Twenty Media Whiz Women Who Changed the Media Altogether

Media

Like all other occupations Media has been dominated by the males. Top positions are usually enjoyed by the males. No doubt the females have been able to make some inroads. In the year 2001, percentage of women journalists was 38%. Twenty eight of the editors of newspapers were females. Percentage of women among television producers, writers and directors stood at 24%.

Some of the women have been able to change the situations prevailing in the media to their favor and become very powerful. Some of the most powerful women in the media who have brought drastic changes in the media world are as follows.

1. Oprah Winfrey: She is one of the most popular television host. She came into limelight through the Oprah Winfrey Show. The Hearst’s O launched by her has a paid circulation of 2.6 million readers. Now she is one of the most famous publishers.

2. Anne Sweeney: She is the co-chair of Disney media networks and president of Disney ABC Television Group. She is responsible for the entertainment offered by Disney and its news television properties all over the world. She is also responsible for maintaining equity of interests of Disney. She has also served as the president of ABC Cables Networks Group and The Disney Channel Worldwide.

3. Judy McGrath: She is one of the known television executives in the USA. She was named Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of MTV Networks on 20th July 2004. She also keeps watch over the operations of channels of the network such as MTV 2, Comedy Central, VH1 and Nickelodeon.

4. Ann Moore: She was a corporate financial analyst for Time Inc. Now, She supervises the leading magazine publisher of the world. This magazine has nearly a quarter of the total advertising revenues of all the consumer magazines in the USA.

5. Katie Couric: She is an American journalist. She became well known as co-host of NBC’s Today. She moved to CBS in 2006. She is now the managing editor and anchor of the CBS Evening News. She became the first solo female anchor of the weekday evening news. She started as a desk assistant for the ABC News bureau in Washington.

6. Amy Pascal: She is the chairman of Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group. She is also Co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. She supervises production, development and marketing activities of Columbia Pictures. She is trying to revive the reputation of the Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group.

7. Diane Sawyer: She is a co-anchor of the morning news show for ABC. She is also television reporter for ABC. She started as a local TV news reporter and “weather girl” for WLKY –TV in Louisville, Kentucky. She joined the CBS as a political correspondent in 1978. In 1981 she became the co-anchor of the CBS morning news.

8. Janet Robinson: She was a teacher for 11 years before starting her career at publishing. Today she runs a company that owns a newspaper. She is also the chief executive of The New York Times Co. She is chief executive and chairman of magazine publisher Time Inc.

9. Nancy Tellem: She is the president of the CBS Paramount Television Network Entertainment group. This is a unit of CBS. He earlier helped to develop hit shows like Friends and ER at Warner Brothers. She is responsible for Survivor and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation at CBS. She is attempting to improve programming for the CBS network and for CW.

10. Gail Berman: She is the president of Paramount Pictures. This is unit of Viacom. The studio has been known for its fight with Tom Cruise., She is trying to revive and rejuvenate company. More than 2,500 titles including “Titanic” are in the library of Paramount Pictures.

11. Dame Marjorie Scardino: She is considered to be one of the most powerful and influential businesswomen in the UK. She is chief executive of Pearson. She is the only female head of a FTSE 100 company. She usually tops the list of the most influential women in the UK media.

12. Patricia Hodgson: She is the new entrant to the list of Media Guardian 100. She was once the Head of strategy at BBC. She is respected throughout industry. She is a strong contender and favorite to the next head of Ofcom, the media super regulator.

13. Dawn Airey: She is the chief executive of Channel Five. Her popularity has been promoted from 46th position to the 33rd position. Earlier she has been a programme director. She is considered to be next chief executive of ITV. She is known for her brash style. She has shown her capability in the television studio as well as in board room.

14. Tessa Jowell: Earlier she was secretary of state for culture, media and sport. Currently she is not only the Paymaster General but also the minister for the Olympics.

15. Patricia Hewitt: She is the secretary of state for trade and industry. Both Tessa and Patricia have headed overhaul of UK media for decades. They jointly oversee draft communications bill.

16. Sly Bailey: She was earlier chief executive at IPC media. Now she is chief executive of Trinity Mirror which is the UK’s largest newspaper publisher. She is also non executive director of EMI.

17. Elisabeth Murdoch: She left BSkyB in 2000. After that she has not been able to get the power and privileges that she got at BSkyB.

18. Jana Bennett: She is the Director of Television at the BBC. She is being considered to be a strong contender for the becoming the first female director general of the BBC.

19. Jenny Abramsky: She is the chairman of the UK’s National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF). The NHMF makes grants to preserve heritage of outstanding national importance. Until her retirement from the BBC Jenny Abramsky was its most senior woman emplyee; she was Director of Audio and Music.

20. Martha Nelson: Martha Nelson is also one of the famous names in the media. She is the editor of People Magazine. The weekly American magazine of celebrity and human interest stories, published by Time Inc. As of 2006, it has a circulation of 3.75 million and revenue expected to top $1.5 billion. It was named “Magazine of the Year” by Advertising Age in October 2005, for excellence in editorial, circulation and advertising. People ranked #6 on Advertising Age’s annual “A-list” and #3 on Adweek’s “Brand Blazers” list in October 2006.

Respectful Mention:

21. Arianna Huffington: She is an American columnist and author, former independent candidate in the 2003 California recall election, and a nationally syndicated columnist. She is the founder of The Huffington Post, a liberal online news and commentary website and aggregated blog.

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