Deborah Roberts
of ABC News Hosted
and Suzyn Waldman Receives
Lifetime Achievement Award
at Cipriani
42nd Street in New York City
NEW
YORK, June 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The AWM
Foundation (AWMF) presented
the 49th Annual Gracie
Awards Luncheon 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 and CBS Mornings contributor;
Chloe Melas, entertainment
correspondent, NBC News; Nessa, host of NYC Hot
97 and Nessa On Air; Amina Smith, anchor of
ESPN's SportsCenter 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."
- Presenter, Amina Smith,
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.
PHOTOS AND CLIPS: CLICK HERE *Credit: Getty Images for
AWM (Alliance for Women in Media Foundation)
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.
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SOURCE Alliance for Women in Media Foundation