Catherine L. Hughes is the founder and chairperson of Radio One, Inc., the
largest African American owned and operated broadcast company in the nation. It
is the first African American company to dominate several major markets simultaneously
in radio history and possesses the first woman owned radio station to rank #1
in any major market.
Born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1947, Catherine Hughes attended Creighton University
and University of Nebraska but did not graduate. Around 1969 she began working
at KOWH, a black radio station in Omaha. In 1971, Hughes moved to Washington,
DC and became a lecturer at the newly established School of Communications at
Howard University. In 1973 she became sales director at WHUR-FM. Two years later
she became the stations general manager, boosting sales revenue to $3.5 million
from $300,000. In 1975, Hughes became the first female vice president and general
manager of a station in the nation's capital and created the format known as the
"Quiet Storm" the most listened to nighttime radio format, heard in
over 50 markets nationally. In 1980 she purchased her first radio station, WOL-AM
(DC), creating Radio One.
To make ends meet she was forced to give up her apartment and lived at the
station. Over time, she made the station profitable, and her own talk show with
yet another innovative format " 24 hour talk from a black perspective."
With the theme, "Information is power," became a hit on talk radio in
the nation's capital. By purchasing stations in other cities the company eventually
became the nation's largest black owned radio chain.
The Washington Post describes Hughes as " the voice of the Black
Community". Her stations now reach over 18 million Black listeners daily.
She is committed to keeping Black broadcast ownership alive and her goal of building
a broadcast empire with a solid foundation in the African American community has
come to fruition. The results have been an increase in revenue and opportunities
for minorities and women. Hughes currently has more than 1,500 Black broadcasters
on staff at Radio One, Inc.
Hughes' pioneering work has led Essence to name her one of "100 Who Have
Changed the World," and Regardies and Washingtonian named her
one of the " 100 Most Powerful and Influential Persons." Radio Ink
continues to list Hughes as one of the " 20 Most Influential Women in Radio"
and Ebony cites her as one of the " 10 most Powerful Women in Black
America." A trademark of Hughes is her company's extensive involvement in
community affairs. Her dedication to minority communities, entrepreneurial spirit,
and mentoring of women are manifested in every aspect of her work and life.
Though Radio One, Inc. is now a public company, for Catherine Hughes the foundation
of Radio is still based on the spirit of a family that strives
to serve as the heart of community, as well as the pulse of urban
radio.
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2003 Black History Makers >>>
Willie
Gary | Catherine
L. Hughes | Johnnie
L. Cochran, Jr. Esq.
