizes and inspires women across the media industry. AWM is a diverse community – whether type of media, job or global location – that facilitates industry-wide collaboration, education, and innovation. Established in 1951 as American Women in Radio & Television (AWRT), AWM is the longest-established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. AWM harnesses the promise, passion and power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change for our industry and societal progress.
About the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation: In 1960, the Alliance for Women in Media became the first professional broadcasting organization to establish an educational foundation. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (formerly known as The Foundation of American Women in Radio & Television) supports and promotes educational programs, charitable activities, public service campaigns and scholarships to benefit the public, the electronic media and allied fields. The Foundation also produces nationally acclaimed recognition programs, including the Gracie Awards®, a live gala that honors exemplary programming created by, for or about women. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, educational organization.
Early morning breakfast meeting.
Off the record politics briefing.
Breaking news at the White House.
Rehearsal for the class play.
Basketball practice for one kid and a basketball game for the other kid AT THE SAME TIME.
In my house, we call this a “Friday”. Seven days a week our days are packed to the max. Choices have to be made. Levels have to be set. And at times, hearts have to be broken. This is a reality I have to face as a journalist, a mom, a daughter, a sister and a partner. You can’t do everything all the time and you can’t do everything perfectly. This is something I’ve had to accept over the course of time and it has changed my life.
From my perspective, the “secret sauce” to being able to do it all is accepting the fact that you can’t do it all perfectly. You have to make choices and prioritize. You have to choose when you can say no to that work event (I said no to one today). Or when you have to say no to a non-critical event with your family (I said no to one yesterday). Or when a little extra sleep is a better self-care decision than staying on the phone a bit longer (I said good night early last night). It’s not about saying no or yes, it’s about balance. It’s all about balance. It’s being able to go to sleep at night (even if it’s a little early) knowing you’ve said yes to the most important things most of the time. And that your NOs are balanced across all areas of your life. No one area feels slighted or neglected if you balance these decisions and they understand why you are saying no.
The tradeoff to living in this state of balance is worth it. Every day I serve as a News Executive is a day my daughter has a real life role model of a woman who is a leader, a decision maker and a guide for other journalists. It’s a day my son learns more and more that leaders come in all shapes, sizes and colors. He comes from a line of very strong women—I don’t think he’s ever thought women can’t or shouldn’t be among the most powerful in the room. On those days when I miss a game because of a Presidential summit or have to skip back to school night because it fell on the same evening as the State of the Union, my duo knows it’s for a good reason. My company knows if I have to miss a late night because my daughter is overcoming her stage fright to recite the Pledge of Allegiance during the Winter Concert (true story), it’s important to me and my family and they support me 100%.
We as women at times put pressure on ourselves to be perfect at all times. We can be highly self-critical when we can’t be. We have to not only accept that we can’t be perfect, but stop making this a goal. Embrace the upside of being in demand. Own the fact that you are multi-dimensional and multi-focused. Be comfortable with saying no to people or responsibilities you love when you need to. And realize your children are learning from you when you are feeding your passion-even when your passions fall outside of the time you spend with them.
Rashida Jones, Senior Vice President for Specials, NBC News and MSNBC
When Glamour Magazine announced their women of the year issue, I knew it would be nothing short of amazing. What I wasn’t prepared for was one of the best journalistic, power-woman combos of 2018: Yamiche Alcindor writing about Kamala Harris.
As a California native, Kamala Harris’ rise to political stardom is one I have watched closely. She is the only African American woman in the Senate, and its first ever Indian America. She has made a name for herself championing the rights of women and minorities, and prior to serving in the Senate was the Attorney General of California, where she took on cases that reshaped California’s legal landscape.
Alcindor is one of those journalists whose careers you dream of when you’re a little girl. She’s written about some of the most consequential events in the last decade including the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the shooting of Trayvon Martin, the Ferguson unrest, and the Baltimore protests.
As I read the story, I couldn’t help but stop and take in what was occurring. Two women of color, sitting down for a national news outlet, elevating a story and a voice that would have otherwise been drowned out fifty years ago. The piece, which details Kamala’s political career and background, is written with a kind of careful consideration that only women can provide to one and other.
Upon finishing the story, I was able to reflect on what an incredible moment in history we are living in. The piece inspired me to go back into my internet history and find some of my favorite profiles, written by and about women and post them to Twitter. “Women are an amazing, powerful force and I am inspired by the ones around me every day,” I wrote. “Here is a thread of profiles I’ve read in the last few months that make me hopeful for our future,” and with that I listed out some of the pieces that I found strength in this past year. They include Claire McCaskill’s Toughest Fight, Kamala Harris Is on the Rise, How Maya Rudolph Became the Master of Impressions, Aly Raisman Takes the Floor, The Quiet Power of Viola Davis, She Founded Me Too. Now She Wants to Move Past the Trauma, and What Does Tulsi Gabbard Believe?
I am reminded of what a powerful force women in media are almost every day when I read profiles by Jia Tolentino and Taffy Brodesser-Akner. I am lucky to see myself represented in television news when I watch Katy Tur and Hallie Jackson report live from the White House, and I am excited about the future when I see my peers, like Allison Pecorin, taking on some of the biggest news stories of the year. Despite what some might say, I have immense hope for the future of this industry and the women involved in it.
What a year it’s been. 2018 has been filled with glimmers of hope even as we see tragedy and hardship. Communities came together to provide aid to those in need and strangers wept for people they’ve never met. Women, men and children marched for change, and we gathered to watch a royal wedding, midterm elections and a beloved president’s funeral.
Through it all, the media was there – talking, listening and documenting. Despite a turbulent year for journalists, your hard-working teams kept us up-to-date every step of the way and delivered these stories directly to watching eyes and listening ears where people wanted it at that moment. For this reason, we thank you for your perseverance and dedication. AWM owns the responsibility to recognize, honor and distribute the content that you, the drivers and supporters of content, are creating.
For more than 60 years, the Alliance for Women in Media has been supporting and celebrating the contributions of women through connections, education and storytelling. Born out of the National Association of Broadcasters, AWM (originally the American Women in Radio and Television) was created by a group of women who understood the need to connect within a male-dominated media world, so they could positively impact the future for other women in the profession. History is full of stories like these—stories of women who had the courage to step up, speak out and their actions have a lasting impact.
The current leadership of AWM should be so proud of what has been built on that foundation. I have had the privilege of serving AWM for nearly four years now and our collective goal, to further why we were founded, has been to focus – focus on recognition, connection and build the future of women in media.
Focus is critical as growth can happen where energy is given. We have seen and experienced that in 2018 with record breaking Gracie entries followed by celebrating those winners at the Gala and Luncheon. Rebranding the Gracies Leadership Awards and honoring seven deserving women and learning from Pam Oliver about her rise to the top of women in sports broadcasting. Six deserving students received more than $20,000 in scholarships and ten more experienced the Gracies Leadership Awards first hand and will participate in a Lunch and Learn at CBS. You can read some of the content our future leaders have written on our site. The future looks bright!
While these efforts are impacting the future – we know there is still more opportunity – so we will continue to focus.
The AWM board of directors met recently for a strategic planning meeting and through much brainstorming and discussion, the board created a list of goals for new AWM initiatives which include more ways to engage AWM members. We want to push even more snackable, relevant content to members and the masses while adding opportunities for education in the future. We also want to gather executive women in one room across television, radio and interactive media – which is what AWM has the unique ability to do.
It is also important to continue shining a light on content creators at all stages of their careers and the Gracie Awards do just that.
We invite each of you to consider ways to engage with AWM and our Foundation to impact the future of women in media. The opportunity is available now to enter outstanding content to be honored at the 2019 Gracie Awards. Additionally, look for ways in early 2019 to volunteer on task forces implementing some of these new initiatives as well as judging Gracies in early 2019.
There is still much to be done including more seats at board room tables for women and our collective voices and effort will continue to bring positive change. AWM will fulfill our responsibility of recognizing, honoring and distributing even more content created by, for and about women.
With 2019 in sight, we can reflect on what we’ve learned this year, while looking forward to a fresh start. I hope we can all focus on growth in areas of our professional and personal lives. We have an opportunity to take action by mentoring, coaching, teaching and raising other people up, while finding and navigating our own paths forward.
Here’s to welcoming a New Year and wishing the world of media a healthy, happy and productive 2019!
Receiving an email from AWM with the subject line ‘Congratulations…’ was unbelievable, and I predict it will be Life Changing! The criteria for the CBS/AWM Fellowship called for female, college students in media. I am proudly female, but well beyond my college years. I wrote in anyway! I never thought I would be chosen. I’m in my Forties, Fabulous and I have pursued Media my entire adult life. Yet, I dared to step outside the criteria guidelines and ask if anyone would take note of my accomplishments and see me. On a whim, I went for it and reminded myself… You are what they’re looking for!
Attending the Gracies Leadership Awards felt like it was day one of my new journey. Seeing so many successful women was Women’s Empowerment at its BEST! I felt like I CAN because they HAVE! Every woman in that room earned the right to be there and I was there with them. So grateful! I wanted to have a conversation with each of them to find out their story because I’m a firm believer that every Woman has a story and Women Empower Women when we share our stories. We were the Best of the Best that day. And seeing Jeff Zucker, President of CNN Worldwide, was an added treat. It’s been many years, but I got my start interning in his office on a show called ‘NOW,’ with Tom Brokaw and Katie Couric. Full Circle moment for me!
When others said ‘No,’ I had to be my own ‘Yes.’ I created and hosted my own Talk Show, ‘I AIN’T That CHICK,’ about Self-Empowerment, Self-Awareness, and Self-Respect for women and girls of all ages and ethnicities and later created two more Talk Shows, ‘Chick Chat’ and ‘DISCUSSIONS.’ www.iaintthatchick.com I currently Co-Host a Faith Based, Internet Radio Talk Show called, ‘Be Yourself’. I’m passionate about my purpose and love for Media.
I am humbled, I am honored and I am beyond grateful that AWM and CBS saw me! Some blessings are delayed, but definitely not denied.
At the Gracie Awards Luncheon, on June 27th 2018, I was living a dream. I never thought in a million years I would be receiving an award of this type of grandeur and prestige. I never fully had confidence in my capabilities until that day. That moment opened my eyes and made me realize anything is possible if I just believe in myself.
At the Gracie Awards Luncheon, I was inspired by so many women. I was particularly inspired by PBS News Hour Editor in Chief, Judy Woodruff. Anyone can be a journalist, but it takes someone special to be a storyteller. Judy Woodruff is a master at her craft. From watching her on TV, to seeing how she carries herself, Woodruff cares about the message she is sending out to society and does not care about putting on a persona for viewers. The best moment was when I got the opportunity to talk with Woodruff at the luncheon. It was a moment that I will never forget.
After I introduced myself, she was so gracious and asked, “What was your story?”. She told me she was going to look through the stories of all the winners on the plane back to Washington DC. From that moment, I knew the kind of person she was – kind, caring and inspirational. One of my favorite quotes from Judy’s speech was, “We have come a long way, but we still have work to do. We need more women in decision-making jobs, more women doing the hiring, more women deciding which stories get covered and more women reaching out to bring along younger women like the remarkable women we are seeing here today.” I agree with Woodruff that, as women in the media, we need to start uplifting each other and praising each other for our achievements in the industry.
Besides being a great storyteller, Woodruff cares about those with disabilities, as her son has spina bifida and hydrocephalus. Due to her son’s conditions, she is able to relate to others who are going through similar circumstances. That is another reason why she is great at her job. Audiences don’t just see a woman doing her job as a journalist, they see a woman who has opened part of her private life up to the world, in hopes that others can understand and know more about those with disabilities. Every single one of us is different on this Earth, and it’s time that everyone respects one another and our differences, no matter the severity.
What I took away from this experience – becoming a Gracie award winner and being in a room full of talented journalists and storytellers – is that everyone has his or her own story. The road to success is different for each person. I learned that no matter the struggles people have in their lives, it matters how they persevere and continue to achieve their goals. To me, that’s true inspiration.
I am standing in the middle of a fancy ballroom in NYC and recording the scene to preserve the moment in my mind forever. There are well-dressed people, purple lights, chandeliers, glasses of champagne and beautiful women taking pictures with their awards. My mom, brother and friends are waiting for this, so I post it on Instagram immediately with the caption, “This is the first time I feel important in my life”. I am 32, and that is not a lie. I feel important as me, Nazanin, for the first time in 32 years. I am here to accept my scholarship for a story of my life that I sent to the Alliance for Woman in Media. We are sitting at table 1 with all these important people working for different networks like CNN, journals and other places that I have always dreamt of working with one day. The beautiful girl from Ford is reading my article, which is a story about an ordinary Middle Eastern girl. People are clapping, tears are coming and I am overcome by this feeling in my heart that they have heard what I have told them. They are looking at me with no anger, judgment or pity. I am “me” here.
All my life, as a woman, I have not been allowed to talk about what I believe in, what I want or do not want to be, what I’ve gone through and what I feel about life in my country. There are some places in this world where you can tell your story and nobody is going to punish you for telling the truth. Alliance for Women in Media has given me the courage, confidence, and motivation to speak my truth. Standing in front of people I have admired all my life, talking to them and being heard by them has given me the encouragement to not be silent anymore. I know this experience is not just for me. This is for every other woman. Today, we need to cheer each other on, shake each other’s hands and help each other. The Alliance for Women in Media is a place where we can find that.
My entire life, I have been supported by strong women who have believed in me and my ability to achieve my goals. Beginning in high school with my Mock Trial coaches, Judith Daar and Debby Stegura, I learned that there was a vast network of women looking to nurture and help young women find their voice and stand up for what they believed. In college, I had the opportunity to work for C-Strategies President and CEO, Becky Carroll, who believed in me enough to allow me to take on a full-time role within her office and instilled confidence in me to stand behind the work I’d done. Those women, along with many others, fundamentally changed my life. They taught me to seize opportunities, make my voice heard and never turn down a challenge. I have come to realize how lucky I am for this vast support network, and I can see how much I’ve achieved because of it.
I was drawn to the Alliance for Women in Media for this very reason. The organization, which was created by women and for women, is a constant reminder that women can achieve incredible goals, status and progress when they support one another. I’m inspired by the Alliance’s commitment to educate, connect and inspire others in media and related fields. Because of AWM’s work, women who might otherwise be passed over for positions or opportunities find themselves elevated to a position where they can receive the recognition they deserve. Now more than ever, women need a seat at the table. Especially when it comes to media coverage and decision making, having women in positions of power is integral for balanced and thoughtful coverage.
Organizations like the Alliance for Women in Media are vitally important. By providing scholarships to students pursuing careers in media and allied fields — as well as supporting educational programs, charitable activities and public service campaigns — the organization continues to demonstrate the power of female leadership.
As one of this year’s Emerging Voices Scholarship winners, I am hyper-cognizant of how lucky I am to have the AWM’s support. The quote “Behind every great woman is a tribe of other successful women” couldn’t be more true. The Alliance for Women in Media is living proof.
The Alliance for Women in Media (AWM) hosted its inaugural Gracies Leadership Awards luncheon, formerly called Women Who Lead, Tuesday, November 13 to a capacity crowd at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Keynote speaker Pam Oliver connected with the audience as she recounted her struggles and triumphs as a woman in the media industry. She spoke of winning a Gracie Award earlier this year and shared, “So many people asked me what it meant to me to receive a Gracie Award, and I always say it was really a career moment. I have received numerous awards that I am very proud of and grateful for, but the Gracie sits on my desk. It just gives me inspiration, and it says something about what women are able to accomplish.”
Seven female leaders in media were honored at the event. Highlights from their speeches include:
• The first honoree, Dara Altman, EVP and chief administrative officer, Sirius XM, said, “Women, Jews and all minorities of every kind do not have the same opportunities. Every day I try to ensure, however I can, that those unheard and under-observed people and voices are heard and that no one is told, like they told my mother, that she has no place at the table. I want to thank the Alliance for Women in Media for everything you do to make this a more inclusive industry and to shine a light on deserving women.”
• Lynn Beall, EVP and COO of media operations, TEGNA recognized the incredible work her team has done in today’s media climate. She said, “We’ve really tried, with the way the world is going today, to reinvent journalism. It has been the most challenging and messy time of my career because it’s hard. We’ve actually turned over our company to the best and brightest through innovation summits and pilots, and they have come up with content we could not have even imagined a couple of years ago.”
• Despite a big day in the news for CNN, honoree Allison Gollust, EVP and chief marketing officer, CNN, and Jeff Zucker, president, CNN were in attendance. During her acceptance, Gollust said, “There has never been a more important time in the news business to do what we do.”
• After thanking her “girl tribe” and husband, Jeanine Liburd, chief marketing & communications officer, BET Networks went on to say, “We can say everything that we want to say, but if we’re not doing the actions to make it happen then what’s the point? If you walk into a board room and everyone looks like you, you’re not being diverse and you’re not being inclusive. You’re not walking the walk.”
• In accepting the honor, Beth Neuhoff, president and CEO, Neuhoff Communications said, “We need to go out of this room and not just tell each other what we know, which is that having women in management, in the c-suite and on boards is good for cultural diversity, but you know what, it’s also great for investor returns. We need to show that and prove that, which we can…”
• Carole Robinson, chief communications officer, BuzzFeed addressed the importance of including men in the conversation about equality in the workplace. She said, “If we want to impact change we need to clarify what strong and equal representation is and how valuable it is to have everyone at the table. None of the rules have changed. The rules are the same ones we learned in fifth grade; we keep our hands to ourselves and treat others with respect.”
• Jo Ann Ross, president and chief advertising revenue officer, CBS said, “Founders of AWM were way ahead of their time understanding women have a lot to contribute and a lot to say. Many of us here have power and privilege, and what I believe is our responsibility, to help other women excel in this business.”
“Now more than ever before, we have a responsibility to create conversation and shine the spotlight on the success and progress of women in media,” said Heather Cohen, AWMF board member and EVP, The Weiss Agency. ”We not only want to honor those deserving recognition but show the next generation what is possible. Our purpose at AWM is to bring intelligent, accomplished, dedicated women (and men) together to share ideas, experiences and some ‘you go, girls!’”
Photos from the event can be found at graciesawards.photos.
Sponsors of the event were Ford Motor Company, BET Networks, BuzzFeed, CBS Corporation, CNN, Cox Media Group, FOX Sports, Katz Media Group, NCTA – The Internet & Television Association, Neuhoff Communications, SiriusXM, TEGNA, vCreative and WideOrbit.
In the current hyperconnected age, digital literacy is essential to the development of 21st century skills, as creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication are increasingly conducted through computers, social media, and the internet. The current generation of youth is one defined by media and technology. Generation Z, consisting of those born between 1996-2010, is the first generation to be raised in the era of smartphones, and many do not remember a time before social media (Williams, 2015). Stories of young people who become the digital elite demonstrate their new roles as creators and influencers and have become celebrated narratives of technological progress and entrepreneurial savvy as they discover new, innovative uses for media and technology (Burwell, 2010). Not only is the prevalence of smartphone access among youth essentially universal, a growing share of teens now describe their internet usage as nearly constant with 45% of teens saying they use the internet “almost constantly,” a figure that has nearly doubled since the 2014-2015 Pew Research Center survey (Anderson & Jiang, 2018). With this kind of technology easily accessed at our fingertips and the near constant usage of these technologies, new skills and competencies are needed to equip youth to engage in society.
While digital literacy is often framed as an educational issue, the constantly changing media and technology landscape increasingly requires digital literacy for everyday activities and an engaged citizenship, and has reverberating implications on health, well-being, and quality of life. As such, digital literacy should also be considered an urgent public health issue. In this essay, we describe how a collaboration between public health and entertainment can be used to better understand digital literacy and form opportunities to improve youth digital literacy levels. The aims will be to: (1) discuss the importance of digital literacy in the context of public health, (2) review existing digital literacy interventions and the potential limitations of restricting these interventions to the classroom, and ultimately (3) identify entertainment education as a unique opportunity for public health and the entertainment and media industry to work together to improve digital literacy in youth populations.
Digital Literacy for Public Health
Since its origin, the definition of digital literacy has had to constantly adapt to new technologies and new ways in which users interact with these technologies. Definitions have shifted away from protection or inoculation and towards empowering individuals to engage with media (Bulger & Davison, 2018). Digital literacy takes into account the full range of skills needed to read, write, speak, view, and participate in online spaces (Turner et al., 2017). The aim of these core competencies is responsible digital citizenship, an understanding of citizens’ rights and responsibilities online, a recognition of the benefits and risks, and realization of the personal and ethical implications of actions in the digital space. In sum, the goal is to empower individuals to be smart and effective participants in the digital world (Partnership for 21st Century Learning).
Although digital literacy has traditionally been discussed in the context of education, digital literacy is also fundamental to public health. The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (World Health Organization, 2018). At an individual level, digital technologies allow us to participate in everyday activities—access internet to do homework, shop online, communicate with one another, or check real-time traffic conditions, demonstrating how digital literacy can contribute to individual quality of life (Tomer & Lee, 2015). Digital literacy has also become increasingly important to public health as digital technologies have changed the way through which we obtain health information and access care. For example, as health records, medical appointment scheduling, and health information move to digital platforms, individuals must become digitally literate to access these resources and receive timely and appropriate care. Of particular concern among public health researchers has been how the media can influence audiences regarding risky behaviors, such as increased propensity for violence or body dissatisfaction (Potter, 2013). In response, interventions implementing an educational curriculum in classroom, community, and lab settings have been designed to foster resiliency and help young people be critical of the media they consume. This body of research has found digital literacy interventions to have positive, counteracting effects related to risky and antisocial behaviors, including violence and aggression, alcohol and tobacco use, body image issues, eating disorders, and commercialism (Halliwell, Easun, & Harcourt, 2011; Jeong, Cho, & Hwang, 2012; Kupersmidt, Scull, & Austin, 2010).
Navigating digital technologies also plays a role in public health at a community and societal level. The wellbeing of individuals in a community is influenced by how well the community functions, not only in terms of ensuring equitable distribution of the determinants of health, but in terms of the processes of governance in the community such as the degree of participation, the degree of social cohesion and the extent of civic engagement (Hancock, Labonte, & Edwards, 1999; National Civic League, 1993; Putnam, 1993). Given digital technologies are considered central to cultural, civic, and economic participation (Aabo, 2005; Meyers, Erickson, & Small, 2013), digital literacy empowers individuals to be active participants in their communities. For example, online advocacy, social protest, “liking,” sharing, and remixing media demonstrate digital technologies’ increasing capacities for political engagement, advocacy, and social justice (Cohen C & J, 2012; Mihailidis & Thevenin, 2013; Turner et al., 2017). Thus, digital literacy can improve community functioning, which, in turn, has positive effects on individual health outcomes.
Clearly, the costs of digital illiteracy are high. Digital literacy has major health implications over an individual’s life course. Although we often assume that young people are digitally literate, there is some research that reveals disparities in digital literacy, with lower digital literacy associated with lower socioeconomic status and racial and ethnic minorities (Hargittai, 2010; Rampell, 2008). These disparities may have reverberating effects later in life. Digital literacy equips people with the skills and capacities to pursue higher education and obtain higher paying jobs due to most jobs now requiring basic computer skills and an expanding job market that is technology-driven (Tomer & Lee, 2015). Substantial literature supports the influence of socioeconomic status on health outcomes via mechanisms of social capital and access to resources (Phelan, Link, & Tehranifar, 2010). The U.S. has gambled on broadband being a great equalizer (West & Karsten, 2016) but, in order to achieve this goal, and take advantage of the resources that broadband presents, citizens must be able to understand how to use the internet to access and interpret the information available. This reinforces that digital literacy training must occur in early life stages, thereby increasing opportunities for youth to succeed. Given digital literacy is also a public health concern, it implores us to explore how a public health perspective can contribute to improving youth digital literacy and address persisting disparities.
A Review of Digital Literacy Interventions
Digital or media literacy interventions typically involve an experimental treatment that provides people with the tools that increase awareness and promote deeper understanding of the underlying meanings contained in media messages (Potter, 2004). The goal is to build the cognitive skills required to process media messages in a more active way and use these tools to defend themselves against the potential negative effects of media (Byrne, 2009; Potter, 2004). A meta-analysis of media literacy interventions reports that digital and media literacy interventions are generally effective as having significant positive effects on outcomes including media knowledge, criticism, perceived realism, influence, behavioral beliefs, attitudes, self-efficacy, and behavior (Jeong et al., 2012).
What emerges from a review of the existing literature of digital literacy interventions is that interventions have been largely limited to the classroom {Colwell, 2013 #25}(Colwell, Hunt-Barron, & Reinking, 2013; Sefton-Green, Nixon, & Erstad, 2009), and the majority of media literacy efforts in the U.S. remain focused on teacher training and curricula development (Bulger & Davison, 2018). These curricula often focus on protection with digital literacy as a means to defend oneself from the potentially harmful effects of media. For example, in health, media literacy often means helping youth decipher implicit messages in media and increasing awareness of the media as a business of selling products and behaviors that often are not good for them (Brown, 2006). The assumption behind these interventions is that youth will become more critical of the media they consume and will be less likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors promoted by the media (Brown, 2006). Although these critical evaluation skills are important, these kinds of interventions tend to narrowly focus on the media as having a negative or harmful influence on audiences. What has been largely absent in the digital literacy intervention literature is using the powerful influence of media for the social good.
While it remains essential to continue efforts to incorporate digital literacy into school curricula, studies have identified barriers to implementing digital literacy curriculum and integration of digital technologies into classroom instruction, including competing demands, lack of appropriate professional development for teachers, and teacher attitudes towards the importance of digital literacy training (Colwell et al., 2013; Hutchison & Reinking, 2010, 2011). Moreover, learning digital literacy not only occurs in schools, but also in the home and other informal settings, such as social environments with friends and online communities (Meyers et al., 2013). Given the challenges in implementing digital literacy interventions in classroom settings, innovative approaches to supplement classroom instruction on digital literacy are needed. Thus, it is timely to explore how collaborations between different disciplines can allow for a more integrative, holistic approach to improving youth digital literacy.
Interventions have long focused on personal responsibility where individuals are expected to negotiate the risks and opportunities of the online world, rather than the responsibilities of the community, state, institutions, or developers of technologies to support individuals (Bulger & Davison, 2018). Consequently, there has been a recent surge of efforts to foster news literacy, media literacy, and digital citizenship among corporations, policy makers, non-profits, and national organizations to create curricula, resources, and instructional materials for parents and educators, fund and conduct research, and expand corporate initiatives to protect and empower users (Bulger & Davison, 2018). For example, in 2017, Facebook initiated their Journalism Project aimed at improving the media literacy of its users (Bulger & Davison, 2018). This involved establishing collaborations and partnerships between Facebook and the news industry, developing a series of PSAs promoting news literacy, improvements on the Facebook platform to curb the spread of misinformation, and bringing together experts to help decide on what new research to conduct and projects to fund (Simo, 2017). Although these sectors are making steps towards supporting digital literacy, what remains largely unexplored is how entertainment and television can also engage in this nationwide effort.
An Opportunity for Entertainment Education
Digital literacy represents a unique opportunity for collaboration between public health and the entertainment and media industry via entertainment education. Entertainment education (or edutainment) incorporates health and other educational messages into popular entertainment media with the goal of positively influencing awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and/or behaviors (Moyer-Gusé, 2008). While there have been media-based interventions that aim to build digital literacy by critiquing films or television shows, using entertainment education to improve digital literacy has largely been an untapped avenue. However, digital technologies are already central to storylines of popular young adult television series, such as Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl, supporting the potential for the development of entertaining storylines that can educate audiences about skills, strategies, and responsibilities of navigating the internet, social media, and other digital technologies in a way that is relevant and resonating with today’s youth audiences.
One potential framework that may serve as a tool for interested producers and screenwriters is the Sábido Methodology. The Sábido approach uses the soap opera melodrama to communicate prosocial messages. Often credited with the beginning of entertainment education (EE), Miguel Sábido, a Latin American artist and intellectual best known in Mexico for his theater and television works, created a methodology articulating a theoretical and empirical research-based formula to construct media messages that initiate socially desirable attitudes and behaviors (Nariman, 1993). A central pillar of the Sábido approach is role modeling. Thus, there are characters that represent the socially desirable behavior and consequences when characters rebel against the behavior. Through these narratives, spectators can learn how they would handle or overcome similar experiences.
More recently, this approach has been applied in the Hulu original East Los High. With an all Latino cast and crew, East Los High utilizes principles of EE and transmedia storytelling to reach, engage, and ultimately influence young Latino/a American knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors as a response to persistent challenges in teen pregnancy and adolescent sexual and reproductive health (Wang & Singhal, 2016). A recent evaluation of the show’s first season demonstrated wide audience reach, strong viewer engagement, and a positive cognitive, emotional, and social impact on sexual and reproductive health communication and education (Wang & Singhal, 2016). The show also demonstrated success by being consistently rated as a top show on Hulu and drawing 1 million unique visitors each month to the Hulu Latino webpage (Wang & Singhal, 2016). Similarly, producers may use the Sábido approach to create content that can model socially desirable behaviors around best practices with digital technologies in an engaging, but safe environment for adolescents. Population Media Center, which helped produce the first season of East Los High, describes the process of developing entertainment education content in 5 steps.
How is an entertainment education show constructed? (Population Media Center, 2018)
1. Know your audience. Conduct ethnographic and formative research to understand the realities, issues, opportunities, and challenges that the target audience experiences. This research should inform character development, storylines, media placement, and issue treatment, so that they can better resonate with target audiences.
2. Integrate behavior change theory. Understand how people learn and make decisions, and the factors that contribute to their attitudes and behaviors. The show content is designed to motivate the audience to adopt certain behaviors, create self-efficacy, and build resiliency. The format of the show is also derived from behavior change theory, requiring storylines to extend over many episodes and involve characters that behave as role models that face similar struggles, such that audiences can learn how to handle similar challenges.
3. Integrate entertainment-industry insight. In order to address sensitive topics and provide knowledge, improved sense of agency, and the desire to adopt new behavioral options, audiences need to be engaged and entertained to be willing to hear the messages presented on the show.
4. Monitor and evaluate the show and its impact. Continuous monitoring and evaluation of each show ensures programs are on track and provide learning for current and future programs.
5. Ensure culturally-specificity. Not only should the storylines and the presentation of the health issue be relatable and culturally-specific, but the creative and production process should also be culturally-specific. In other words, hire local writers, actors, and production staff from target audiences whenever possible. The team should be trained in the methodology for show creation and for overall operating procedures, including show marketing, monitoring and evaluation, and others.
Nariman, H. N. (1993). Soap operas for social change: Toward a methodology for entertainment-education television. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.
Storylines relevant to digital literacy are already present in television entertainment. Popular shows like the recently renewed series Will & Grace, which is known for its subtle but poignant cultural commentary, has addressed pertinent issues such as fake news and how the internet and social media play a role in politics and democracy.
Another example is the 2017 film Ingrid Goes West, a black comedy exploring society’s conflicting feelings towards social media, which won best screenplay in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at Sundance (Variety, 2017). The story follows the story of Ingrid Thorburn (Aubrey Plaza), a young woman who moves out to California in hopes of befriending her new Instagram obsession—social media “influencer” Taylor Sloane (Elizabeth Olsen). In interviews with the cast and producers, they discuss how the film serves as a social critique of social media and the online generation (The New York Times, 2017). Through humor and wit, the film addresses issues of loneliness and isolation, authenticity, obsession and online versus real connection and ultimately encourages constructive discussion around the use of social media and digital citizenship.
As these recent examples have shown, there is ample opportunity for television and film to create educational, yet entertaining content about digital literacy for youth audiences. These kinds of storylines are not only entertaining, but also tap into the current zeitgeist about the implications of digital technologies on daily life. Entertainment education takes this a step further, such that prosocial messages are carefully constructed based on comprehensive, formative research about the target audience and their experiences with the issue at hand. One of the many strengths of entertainment education is that including digital literacy messages into popular media can increase reach and affect audiences at a larger scale than a typical classroom-based intervention. Further, transmedia narratives can complement entertainment education efforts to create immersive experiences that allow audiences to engage with the educational material on television and apply digital literacy skills across platforms in innovative ways. Just as entertainment education has proven to be an innovative, effective communication platform in the field of public health, television can have a powerful role in teaching digital literacy through the power of storytelling, role-modeling, and audience engagement.
ALLIANCE FOR WOMEN IN MEDIA ENHANCES ITS CORE RECOGNITION OPPORTUNITIES UNDER GRACIES BANNER
Top Female Executives Across All Areas of Media To Receive Inaugural Gracies Leadership Award in November 2018
NEW YORK, NY (August 23, 2018) – For more than 60 years, The Alliance for Women in Media (AWM), through the annual Gracie Awards, has honored women and men in television, radio and interactive media for their outstanding contributions and achievements in creating programming and entertainment by, for and about women. Today, AWM announced a new Gracie Award – one that will recognize the contributions of countless female executives who pave the way as change-agents, shattering glass ceilings across the industry.
This strategic move by the AWM board unifies all of the organization’s recognition programs under one umbrella: the Gala event in Los Angeles that awards national and global content creators and contributors; the Luncheon in New York celebrating story tellers at the local level as well as student creatives; and now the Gracies Leadership Award. This award is a modification of AWM’s former Women Who Lead Award, appropriately intensified and emboldened through its alignment with the prestigious Gracies brand.
“So, why this? Why now? Even after decades of bestowing the coveted Gracie Award on the producers, directors, actors and writers, something was still missing,” said Becky Brooks, Executive Director, AWM. “The award is named for the iconic and brilliant Gracie Allen, equally a talent as well as visionary business leader. Now, the Alliance for Women in Media will recognize the contributions of all individuals who work tirelessly to ensure creation and delivery of the very best in programming around the world.”
The Gracies Leadership Award closes the circle, honoring women who lead the media industry, from owners to founders to C-suite executives. The inaugural class will be recognized at a luncheon on November 13, 2018, at the iconic Plaza Hotel in New York City.
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About the Alliance for Women in Media (AWM): The Alliance for Women in Media connects, recognizes and inspires women across the media industry. AWM is a diverse community – whether type of media, job or global location – that facilitates industry-wide collaboration, education, and innovation. Established in 1951 as American Women in Radio & Television (AWRT), AWM is the longest-established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. AWM harnesses the promise, passion and power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change for our industry and societal progress.
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 27: Judy Woodruff and Jane Pauley attend The Gracies, presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation at Cipriani 42nd Street on June 27, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Alliance For Women In Media Foundation)
Judy Woodruff Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award,
CNN’s Erica Hill Hosted and Country Artist Jessie Chris Performed at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City
June 28, 2018 (New York City) – Yesterday the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) presented the 43rd Annual Gracie Awards at a luncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. Host Erica Hill of CNN led the program alongside presenters Pam Oliver from FOX Sports; multimedia host, actress and author Angie Martinez;April Ryan of American Urban Radio Networks and CNN; and Larry Mullins from Entercom’s 1010 WINS. The Gracie Awards were presented to honorees which were previously announced (full list of honorees here) in recognition of individual achievement and outstanding programming by, for and about women in local and student TV, radio and interactive media.
Highlights from the show included:
AWMF Board Chair and Katz Radio Group President Christine Travaglini opened the Luncheon. After welcoming the record-breaking crowd, she introduced AWM Board Treasurer and Gracies Co-Chair Heather Cohen, executive vice president of The Weiss Agency.
Lifetime Achievement Honoree Judy Woodruff, anchor and managing editor of the PBS NewsHour, was presented her award by last year’s Honoree Jane Pauley, who said, “There should be no more exalted role in society than the role of journalists. When that ceases to be, we will no longer rightfully call ourselves a free society. Judy Woodruff deserves recognition for lifetime as much as anyone I can think of. Furthermore, she has earned it.” When accepting the award, Woodruff captivated the audience and spoke strongly with regard to women in media, “We have come a long way, but we still have work to do. We need more women in decision-making jobs, more women doing the hiring, more women deciding which stories get covered, and more women reaching out to bring along younger women like the remarkable women we are seeing here today.”
Erica Hill, CNN anchor and correspondent, hosted the awards. Hill has a rich history with the Gracie Awards as the 2015 honoree for Outstanding Correspondent. When presenting the awards for outstanding work in Local Market Television, Hill said, “Local markets are more important today than ever as newsrooms shrink, and newspapers are shuttered. Local reporters hold officials accountable – they tell the stories that matter in the moment. They get to the heart of the issues. They inform, they educate, and they help.”
2018 Billboard Artist-to-Watch Country Singer Jessie Chris performed and spoke about her passion as an anti-bullying advocate. Chris, the victim of extreme bullying as a student, is an anti-bullying advocate who has supported the Ad Council’s #BeMore Campaign and Disney’s #ChooseKindness campaign.
Presenter Larry Mullins from Entercom’s 1010 WINS was a lively presenter who not only spoke, but also sang, “We talk about the Oprahs, we talk about the Barbara Walters, we talk about the Judy Blumes, Jane Pauley, and so many others that I’ve seen here today, and then it goes all the way to the Shonda Rhimes. Sisters your day has come. Your day is now!”
The National Gracie Award honorees were recognized at the Gracies Gala, May 22, at The Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills. Again, a full list of recipients may be found on the Alliance for Women in Media website.
About the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and The Gracie Awards – The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (formerly known as The Foundation of American Women in Radio & Television) supports and promotes educational programs, and scholarships to benefit the media, the public, and allied fields. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint initiatives with the Emma Bowen Foundation, NCTA, NAB and other organizations that are philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. In addition to giving $20,000 a year in scholarships to deserving female students, the Foundation also produces nationally acclaimed recognition programs, including the Gracie Awards that exemplary honor programming created by, for and about women.
Sponsors of The Gracies Luncheon include: CBS, Beasley Media Group, Cumulus, Discovery, Entercom, Katz Media Group, NCTA – the Internet & Television Association, PBS NewsHour, Sinclair, TEGNA, vCreative and WideOrbit.
For more information about The Alliance for Women in Media, please visit: allwomeninmedia.org and follow on Twitter, Instagram (@AllWomeninMedia) (#TheGracies), and Facebook.
CNN’s Erica Hill to Host and Country Artist Jessie Christo Perform
at June 27 Event at Cipriani 42nd Street
June 5, 2018 (New York City) – The leadership of the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) announces that Judy Woodruff, anchor and managing editor of “PBS NewsHour,” will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 43rd Annual Gracie Awards Luncheon. Hosting the luncheon will be another television news veteran, Erica Hill of CNN. The annual Gracies Luncheon honors individual achievement and outstanding programming at the local level for TV and radio, public level for radio and student level for TV, radio and interactive media. It will take place June 27 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.
The Gracie Awards recognize individual achievement and outstanding programming created by, for and about women in all facets of media and entertainment. Given this year to Woodruff, who has covered politics and other news for more than four decades, the Gracies Lifetime Achievement Award honors a woman in media who exemplifies and embodies the essence of the iconic trailblazer, the late Gracie Allen, the namesake of The Gracie Awards.
“The Gracie Awards celebrate the female storytellers who are changing the narrative and pushing boundaries in the quest toward diversity and equality,” said AWMF Chair Christine Travaglini, President, Katz Radio Group. “Since the beginning of her journalism career in 1976, Judy Woodruff’s connected, well-researched approach is consistently present and illustrates why she is so worthy of this
Lifetime Achievement Award. We at AWM and AWMF, through the Gracies, are incredibly proud to honor and celebrate outstanding talent and content for, by and about women.”
Woodruff’s award-winning career includes roles at CNN, NBC, and PBS:
• For 12 years, she served as anchor and senior correspondent for CNN.
• At PBS from 1983-1993, Woodruff was the chief Washington correspondent for The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour. From 1984-1990, she also anchored PBS’ documentary series, “Frontline with Judy Woodruff.”
• At NBC News, Woodruff was White House correspondent for several years and served one year as Chief Washington Correspondent for “TODAY.”
• She also anchored a monthly program for Bloomberg Television, “Conversations with Judy Woodruff.”
Among the many awards, Woodruff has received the Edward R. Murrow Lifetime Achievement Award in Broadcast Journalism/Television. She also authored the book, “This is Judy Woodruff at the White House,” published in 1982. Woodruff is a founding co-chair of the International Women’s Media Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting and encouraging women in communication industries worldwide.
“I am thrilled to receive a Gracie from the Alliance for Women in Media, a truly pioneering organization in promoting women across the spectrum of media careers,” says Woodruff. “Since its start as AWRT, it has been dedicated to creating opportunities for women and, thankfully, we see the results all around us.”
Gracies Luncheon host Erica Hill is a TV anchor and award-winning journalist. She serves as an anchor and correspondent for CNN. Most recently, Hill anchored CNN’s Headline News, “On the Story with Erica Hill.” She was previously a co-anchor of NBC’s weekend edition of “TODAY,” and served as an anchor and correspondent for NBC News. Before joining NBC, Hill was an anchor and correspondent at CBS News.
In 2015, AWMF honored Hill with the Gracie Award for Outstanding Correspondent. “It’s an honor to host the Gracies, and to be among the most inspiring, empowering and talented women in our business,” said Hill. “I am thrilled that we will recognize the incomparable Judy Woodruff. She’s an icon, and someone I have always looked up to not only as a journalist but as a human being.”
Performing will be 2018 Billboard Artist-to-Watch Jessie Chris. Chris was the first country artist to be named “TODAY” Show Artist of The Month, and she was the youngest performer at the 2015 CMA Festival, an event she has also performed at in 2017 and 2018. Chris, the victim of extreme bullying as a student, is an anti-bullying advocate who has supported the Ad Council’s #BeMore Campaign and Disney’s #ChooseKindness campaign. This year, she will visit 100 schools across the country to speak with students about bullying and recently formed a partnership to share songs, inspirational quotes and vlogs directly with children and families through the Mazu app. Chris authored a children’s book on the subject, which will be released this summer.
The National Gracie Award honorees were recognized at the Gracies Gala, May 22, at The Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills. A full list of recipients may be found on the Alliance for Women in Media website. For more information about the 2018 Gracies Luncheon or to secure tickets, please visit here.
About the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and The Gracie Awards The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (formerly known as The Foundation of American Women in Radio & Television) supports and promotes educational programs, and scholarships to benefit the media, the public, and allied fields. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint initiatives with the Emma Bowen Foundation, NCTA, NAB and other organizations that are philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. In addition to giving $20,000 a year in scholarships to deserving female students, the Foundation also produces nationally acclaimed recognition programs, including the Gracie Awards that exemplary honor programming created by, for and about women.
For more information about The Alliance for Women in Media, please visit: allwomeninmedia.org and follow on Twitter, Instagram (@AllWomeninMedia) (#TheGracies), and Facebook. Sponsors of The Gracies include Ford Motor Company, Crown Media Group, CNN, CBS Corporation, Discovery, Inc., FOX Sports, NCTA – The Internet and Television Association, Premiere Networks, SiriusXM, Katz Media Group, Beasley Media Group and Entercom.
Attendees Included Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Rita Moreno, Performer Kelsea Ballerini, Host Lisa Joyner, and Honorees Shirley Strawberry, April Ryan and Whitney Allen
LOS ANGELES (May 23, 2018) – The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) handed out the 43rd Annual Gracie Awards at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. Host Lisa Joyner led the evening which included the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Rita Moreno by Norman Lear and a special performance by Grammy-nominated country music singer Kelsea Ballerini.
The Gracie Awards, which each year celebrate programming created by, for and about women across radio, television, cable and interactive media, hosted attendees including Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman, Jon Cryer, Pam Oliver, Elizabeth Smart, Loni Love, Shaun Robinson, Jeannie Mai, Gabrielle Dennis, Kevin Burkhardt, Erica Hill, Toni Trucks, Mary Louise Kelly, Robin Thede, Zerlina Maxwell, Jessica McIntosh, Tracey Wigfield, Shirley Strawberry, April Ryan, Rachel Nelson, Whitney Allen, Paula Malcomson, Jill Schlesinger and more. This year’s social media ambassador was Sweety High host Cassie DiLaura and the ceremony was executive produced by Vicangelo Bulluck. To view complete list of award recipients and honorable mentions, visit allwomeninmedia.org/gracies/award-winners.
Highlights from the evening include:
Host Lisa Joyner kicked off the evening celebrating the strides women have made in the past year. “From the record setting attendance at the Women’s March, to the wave of sexual misconduct allegations that empowered women to speak their truth, to gender inequality and the wage gap being thrust into the spotlight. And from there, we’re about to make history this year for the record number of women running for public office.”
Norman Lear presented the Gracies Lifetime Achievement Award to Rita Moreno saying, “Rita Moreno and her magic has made it look easy. I’m grateful to know and work with her, and be able to tell her that I love her in front of a crowd.”
Moreno accepted the award with a moving speech: “What makes this recognition so special to me is the acknowledgement of a lifetime’s work which at 86, is a lot of life and a lot of work. This line of work demands profound endurance and the ability to control and avoid beating up Meryl Streep for getting all the stuff that you could’ve done better,” Moreno joked as the audience laughed. Reminiscing on a moment when she was ten years old dreaming of making it in the industry, Moreno said, “seventy years later, who would’ve thunk I’d be in the company of other wonderful stars? I really feel blessed.”
Country music star Kelsea Ballerini took to the stage and brought the house down as she performed “I Hate Love Songs” and “In Between” off her new sophomore album “Unapologetically.”
Nick Offerman took a knee on stage as he held up and presented the statuette for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Musical to “Will & Grace” star and wife Megan Mullally. She accepted the honor as she offered advice. “ I want to say to women and girls, you have no limitations. You can do whatever the hell you want to do,” said Mullally. “Be collaborative but do it your way, just the way you like it. Learn how to say no, but most importantly, learn how to say yes.”
Sportscaster Kevin Burkhardt presented the award for Best On-Air Talent, Entertainment/Sports to Pam Oliver. She shared with the audience that sports and journalism were always key for success and the challenges she’s had to endure in a male-dominated industry. “You have to protect your dream,” said Oliver. “I’ve been called a bitch at least three times by head coaches but never to my face. If they ever said it to my face, it would be on!”
Elizabeth Smart, who bravely told her abduction story through the intimate two-part biography special “Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography,” received a standing ovation from the entire room as she accepted the Gracie for Best Producer, Non-Fiction. “When I ultimately decided to tell my story, it wasn’t to put my nightmare on air. It’s because I had met other survivors,” said Smart. Though not all the victims she met had gone through kidnapping and rape, Smart said, “pain is pain, and there is always hope and you can always move forward.”
Host of “The Real” and comedian Loni Love presented the award for Best Drama to NBC’s hit show “This Is Us.” Executive producer Elizabeth Berger, along with seven of the show’s female writers, accepted the award sharing that they “created the show about women that remind us of us” and about “moving through life with grace and dignity.”
Below, please find links to access house footage, which includes: b-roll of arrivals; interviews with honorees, the host and presenters; clips from the ceremony; and more. Video Credit – Getty Images Video
Video: http://bit.ly/2s1he4S Photo Credit – Getty on behalf of The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation
Photos: http://assignments.gettyimages.com/mm/nicePath/gyipa_public?nav=pr582632871
About The Gracie Awards
The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (formerly known as The Foundation of American Women in Radio & Television) supports and promotes educational programs, and scholarships to benefit the media, the public and allied fields. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint initiatives with the Emma Bowen Foundation, NCTA, NAB and other organizations that are philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. In addition to giving $20,000 a year away in scholarships to deserving female students, the Foundation also produces nationally acclaimed recognition programs, including the Gracie Awards that honors exemplary programming created by, for and about women. For more information about The Alliance for Women in Media please visit their website at allwomeninmedia.org and follow them on Twitter (@AllWomeninMedia), (@TheGracies), (#TheGracies) and Facebook. Sponsors of The Gracies include Ford Motor Company; Beasley Media Group, Big Time with Whitney Allen, Crown Media Group, CNN, CBS Corporation, Cumulus Media, Discovery, Inc., Entercom, FOX Sports, Katz Media Group, NCTA – The Internet and Television Association, Netflix, NPR, Premiere Networks, Sinclair Broadcast Group, SiriusXM, Sony Broadcast Television, Sun Broadcast Group, TBS, TEGNA, Universal Television, vCreative and VICE Media.
LOS ANGELES (May 2, 2018) – Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award winner Rita Moreno will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 43rd Annual Gracie Awards on May 22 at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. Five-time Emmy Award-winning broadcaster and producer Lisa Joyner will serve as host. Presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF), the Gracie Awards honor outstanding individual achievements and programming by, for and about women in television, radio and interactive media.
“Throughout her career which spans more than 70 years, Rita has redefined roles, challenged standards, and shattered barriers, reflecting values the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation admires and applauds,” said AWMF Chair Christine Travaglini, President, Katz Radio Group. “She achieved becoming the first Hispanic actress to win an Academy Award, opening doors for Hollywood hopefuls from diverse backgrounds. With Rita receiving our top accolade and Lisa, a proven and charismatic host, it’s sure to be a celebratory and empowering night for all our supporters and honorees.”
“The Gracie Award, what a delight,” said Moreno. “It’s very special to be associated with the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation by receiving this Lifetime Achievement Award. I appreciate how the Foundation promotes both the worth and work of women in media. I am especially impressed with the Foundation’s encouragement of young women students of media. This is an honor!”
“It is a privilege to host such a prestigious awards gala honoring so many incredible women in the media,” said Joyner. “The women being recognized are some of the finest in the business and collectively are shining examples for young girls today.”
Moreno belongs to an elite group of only 12 performers who have won entertainment’s grand slam of the industry’s most prestigious awards: the Oscar, Emmy, Tony and Grammy. Additionally, in December 2015 Moreno received the Kennedy Center Honor for her lifetime contributions to American culture and was the 50th recipient of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2014. Moreno currently stars in the Latino remake of Norman Lear’s classic sitcom “One Day at a Time” on Netflix and lends her voice to the character Abuelita in the children’s animated series “Nina’s World,” which airs on NBC-TV’s Sprout Network. Prior to that, she appeared in guest-starring roles in “Getting On,” “Jane The Virgin,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Grace and Frankie.”
Today Moreno performs concerts across the country and often appears as a guest artist with symphony orchestras. She also lectures to various organizations and university audiences on topics such as diversity and the arts, in addition to being involved with a number of civic and charitable organizations. Moreno has served on The National Endowment for the Arts, as a Commissioner for The President’s White House Fellowships, and as a member of The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities.
Emmy Award-winning television personality and producer, Lisa Joyner, is currently co-hosting season three of TLC’s “Long Lost Family,” where she guides the show’s participants through the discovery process of finding their biological families. As an adoptee herself, she provides a unique perspective, giving her the ability to connect meaningfully with guests and help them through the emotional journey. Joyner has worked as an adoption advocate with various organizations including Raise a Child. In addition, Joyner will be co-hosting season two of TLC’s “This Is Life Live” beginning May 13. Joyner has worked at KTTV-TV and KCBS-TV as a producer and entertainment reporter, and has hosted “NFL This Morning,” ABC’s “Find My Family,” and TV Guide Channel’s “InFanity.” She is also part of a mentoring group for the San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission and sits on a committee that helps to foster inclusion and diversity in school.
Local and student award winners will be recognized at the Gracie Awards Luncheon on June 27 at Cipriani in New York City. Please visit allwomeninmedia.org to view the complete list of the 2018 Gracie Awards winners.
To apply for media credentials, please visit https://goo.gl/forms/E7s661xKhaIQfoP32.
By Rashida Jones, senior vice president for specials at NBC News and MSNBC, and 2018 Gracie Ambassador
If we’ve learned anything in the last year, we learned the power of the female voice. The power of a unified effort and how it can make change. It’s lead to change in our industry and forced organizations to take a critical look at practices that had been standard for decades. The tide is shifting. You can feel the energy change. It’s happening.
Women are demanding greater focus towards equality. People are listening. I believe the next step of this cause is far more introspective. What can YOU do to pay it forward? What can YOU do to empower someone else? How can YOU reach back to pull someone else up? The core mission of the Alliance of Women in Media is “supporting women across all media segments, to expand networks, educate and celebrate accomplishments.” How can YOU magnify that mission? After a year of the #MeToo revolution, this summer has the potential to be the year of the woman. I challenge each of you do to something mindful and intentional to pull someone else up.
Mentor a woman with high potential.
Speak to a group of upcoming media professionals.
Donate to an organization that supports women in media.
Host a networking event pairing established women in media with more junior professionals.
Do something to deliberately impart your knowledge to someone who could use it.
Believe in someone who needs that kind of support.
These types of acts can be life and career changing.
A few years ago I started a blog (newsroomnotes.com) to share advice with early career journalists. It was the career advice I wished I could tell my 25 year old self. It wasn’t enough; I continue to search for ways to pay it forward. The Alliance for Women in Media does exemplary work in this space. I am overwhelmingly impressed by this organization’s commitment to supporting and developing women in media and am incredibly excited to join as a Gracies Ambassador.
May the Summer of 2018 be the summer of the woman, because of the efforts we have all done to pay it forward.
HODA KOTB, ISSA RAE, JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS, KATIE COURIC, MEGAN MULLALLY, PAM OLIVER, REESE WITHERSPOON, AND SHIRLEY STRAWBERRY AMONG HONOREES; CEREMONY TO TAKE PLACE MAY 22 IN LOS ANGELES
Local and Student Award Winners to be Honored at the Gracie Awards Luncheon on June 27 in New York City
LOS ANGELES (April 17, 2018) – The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) announced the winners of the 43rd annual Gracie Awards to take place May 22 at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. The event will recognize such esteemed honorees as Ashley Judd, Billie Jean King, Claire Danes, Elizabeth Marvel, Hoda Kotb, Issa Rae, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Katie Couric, Megan Mullally, Pam Oliver, Reese Witherspoon, and Shirley Strawberry, along with some of the most talented women in television, radio and digital media. Local and student award winners will be recognized at the Gracie Awards Luncheon on June 27 at Cipriani in New York City.
“In a historic and momentous year for women, on and off the camera and in front of and behind the microphone, the Gracie Awards arrive at an important time to celebrate the storytellers who are changing the narrative and pushing boundaries in the quest toward diversity and equality,” said AWMF Chair Christine Travaglini, President, Katz Radio Group. “And as we enter our 43rd year, we at AWM, through the Gracies, are incredibly proud help usher in a new era by honoring and celebrating outstanding talent and content for, by and about women.”
In the third consecutive year as Executive Producer, Vicangelo Bulluck will spotlight these prolific women in the industry who continue to inspire and support others, break down barriers, and lead by example in creating opportunity for future generations.
The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) is pleased to partner with Rashida Jones, senior vice president for specials at NBC News and MSNBC, as its newest 2018 Gracie Ambassador.
“The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation creates educational programs and provides scholarships to benefit the public and women in media, and the Gracies is the largest annual fundraiser that supports the organization,” said Christine Travaglini, president, Katz Media Group, and chair, AWMF board. “We look forward to the input and energy that Rashida will bring to the AWM, the Gracies and this partnership.”
Rashida has nearly two decades of experience in a variety of leadership roles across broadcast, cable and local news. In her current role, she leads breaking news and major event coverage for NBC News and MSNBC. She previously served as managing editor for MSNBC’s Dayside programming, driving the editorial decision-making and coverage for the network during the six hours between 9 am and 3 pm ET. Prior to MSNBC, Rashida was the news director for the NBC affiliate in Columbia, S.C., where she rebuilt the news team to focus on deep investigative reporting. She was also director of live programming at The Weather Channel.
The Gracies Ambassador program at AWMF offers senior executives the opportunity to engage in activities related to AWMF and the annual Gracie Awards. The Gracie Ambassador program offers ways to work together that are exclusive to the Gracie Ambassador partnership level and not available through other sponsorships of the Gracies or AWMF.
The Alliance for Women in Media (AWM) is proud to announce that Andrea Mitchell, NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent and Chief Washington Correspondent, will be honored with the prestigious Gracies Icon Award at the 2024 Gracies Leadership Awards. The awards luncheon will take place on Tuesday, November 19, at Tribeca 360° in New York City.
“Andrea
Mitchell has been a trailblazer in journalism, breaking barriers and setting a
remarkable example for women in media for decades. In an era when trustworthy
reporting is more critical than ever, her ability to navigate the complexities
of global affairs makes her a true icon,” said Becky Brooks, President of AWM.
“We are proud to honor Andrea with the Gracies Icon Award, celebrating a legacy
that has inspired countless women in media to raise their voices and pursue
their passions with determination and courage.”
Mitchell’s
distinguished career includes extensive reporting on presidential campaigns,
international conflicts, and national security issues, making her one of the
most respected figures in journalism today. Mitchell, who also hosts Andrea
Mitchell Reports on MSNBC, has covered major global events, including the
Reagan/Gorbachev arms control summits, the Israel-Hamas conflict, the war in
Ukraine, and negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. Her work spans
assignments in some of the world’s most challenging regions, including Iraq,
Afghanistan, North Korea, and Cuba.
In addition to
her reporting, Mitchell has received numerous accolades throughout her career.
She is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 40th Annual News
& Documentary Emmy Awards, the International Radio and Television Society
Foundation’s Giant of Broadcasting and Electronic Arts Honor, and the Freedom
of the Press Award from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, among
many others. Her contributions have left an indelible mark on journalism, and
her dedication to the profession has inspired countless women in media.
The Gracies
Icon Award honors individuals who have made a lasting impact on the media
landscape. Andrea Mitchell’s extraordinary achievements and her role as a
pioneering woman in journalism make her a worthy recipient of this year’s
honor.
The 2024
Gracies Leadership Awards will also celebrate previously announced honorees,
including Sylvia Bugg, Sonia Coleman, Jennifer Leimgruber, Deborah Parenti, Jen
Sargent, and Holly Tang. Sylvia Strobel will be recognized with the Legacy
Leadership Award for her significant contributions to the industry and the
Alliance for Women in Media.
Special thanks to sponsors of the Gracies Leadership Awards including, presenting sponsor, The Walt Disney Company, Audacy, Clear Channel Outdoor, Katz Media Group, KPMG, NBC Universal, NCTA – The Internet & Television Association, Premiere Networks, TPT – Twin Cities PBS, and Wondery.
For tickets and more information about the Gracies Leadership Awards, please visit allwomeninmedia.org
About the
Alliance for Women in Media (AWM):
The Alliance for Women in Media connects, recognizes and educates women across
the media industry. AWM is a diverse community that facilitates industry-wide
collaboration, education, and innovation. Established in 1951 as American Women
in Radio & Television (AWRT), AWM is the longest-established professional
association dedicated to advancing women in media. AWM harnesses the promise,
passion and power of women in all forms of media to empower career development,
engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change for our industry and
societal progress.
The Gracie Awards, presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF), is proud to open the call for entries for the milestone 50th Annual Gracie Awards.
“For half
a century, the Gracie Awards have celebrated the groundbreaking contributions
of women in media, serving as a beacon for exceptional content created by, for,
and about women. We are thrilled to mark this 50th milestone and honor those
shaping the future of news and entertainment,” says Becky Brooks,
President of AWMF. “This event is also our primary annual fundraiser,
enabling the Foundation to advance women in media through essential
scholarships and programming.”
The 50th Annual
Gracie Awards will once again shine a spotlight on exceptional talent across
various media categories, including radio, television, streaming, and podcasting,
from writers, journalists and actors to technical categories, including
producers, directors and showrunners. Entries are invited from media
professionals, networks, and organizations, showcasing their dedication to
advancing the portrayal and representation of women’s voices in media content.
National winners will be honored at the Gracies Gala on May 20, 2025, at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, and local and student winners at the Gracies Luncheon on June 18, 2025, at Cipriani 42nd in New York.
Taking on the critical
roles of co-chairs for the 2025 Gracie Awards are Heather Cohen, President at
The Weiss Agency, Annie Howell, Chief Communications Officer at Hallmark Media,
and Mike McVay, President of McVay Media Consulting.
Key
Information for Submissions:
Eligibility Air Dates Period: January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024.
For 2025, the
Gracie Awards are excited to introduce several new and updated categories
reflecting the ever-evolving media landscape. These include a new category for
Podcast Writer in Digital Media, Audio Book Individual (Narrator/Producer) in
Digital Media, and a Women’s Health News Feature/Series in Television Local.
Additionally, creators of video podcasts are encouraged to submit their entries
in the updated Original Online Programming – Standalone Video or Video Series
category in Digital Media.
NCTA – The
Internet and Television Association, in partnership with the AWM Foundation, is
offering scholarships to cover the cost of a Gracie Awards entry for content creators.
Scholarships are available to students and professionals.
Please join us in celebrating 50 years of advancing all women in media by supporting the AWM Foundation. Whether through sponsorship, participation, or promotion, you and your company can help shape the future of media and storytelling for the next 50 years. Contact becky.brooks@allwomeninmedia.org for ways to impact women in media.
About the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF): In 1960, the Alliance for Women in Media became the first professional broadcasting organization to establish an educational foundation. The AWMF supports and promotes educational programs, charitable activities and scholarships to benefit the public and media industry. The Foundation also produces nationally acclaimed recognition programs, including the Gracie Awards®, honoring exemplary programming created by, for or about women and individual achievement. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, educational organization. For the latest news on the Gracies, follow The Gracies on Instagram, X, LinkedIn and Facebook. For more information visit www.allwomeninmedia.org/gracies.
About The Gracie Awards: The Gracie Awards is the largest fundraiser of the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation which advances women in media through educational programs and scholarships. The Gracie Awards honors exemplary programming and individual talent created by, for and about women. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint initiatives with the Emma Bowen Foundation, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), NCTA – The Cable and Telecommunications Association and other organizations that are philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. For more information about The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and the Gracie Awards please visit allwomeninmedia.org. For the latest news on the Gracies, follow The Gracies onInstagram, X, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Sylvia Strobel to Receive AWM Legacy Leadership Award
The Alliance for Women in Media (AWM) proudly announces the exceptional women who will be recognized for their visionary leadership at the Gracies Leadership Awards. This event, dedicated to celebrating the achievements and impact of women in media, will take place on Tuesday, November 19, at Tribeca 360° in New York City.
The 2024
honorees represent a formidable group of industry leaders:
Sonia Coleman, SEVP & Chief Human Resources Officer, The Walt Disney Company
Jennifer Leimgruber, EVP Entertainment Programming, Premiere Networks/iHeartMedia
Deborah Parenti, President & Publisher, Streamline Media (Radio Ink, RBR + TVBR)
Jen Sargent, CEO, Wondery
Holly Tang, CFO, NBCUniversal Entertainment
In addition to these leaders, AWM will present the esteemed Legacy Leadership Award to Sylvia Strobel, President & CEO of Twin Cities PBS. This award honors her profound contributions to AWM and her dedicated service in leadership roles, including her tenure as past AWM Chair.
AWM/F President
Becky Brooks stated, “The Gracies Leadership Awards celebrate the women who are
shaping the future of media through their vision, innovation and leadership.
This year’s honorees are trailblazers driving transformation in an
ever-evolving industry.” Brooks continued, “As we approach the milestone 50th
anniversary of the Gracie Awards in 2025, we are reminded of the Gracies
enduring legacy and our ongoing mission to advance women in media.”
The luncheon will also shine a spotlight on the next generation through the AWM Foundation Student Fellowships. Female students majoring in journalism will have the opportunity to attend the 2024 Gracie Leadership Awards. Fellowship applications are currently open and the deadline to apply is October 4, 2024.
Special thanks
to sponsors of the Gracies Leadership Awards including, Clear Channel Outdoor, Katz
Media Group, KPMG, NCTA – The Internet & Television Association and
Premiere Networks.
For more information about the Alliance for Women in Media and the Gracies Leadership Awards, please visit allwomeninmedia.org
About the Alliance for Women in Media (AWM): The Alliance for Women in Media connects, recognizes and
educates women across the media industry. AWM is a diverse community that
facilitates industry-wide collaboration, education, and innovation. Established
in 1951 as American Women in Radio & Television (AWRT), AWM is the
longest-established professional association dedicated to advancing women in
media. AWM harnesses the promise, passion and power of women in all forms of
media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive
change for our industry and societal progress.
The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) is proud to release the dates for the highly anticipated 50th Annual Gracie Awards, to celebrate half a century of honoring excellence of women in media.
The 2025 Gracie
Awards will be a landmark celebration featuring two marquee events:
Gracies Gala: May 20, 2025, at the iconic Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.
Gracies Luncheon: June 18, 2025, at the prestigious Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.
In commemoration
of this golden milestone, AWMF is also unveiling a newly refreshed logo for the
50th Gracie Awards, embodying the spirit of strength, innovation,
and connection.
Becky Brooks,
President of AWMF shared, “As we approach the 50th Annual Gracie
Awards, we reflect on five decades of tremendous progress made in advancing
women in media. The Gracies have been a beacon of recognition for the
incredible talents and contributions of women in our industry. Next year’s
celebration is not only a tribute to our past but also a spotlight on the
bright future ahead. We are eager to honor the trailblazers who have paved the
way and the rising stars who continue to shape the media landscape.”
The Gracie Awards were established in 1975 to
recognize individual achievement and exemplary programing created by, for, and
about women. The awards are celebrated with an evening event, the Gracies Gala,
on the West Coast where national awards are recognized, and the Gracies
Luncheon on the East Coast with local and student awards.
Call for Entries: The Call for Entries for the 50th Gracie Awards will open in October 2024. Stay tuned for more details.
About The Gracie Awards The Gracie Awards is the largest fundraiser of the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation which advances women in media through educational programs and scholarships. The Gracie Awards honors exemplary programming and individual talent created by, for and about women. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint initiatives with the Emma Bowen Foundation, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), NCTA – The Cable and Telecommunications Association and other organizations that are philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. For more information about The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and the Gracie Awards please visit allwomeninmedia.org. For the latest news on the Gracies, follow The Gracies on Instagram, X, LinkedIn and Facebook.
WHAT: The AWM Foundation (AWMF) will hold the inaugural Gracies Day of Giving, a fundraiser dedicated to honoring the late Gracie Allen’s birthday. This special day is dedicated to raising funds that directly impact the foundation’s mission of creating positive change in media by producing educational programs, recognition events and scholarships benefitting students pursuing careers in media.
WHEN: July 26, 2024
DETAILS: Gracies Day of Giving provides an opportunity for both longtime and new donors to make one-time donations that will significantly impact aspiring female media professionals. Funds raised will support the continuation of programs including the Gracies Leadership Awards Fellowship, enabling students to participate and attend the event.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
Date: July 26, 2024
How to Donate: Visit AWMF’s donation page or donate via Venmo @AWM-Foundation
Share: Use the hashtag #GraciesDayOfGiving on social media to spread the word.
UPCOMING EVENT: The Gracies Leadership Awards, taking place on November 19 at Tribeca 360° in New York City, will celebrate the profound influence women have made in the media industry. Funds raised from Gracies Day of Giving will provide students with networking and educational opportunities by connecting with industry trailblazers.
The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) is proud to announce the inaugural Gracies Day of Giving on July 26, in honor of the late Gracie Allen’s birthday. This special day is dedicated to raising funds that directly impact the foundation’s mission of creating positive change in media by producing educational programs, recognition events and scholarships that benefit students pursuing careers in media.
Gracies Day of
Giving provides an
opportunity for longtime and new donors to give one-time donations and have a lasting
impact on the lives of aspiring female media professionals. Funds raised on
this day will enable the AWMF to continue its tradition of students participating
in the Gracies Leadership Awards Fellowship program and attending the event.
“We are
thrilled to launch the Gracies Day of Giving as a way to honor Gracie Allen’s
legacy and support the next generation of women in media, especially as we begin
planning for the 50th anniversary of the Gracie Awards” said
Becky Brooks, President of AWMF. “Generous contributions will allow us to
continue offering vital resources and opportunities to young women who are
poised to make significant contributions to the media industry.”
The Gracies
Leadership Awards, set to take place on November 19 at Tribeca 360° in New York
City, celebrate the profound contributions women have made in the media
industry, while also inspiring and empowering the female leaders present.
Through the funds raised on Gracies Day of Giving, AWMF will be able to provide
students with networking and educational opportunities connecting with industry
trailblazers.
How to Participate:
Date: July 26, 2024
How to Donate: Visit AWMF’s donation page to make your one-time contribution or donate via Venmo @AWM-Foundation
Share: Spread the word about Gracies Day of Giving on social media using the hashtag #GraciesDayOfGiving.
Every donation, no
matter the size, makes a significant difference in advancing all women in
media. Join us on July 26 to celebrate Gracie Allen’s legacy and support the
future of women in media.
About the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF): In 1960, the Alliance for Women in Media became the first professional broadcasting organization to establish an educational foundation. The AWMF supports and promotes educational programs, charitable activities and scholarships to benefit the public and media industry. The Foundation also produces nationally acclaimed recognition programs, including the Gracie Awards®, honoring exemplary programming created by, for or about women and individual achievement. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, educational organization. For the latest news on the Gracies, follow The Gracies on Instagram, X, LinkedIn and Facebook. For more information visit www.allwomeninmedia.org/gracies.
Deborah Roberts of ABC News Hostedand Suzyn Waldman Receives Lifetime Achievement Award at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City
PHOTOS AND CLIPS: CLICK HERE*Credit: Getty Images for AWM (Alliance for Women in Media Foundation)
June 18, 2024 (New
York City) – The
AWM Foundation (AWMF) presented the 49th Annual Gracie AwardsLuncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York
City on June 18. Host Deborah Roberts, Senior National Affairs
Correspondent at ABC News and esteemed co-anchor of the iconic news
magazine “20/20,” led the program alongside presenters Tiki
Barber, former New York Giants running back and radio host on WFAN;
Kristine Johnson, anchor on WCBS-TV NYC andCBS Mornings
contributor; Chloe Melas, entertainment correspondent, NBC News; Nessa,
host of NYC Hot 97 andNessa On Air; Amina Smith,anchor of ESPN’sSportsCenter and Shelli Sonstein,
radio host on iHeartMedia’s Q104.3. The program concluded with Meredith
Marakovits, clubhouse reporter for the YES Network, presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to award-winning
broadcaster for the New York Yankees and radio color commentator, Suzyn
Waldman. AWM/F President, Becky Brooks, described the event as “the
perfect culmination of a Gracies season celebrating excellence in media and a
poignant lead up to the 50th Annual Gracie Awards next year.”
The Gracie Awards were presented to honorees which were previously announced (full list of honorees here) in recognition of individual achievement and outstanding programming by, for and about women in local and student television, radio and digital media.
Highlights
from the show included:
AWMF Board Chair and VP of Corporate Communications at ESPN, Katina Arnold opened the Luncheon by acknowledging “This year’s theme, “Feminine Strength, Both Large and Small,” highlights impactful contributions of women in media, whether through grand, sweeping narratives or intimate, personal and local stories in our communities.”
Host, Deborah Roberts, of ABC News reflected, “This celebration of work has been special… I remember when I was awarded a Gracie in the early days and just how special it was and continues to be… We reveled in the woman power we felt in this room, and I feel it today.”
Presenter, Chloe Melas, entertainment correspondent for NBC News acknowledged that “The journey in media can be a long one, especially for women, and love seeing a room like this full of brilliant journalists telling important stories… reflected on her early career in journalism and connections and noted, “They say the pen is mightier than the sword, and I’m here to tell you that’s true.” anchor on ESPN’s SportsCenter, said “celebrating students in the same awards program as those of you in local television and radio as well as the Deborah Roberts’ of the world is so inspiring.”
Heather Cohen, President, The Weiss Agency, AWMF Board Member and Gracies Co-Chair, introduced Emma Myers, the AWMF/Podcast Movement Scholarship recipient and noted, “The AWM Foundation plays a crucial role in the industry by providing scholarships and offering programs specifically focused on supporting women in media and their educational endeavors.”
Presenter, Nessa, host of NYC Hot 97 and Nessa on Air inspired the audience reflecting on her years working as a young intern and said: “This is a reminder to embrace every challenge as an opportunity. Each effort, no matter how small it seems, leads you to success. And the secret is, consistency is ALWAYS key.”
Presenter, Tiki Barber, former New York Giants running back and radio host on WFAN, said, “I’ve been very fortunate to have been mentored by many women, including my mother…women have played an enormous role in my media career and also my life. Tiki reflected that it hasn’t been all football, but 25 years ago he interned for WFAN and now is host.
Presenter, Shelli Sonstein, radio host at iHeartMedia’s Q104.3 said,“I’ve often said, “The microphone is a powerful thing, it’s a sin to have a mic and not use it to do good.”
Kristine Johnson, anchor of WCBS-TV NYC and contributor for CBS Mornings, noted on her career path, “Along the way I was fortunate enough to have male and female mentors on my career path, but the one thing I am noticing now and embracing now is the amount of female executives we have in our industry.”
Meredith Marakovits of the YES Network’s Yankees Clubhouse, introduced her friend and Gracies Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Suzyn Waldman, pointed out, “From world series wins to perfect games she was there… and she kept us informed and entertained in a way only she could… in the process she paved the way… or perhaps better stated bulldozed down the door for future generations of women in sports media.
Longtime sports broadcaster for the New York Yankees, Suzyn Waldman accepted her Gracies Lifetime Achievement Award and captivated the audience with stories of her four decades in sports broadcasting and also noted, “I’m probably one of the few people in this room who listened to and the saw Gracie Allen ever week on radio and then TV… there’s no I Love Lucy, without Gracie Allen, and probably an even better example, there’s no Betty White without Gracie Allen. She knew who she was, learned how to sell it perfectly for the times, and she was original. Thank you Gracie Allen…” Waldman closed with prudent advice, “I get women coming up to me all the time saying, ‘I want to be you, I want your job’… ‘ok, that’s great… but if you take MY job, there’s still only one of us, if you make your OWN job… there’s 2 of us.”
The National Gracie Award honorees were recognized at the Gracies Gala, May 21, at The Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills. Again, a full list of recipients may be found on the Alliance for Women in Media website.
For an opportunity to continue giving to the AWM Foundation, bid on the Gracies Gift & Gala Giveaway and donate.
Sponsors of the Gracies Luncheon
include: American Urban Radio Network, Audacy, Beasley Media Group, Cumulus Media, Disney
Entertainment, ESPN, Graham Media Group, Hallmark Media, Hearst Television, Hofstra
University, iHeartMedia, Katz Media Group, NCTA: The Internet & Television
Association, Red Apple Media & WABC Radio, and Townsquare Media.
About The Gracie Awards
The Gracie Awards is the largest fundraiser
of the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation which advances women in media
through educational programs and scholarships. The Gracie Awards honors
exemplary programming and individual talent created by, for, and about women.
The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint
initiatives with the Emma Bowen Foundation, the National Association of
Broadcasters (NAB), NCTA – The Internet & Television Association and other
organizations philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. For
more information about The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and the
Gracie Awards please visit allwomeninmedia.org and follow us on X
(@AllWomeninMedia), (#TheGracies), Instagram (@allwomeninmedia), Facebook, and
LinkedIn.
Suzyn Waldman, Longtime Yankees Sports Announcerto Receive Lifetime Achievement Award
June 5, 2024 – The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) leadership announces Deborah Roberts, Senior National Affairs Correspondent for ABC News and Co-Anchor of “20/20,” will host the 49th Annual Gracie Awards Luncheon on June 18, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.
AWMF is also proud to honor Suzyn Waldman, pioneering Yankees
sports announcer with the Gracies Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of
her extraordinary contributions to sports broadcasting for over four decades, notably
as one of the first women to cover Major League Baseball. Her dedication and
pioneering spirit have paved the way for many women in sports media.
Roberts, a veteran journalist, has traveled the globe covering
pivotal events and has earned numerous accolades for her in-depth reporting.
Among her honors, she received a Peabody Award for the “20/20” special “Say Her
Name: Breonna Taylor” and multiple Emmy® Awards for her coverage of significant
international and national events, including the AIDS crisis in Africa and
maternal mortality in Bangladesh. Additionally, Roberts is a familiar face on
“Good Morning America” and “The View,” where she serves as a substitute anchor
and guest co-host, respectively. Beyond her on-screen achievements, Roberts is
an accomplished author. Her New York Times bestseller, “Lessons Learned and
Cherished: The Teacher Who Changed My Life,” and the co-authored book with her
husband, Al Roker, “Been There, Done That: Family Wisdom for Modern Times,”
have both resonated with readers.
“We are honored to have Deborah Roberts, an exemplary journalist
and storyteller, host this year’s Gracies Luncheon. Her illustrious career and
dedication to impactful reporting epitomize the values we celebrate at the
Gracie Awards,” said Becky Brooks, President of the Alliance
for Women in Media Foundation. Additionally, we are honored to recognize Suzyn
Waldman’s pioneering contributions to the industry with the Gracies Lifetime
Achievement Award. This event promises to be a memorable celebration of talent
and achievement in media.”
The Gracie Awards Luncheon, a cornerstone event of the Gracie
Awards, celebrates the exceptional contributions of women in media and will
touch on this year’s theme of “Feminine
Strength, both Large and Small,” highlighting incredible achievements of women who
have documented and narrated critical moments in local communities, providing a
platform for student winners whose inspiring content signals a bright future
for the media industry.
Thank you to our sponsors: Audacy, Disney Entertainment, ESPN, Graham Media Group, Hallmark Media, Hearst Television, Katz Media Group, NCTA: The Internet & Television Association, Red Apple Media & WABC Radio, American Urban Radio Network, Beasley Media Group, Cumulus Media, Hofstra University, iHeartMedia, and Townsquare.
The National Gracie Award honorees were recognized at the Gracies Gala, May 21, at The Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills. A full list of winners may be found on the Alliance for Women in Media website. For more information about the 2024 Gracies Luncheon or to secure tickets, please visit HERE.
About The Gracie Awards The Gracie Awards is the largest fundraiser of the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation which advances women in media through educational programs and scholarships. The Gracie Awards honors exemplary programming and individual talent created by, for, and about women. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint initiatives with the Emma Bowen Foundation, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), NCTA – The Internet & Television Association and other organizations philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. For more information about The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and the Gracie Awards please visit allwomeninmedia.org and follow us on X (@AllWomeninMedia), (#TheGracies), Instagram (@allwomeninmedia), Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Tamera Mowry-Housley Hosted the Evening Celebrating Women in Media
Winners & Presenters Included Jane Fonda, Kristen Wiig, Maria Shriver, Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach, Phylicia Rashad, Natalie Morales, Sheryl Underwood, Yvette Nicole Brown, Mayan Lopez, and Many More!
Rachel Platten’s Performance Captivated Audiences
Los Angeles, CA. (May 21, 2024) – The 49th Annual Gracie Awards, hosted by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF), illuminated the evening with a captivating celebration of women in media at the esteemed Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The event, hosted by Tamera Mowry-Housley, commemorated the remarkable achievements of women across various media platforms, acknowledging their invaluable contributions to storytelling and cultural transformation.
This year’s theme was centered on
“Feminine Strength, both Large and Small,” highlighting impactful actions
resonating on various scales. Among the distinguished honorees was Carol Burnett, a trailblazing figure
known for her groundbreaking roles and whose impact spans decades and resonates
with audiences of all ages. Burnett was bestowed with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, presented
by castmate of Palm Royale, Kristen Wiig.
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MAY 21: Carol Burnett attends the 49th Annual Gracie Awards, hosted by The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire Hotel on May 21, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for Alliance for Women in Media Foundation)
The Gracie Awards Gala embodies AWMF’s
commitment to supporting women in media through charitable endeavors,
educational programs, and scholarship initiatives. By investing in these
initiatives, AWMF continues to empower women and cultivate leadership opportunities
across the industry. The winners of this year’s Gracie Awards embody the spirit
and courage exemplified by Gracie Allen, and they serve as a reminder of the
invaluable contributions women make in shaping our media landscape.
Winners and presenters included
influential figures such as Jane Fonda, Natalie Morales, Sheryl Underwood, Yvette Nicole Brown, Mayan Lopez,
Melissa Peterman, Emma Kenney, Danielle Pinnock, Amanda Kloots, Lauren E.
Banks, Sharon Carpenter, Allison Holker, Christina Elmore, Kim Fields, Betsy Brandt, Sutton Stracke, Crystal Kung
Minkoff, and Amy Chozick. Attendees include Maria Shriver, Glennon Doyle and
Abby Wambach, Phylicia Rashad, Garcelle Beauvais, Mary McDonnell, Mariana van
Zeller, and more. The audience was captivated by a special musical
performance of “Girls” by Rachel
Platten. Raegan Revord lent her support as the Gracie Awards’ Digital
Impact Ambassador, while Vicangelo
Bulluck executed the evening as executive producer.
NOTABLE
MOMENTS
Tamera Mowry-Housley started the show by saying, “We are living in historic times and our voices are needed to stand up for our rights. Infusing our collective feminine strength into media, we can change attitudes, empower audiences, and create productions that speak to us, for us.”
While presenting to Carol Burnett, Kristen Wiig humorously expressed her admiration, stating, “Personally, it is surreal for me to be here, to even know you… because you have been such an inspiration.” Reflecting on her childhood watching the Carol Burnett Show, Wiig credited Burnett with planting the creative seeds that grew her love for sketch comedy. She affectionately joked, “So Carol, in many ways it’s like you’re my oldest friend, but also you ARE my oldest friend.” Wiig continued, “It’s been an absolute honor and joy to work alongside you, Carol, in Palm Royale. And I mean this, no one plays coma patient like you.”
During her acceptance speech for the Lifetime Achievement Award, Carol Burnett playfully remarked, “I was unfortunately (believe it or not!) too young to have met the legendary Gracie Allen, who is the inspiration for these awards, but I think we might have had a lot in common and her iconic work as an artist paved the way for all the women who came after her, including me.”.
Jane Fonda, before introducing Maria Shriver (Conversations Above the Noise with Maria, Best Online Video Host), articulated, “I made my first movie in 1949, and there were no women on the set. We, women, experience things differently–war, peace, famine. If you don’t have our voices in the arts, you’re not getting the whole story. It doesn’t just hurt us; it hurts men because they only get half the side.”
Maria Shriver reflected on her journey in media, from intern to media entrepreneur, emphasizing the significance of women’s voices in today’s media landscape. She underscored the responsibility each individual holds in using their platform wisely, stating, “Today everyone seems to have a platform but not everyone is responsible with it.” Shriver expressed gratitude for the Gracie Award, highlighting the importance of producing meaningful content that makes a difference in shaping public discourse and acknowledging the women who paved the way for her.
Abby Wambach joined Glennon Doyle on stage where Doyle’s acceptance speech (Best Lifestyle Podcast Co-host/Ensemble, “We Can Do Hard Things”) highlighted the importance of self-advocacy in healthcare. Sharing her sister’s story of early cancer detection through persistent advocacy, “Because of our conditioning it’s hard to advocate on behalf of ourselves but I assure you that my sister’s self-advocacy is the greatest act of love and service she’s ever done for the world. When she saved herself, she saved the life of her children’s mother, her husband’s wife, our parent’s daughter – our sister. She saved so many of us when she saved herself.”
Garcelle Beauvais expressed deep gratitude for the recognition of her film, “Black Girls Missing” (Made for Television Movie). Beauvais emphasized the film’s mission to shed light on the critical issue of missing black and brown individuals, striving to ensure their visibility and voices are heard, “Shedding light when black and brown people go missing has been our mission with this movie. We want to be seen and heard!”
Lauren Book, Florida Senate Minority Leader and survivor of child sexual abuse, shared her mission to prevent abuse through the Lauren’s Kids Foundation, stating, “Today, standing on this stage, knowing we are educating millions of kids every single year… Teaching personal safety from a place of fun and not fear.” Expressing gratitude to the Gracie Awards for recognizing their work, Book emphasized the importance of collective action in creating a safer future for children, urging support for their cause at LaurensKids.org.
Below, please find links to access house
footage, which includes b-roll of arrivals; interviews with honorees and
presenters; clips from the ceremony; and more.
Gracies
Gift Bags feature a personalized selection including a custom Gracies Bag by
Henry Dry Goods, and curated items from Nodpod, St. Martin’s Publishing Group
Providing “The Women” by Kristin Hannah, Hallmark Media, AquaVault, Cozy Earth,
Dr. Brandt, Fount Society Balancing, FreshCut Paper, No7, Peepers, Shinery,
Sunday Citizen, VoChill, and much more, provided by esteemed partners.
For an opportunity to continue giving to the AWM Foundation, bid on the Gracies Gift & Gala Giveaway and donate.
The Gracie Awards is the largest fundraiser of the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation which advances women in media through educational programs and scholarships. The Gracie Awards honors exemplary programming and individual talent created by, for, and about women. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint initiatives with the Emma Bowen Foundation, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), NCTA – The Internet & Television Association and other organizations that are philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. For more information about The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and the Gracie Awards please visit allwomeninmedia.org and follow us on X (@AllWomeninMedia), (#TheGracies), Instagram (@allwomeninmedia), Facebook, and LinkedIn.
