The 2016 Gracie Award Winners Unveiled

In a milestone year of record-breaking entries, the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) celebrates women by recognizing their outstanding achievements across all sectors in media.

This year’s 41st annual Gracie Awards, in support of the AWMF’s educational programs, charitable activities, public service and scholarship campaigns that benefit women in media, will take place on Tuesday, May 24th at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. The spectacular evening event will recognize such esteemed honorees as Tina Fey, Angela Bassett, Cynthia Nixon, Jada Pinkett Smith, Kathie Lee Gifford, along with some of the most talented women behind the camera. Then in June, local market, public and student award winners will be recognized
at the Gracies Awards Luncheon on June 21 at Cipriani in New York, New York.

Click Here for Entire List of All Winners

The evening will spotlight prolific women in the industry who continue to lay the groundwork, break down barriers and lead by example in creating equal opportunity for future generations.

A number of women within CBS RADIO were among the radio winners, including Marla Diamond, WCBS Newsradio 880 (New York) for Local Reporter/Correspondent; Nina Hajian, 92.3 AMP Radio (New York) for Local Host of Entertainment/Information; Jane Tillman Irving, WCBS Newsradio 880 (New York) for Local Hard News Feature; Amy Lawrence, CBS Sports Radio for National Host of a Sports Program; Felicia Middlebrooks, WBBM Newsradio (Chicago) for Anchor of a Local News or News Magazine; Loren Raye, 103.3 AMP Radio (Boston) for Local Morning Drive Personality; Lola Vanderpuye, WBBM Newsradio (Chicago) for Local Imaging for the Chicago Cubs; and Suzyn Waldman/WFAN (New York) for Local Sports Program.

Greater Media's Magic 106.7 in Boston won two Gracie awards for its long-running public affairs program called "Exceptional Women."  Exceptional Women Co-hosts Sue Tabb and Tina Gao’s entry “What is Brave?” – a compilation of four of their 2015 programs – took first place in the Co-host and Interview Program or Feature categories for local radio. The piece explored different aspects of bravery and included interviews with tennis legend Billie Jean King, Entertainment Tonight Host Nancy O’Dell, recording artist and entrepreneur Lisa Loeb and animal champion Brittany Bang.

L-R: Smith, Cosby, Hamburg, Nathan

Among this year’s honorees are Cumulus Media’s Elaina D. Smith, Co-Host of NASH Nights Live, who earned a Gracie for National Radio Special; Rita Cosby, Host of WABC Radio New York’s The Rita Cosby Show, who earned two Gracies this year for Talk Show, News-Local Radio, and for Host, Non-News/Non-Fiction-Local Radio; and Joan Hamburg, Host of WABC Radio New York’s The Joan Hamburg Show, who earned a Gracie for Soft News Feature-Local Radio. Shila Nathan, Middays Host for NASH FM 94.7 New York, earned a Gracie for her work as Afternoon Drive Personality-Local at CBS Radio-Chicago’s WUSN US99.5