The passing of actress and producer Mary Tyler Moore last week ushered in a flood of memories to anyone who grew up in the ‘70s enjoying the many great sitcoms of that era. But beyond being funny, some actually delivered a message.
For All In The Family, it was Norman Lear’s ability to break down bigotry, racism, and stereotypes. With Good Times, it was a positive and funny depiction of African-American families. In MAS*H, it was sarcastic humor cleverly revealing the horrors of war.
And for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, it was a message to young women and girls they could be single and successful in a traditional workplace, all the while managing the male-dominated environment with skill, humor, and grace.
The Mary Richards character was effective, smart, and clever, deftly working with the quirky news team at WJM-TV in Minneapolis to produce a show each day. Mary was always capable and determined, often holding the group together.
And it’s significant that four decades later, the media world has become considerably more populated with women executives, often at the highest levels. That’s especially the case in radio.
Mary Berner (Cumulus), Caroline Beasley (Beasley), Ginny Morris (Hubbard), Mary Quass (NRG), Kim Guthrie (Cox), Cathy Hughes (Radio One), Beth Neuhoff (Neuhoff Communications), and others have all made their way to radio’s corner offices – an all-time high representation of female leadership in the industry.
And there are the many women in senior management positions in both commercial and public radio, as well as other sectors, including Weezie Kramer (Entercom), Erica Farber (RAB), Jody Evans (PRPD), Julie Talbott (Premiere Networks), Kerri Hoffman (PRX), and leaders of state broadcasting associations like Karole White (MAB), Michelle Vetterkind (WBA), and others.
I have a feeling many spent their Saturday nights watching Mary Richards navigating that crazy newsroom, a job that paid less than a secretarial position. She was struggling to impact the media workplace back when many of these female execs were growing up, and now they’re running the show.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show was at the leading edge of many major issues, such as gender roles, income inequality, pre-marital sex, and simply the way co-workers interacted with one another on the job. Over the past week, we’ve seen clips from the old shows, and the difference between then and now is stark, almost embarrassing. Today, the show’s impact is on display at the top of many of the organizational charts of today’s radio companies.
But aside from those who have attained leadership positions, you can feel the effect of women in the radio workplace in even the routine meetings that take place every day. Just as the casual banter between Mary, Murray, and even Ted, shifted the focus of many conversations in the WJM-TV newsroom, women in radio at all levels have brought an entirely different spirit and point of view to everything from music meetings to strategic sessions to sales meetings.
Last week, many had the chance to reminisce about that famous Mary Richards hat toss on Nicollet Mall that opened each show.
Hats off to the women in radio who are changing the industry.
I’m sure we missed some of the best and brightest women in radio. Please use the “Comments” section below to add to this post.
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Excellent and so well stated!
Many thanks, Clark.
Fred, As you know some of the MOST DIFFICULT JOBS in Radio are the ones you listed and YES, Women do populate those “off air executive jobs” more frequently today —
But Mary Tyler Moore as she relates to radio was an on screen STAR with her lead name on a top rated TV show (who played an off air media executive in the storyline).
Many of the BEST JOBS in Radio (highest paying and most power) are the successful lead ON AIR morning RADIO talent —
So Few Lead Women in these roles today that many forget to celebrate that short list of lead female on air talent by highlighting women off the air (who also deserve credit but not a replacement for what Mary Tyler Moore was — A Female On Air Star with her real life lead characters name on the show! The successful lead female morning air talent is so rare in radio it is natural to focus on the off air list of female accomplishments!
Roy, no question that women have made a huge impact in radio in the corner office – and behind the mic. Thanks for making that connection.
Excellent piece, Fred.
Mary Berner is a class act. And so smart. She brought on President, Suzanne Grimes and CMO, Christina Albee last year. They are equally fantastic as Mary is.
I really enjoyed this piece. Thank you!
Lori, I thought about you when I wrote this post because you were always espousing these values. Cumulus is truly a standout in this area, and you’re on that list, too. Thanks for the comment and the kind words.
Nothing against my current bosses 🙂 but some of my best bosses were women. Cox-Orlando, San Antonio. Paxson- Orlando come to mind. Great listeners, doers and got stuff done.
Tim Slats
WNCX-Cleveland
Slats, I think many will agree with you. Thanks for the comment.
Where would broadcast journalism be in general with Susan Stamberg, Terry Gross, Linda Wertheimer or Cokie Roberts? Kudos to NPR for championing women on the air from the inception of the network. A big up to all the female NPR station managers as well!
Linda, some amazing women have made big-time contributions to news in general, and public radio specifically. Thanks for making it part of this conversation.
Fred, what a great article. Mary Richards was indeed a model for many of us who started our radio careers as “the only girl on the air.” When I began imaging stations (working for Mary Quass as the voice of KDAT in Cedar Rapids) there were only three or four women in the country doing the work. Randy Thomas, Jen Sweeney, Ann DeWig, and I were among the first women to be hired as solo image voices, and I’m proud that we collectively continue to shape the sound of hundreds of stations. Humor has always been an essential tool in navigating the “woman thing,” but especially so in the beginning. I recall the first ad I ran in R&R that read, “Knows the Business. Owns the Studio. Nervous about Hiring a Woman? Just call her ‘Bob.'”
Roberta, thanks for sharing your story. The “pioneer days” sound romantic but are never easy. Congrats on your success and thanks again for the insight.