Thursday, June 27, 2013

Because AWD now AWRT is AWM

The AWRT was the Alliance for Women in Radio and Television. The national, non-profit organization was founded in 1951 because NAB  (The National Association of Broadcasters) discontinued its women's division, the AWD ( Association of Women Directors.)  Their conferences often guest FCC comissioners, network head, record label presidents and celebrity recording artists. The AWRT also publishes a quarterly magazine titled Making Waves which focuses on media legislation, and broadcast industry news. Since 2004 they have gotten a fair amount of press for the Gracie Awards, named for TV star Gracie Allen.This award is given to programming created for women, by women, and about women.  I think you get the gist.

By 1952 it had 280 members, by 1964 more than that were just attending their conferences. Today they have over 10,000 members. They have several chapters across the United States including one very active one in Minnesota, and has its headquarters McLean, VA; right outside of Washington D.C. The organization changed to the AWM (Alliance for Women in Media) in 2010 broadening it's scope.I have to admit the new logo is much better than the old drab one. Their domain got hacked recently, please pay no attention to the mail-order Viagra.
Since its founding, AWRT has been primarily concerned with the quality of broadcast programming and the image and presence of  women in broadcast media specifically radio, television. AWRT's mission is to advance women in these roles. With their new identity as the AWM that obviously now includes electronic media.

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