Paula Madison Elevated to Job With Single Focus
Paula Madison, a veteran journalist who juggled her station-running duties at NBC in Los Angeles with her role as the parent company’s diversity chief, on Thursday was named executive vice president for diversity for the parent NBC Universal, the result of a $43 billion merger three years ago between NBC and Universal Studios, theme parks and cable networks.
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“This is the first time in the companyâ??s history that a senior executive has had diversity as his or her sole responsibility,” an announcement said, declaring that the move signals a commitment by Jeff Zucker, NBC Universalâ??s president and CEO, “to make measurable progress in this area. Madison had previously served as both Executive Vice President, Diversity, and President and General Manager of KNBC and Regional General Manager of KVEA and KWHY,” in Los Angeles. “She will continue to serve in these roles until her replacement at the stations is named.”
Madison, 54, is a board member of the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education and a longtime member of the National Association of Black Journalists who has made diversity a hallmark of her career. Most recently, she played a key role in the decision at NBC last month to drop the simulcasting of radio host Don Imus’s show on MSNBC after his offensive remarks about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team prompted demands for his firing.
Thursday’s announcement continued: “As the leader of NBC Universalâ??s diversity efforts, Madison will be the liaison between the company and key national and local leaders, and the chief spokesperson on diversity. Within NBC Universal, she will be responsible for working with business executives to make sure the company is an industry leader in developing the programs and culture that will enable the company to better reflect the makeup of its increasingly diverse and global customers, clients, and audiences.
â??We are a company wholly committed to diversity and to a culture that stands for respect, tolerance, and inclusiveness,â?? said Zucker in the release. â??As one of our key business imperatives, diversity deserves the attention of a full-time dedicated executive. Paulaâ??s experience, relationships, and understanding of these opportunities make her the right person to drive measurable progress.â??
“As part of her mandate, Madison will work with NBC Universalâ??s film, television and studio teams, providing guidance to executives to help them meet the companyâ??s diversity objectives. She will work closely with the newly instituted NBC Universal Diversity Council, which is made up of top executives across all of NBC Universalâ??s businesses and corporate staff areas. She will continue to be based in Los Angeles.”
On Tuesday, the Writers Guild of America West issued its “2007 Hollywood Writers Report — Whose Stories Are We Telling?” Its key findings “show that ‘business as usual’ practices aren’t adequate to address the lack of diversity among writers,” as Dave McNary reported in Variety. The report’s author, Darnell Hunt, “noted that with more than 30% of America nonwhite, minorities held only 9% of TV slots in 2005, down from 10% in 2004,” and that 40 percent of all TV shows aired during the 2005-06 season did not employ a single writer of color. “The report found an even bleaker outlook in features, with minorities accounting for 6% of film jobs during 2005— the same rate as previous years.”
The company announcement noted, “Madison was named President and General Manager of KNBC in November 2000, becoming the first African American woman to have this role at a network-owned television station in a top five market. She added responsibility for the Telemundo television stations in Los Angeles, KVEA and KWHY, after NBC acquired Telemundo in April 2002. She served as Senior Vice President of Diversity from February 2000 to May 2002, and then as Executive Vice President of Diversity beginning in February 2006.
“Madison joined KNBC from WNBC in New York, where she had been the stationâ??s Vice President and News Director since March 1996. She joined WNBC in 1989 as assistant news director. From 1982 to 1989, Madison worked at KHOU-TV in Houston, KOTV-TV in Tulsa, and WFAA-TV in Dallas. After graduating from Vassar College, Madison began her career as reporter and editor at newspapers in New York and Dallas/Fort Worth.
“Madison has frequently been recognized for her corporate leadership and community outreach. In 2005, she was named one of the 75 Most Powerful African Americans in Corporate America by Black Enterprise Magazine. She is also consistently included in the Hollywood Reporterâ??s ‘Power 100,’ the magazineâ??s list of most powerful female executives in Hollywood.
“A native of Harlem, New York, Madison and her husband live in Los Angeles and have one daughter, Imani, a physician who is a resident in psychiatry at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.”
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Rodriguez to Co-Anchor Saturday “Early Show”
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Maggie Rodriguez, most recently lead anchor at CBS-owned WFOR-TV in Miami, will become a co-anchor of “The Saturday Early Show,” CBS News announced on Thursday.
Rodriguez’ appointment is the first of a Latino or Latina to a high-profile broadcast network position since Elizabeth Vargas’ ill-fated tenure last year as co-anchor of ABC’s “World News Tonight.”
“It’s a step in the right direction,” Manuel De La Rosa, vice president/broadcast of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, told Journal-isms. “It’s a start. We’re very proud of her. It will give Hispanics someone to look up to. They need to hire more people like Maggie Rodriguez and give them more time on the air.”
Tracy Smith, who has co-anchored “the Saturday Early Show” since August 2005, will continue as national correspondent for the show, but will add reporting duties for the “CBS Evening News with Katie Couric” and contribute cover stories and other reports to “CBS News Sunday Morning,” the announcement said. “Rodriguezâ?? permanent co-anchor will be named at a later date.
“Rodriguez has anchored the 5:00 PM and 11:00 PM newscasts at WFOR-TV, the CBS Owned station in Miami, since August 2000. While there, she reported on and anchored coverage of a wide range of major news events, including many hurricanes and, from New York, the one-year anniversary of 9/11,” according to the CBS news release. “Rodriguez also was first on the air with coverage of the transfer of power in Cuba from Fidel Castro to his brother, Raul. Ultimately, the newscast received an RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award for its coverage of that story.”
She was once a reporter for the Univision Network (1991-1994) in Miami, and started her journalism career at WLTV Miami (1989-90), a Univision-owned station, where she was an associate producer, field producer and assignment editor, CBS said.
“In addition to her anchoring and reporting experience, Maggie has the ability to connect with viewers because of her remarkable warmth and authenticity,” Sean McManus, president, CBS News and Sports, said. “She has the perfect set of qualities to become an outstanding morning news anchor.”
