Cathy Hughes, Media Pioneer

Cathy Hughes is the founder and chairperson of Radio One, Inc., the largest African American owned and operated broadcast-company in the nation. Radio One is the first African American company in radio history to dominate several major markets simultaneously and possesses the first woman-owned radio station to rank #1 in any major market. In 1995, Radio One purchased WKYS in Washington, D.C. for $40 million -- the largest transaction between two Black companies in broadcasting history.

In May of 1999, Cathy Hughes and her son Alfred Liggins (President & CEO) took their company public. Hughes made history again by becoming the first African American woman with a company on the stock exchange. Radio One’s value is currently in excess of $2 billion dollars. In 2000, Black Enterprise named Radio One, “Company of the Year”, Fortune rated it one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For”, and Radio One was inducted into the Maryland Business Hall of Fame.

Radio One is recognized for its intense community involvement -- the trademark of Cathy Hughes. Her pioneering work has led Essence to name her one of “100 Who Have Changed the World”, and one of the “100 Most Powerful and Influential Persons” by both Regardies and Washingtonian. Radio Ink continues to list her 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”.

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 result has 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’ dedication to minority communities, entrepreneurial spirit, and mentoring of women are manifested in every aspect of her work and life. As such, she was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Washington Area Broadcasters Association and The Seventh Congressional District Humanitarian Award. In 2001, she received the National Association of Broadcasters’ Distinguished Service Award, as well as the Advertising Club of Metropolitan Washington’s Silver Medal Award. Most recently, Hughes was presented with the highly coveted Golden Mike Award from the Broadcasters’ Foundation, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters and a 2002 Essence Magazine Award.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, she moved to Washington, D.C. in 1971 and became a lecturer in the newly established School of Communications at Howard University. She entered radio in 1973 as general sales manager at WHUR, Howard University Radio, increasing station revenue from $250,000 to $3 million in her first year. 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. Purchasing her first station in 1980, WOL-AM (D.C.), Cathy Hughes pioneered yet another innovative format -- “24 hour Talk from a Black Perspective.” With the theme, "Information is Power," WOL is the most listened to talk radio in the nation’s capital.

Radio One’s newest venture, TV One, Inc. launched on January 19, 2004 in partnership with Comcast, the nation’s largest pay- television provider. TV One caters to the adult lifestyles of African Americans by offering quality programming such as “227”, “Good Times”, “B. Smith with Style” and an array of original programming. Cathy Hughes sits on the board of TV One, is the Executive Producer of “The Gospel of Music with Jeff Majors”, and also host TV One’s newest show, “TV One on One”.

Cathy Hughes founded Radio One in Washington, D.C., and though it is now a public company, for Cathy Hughes, the foundation of Radio One is still based on the spirit of a family that strives to reach the heart of community and remain the nation’s #1 urban radio specialist!