Edythe Messerand was a pioneering New York journalist who made a major contribution to the field of radio broadcast journalism. She began her career in the 1920s and over time Messerand became one of the most prominent and influential women journalists of her time.
Messerand's interest in radio broadcasting began in the early 20th century, when the medium was still in its infancy. During this period, radio stations lacked diversity, as they consisted mainly of musical entertainment programmes, rather than news or talk shows like. in 1926, Messerand was hired as an assistant in the news office of the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), which was a newly established station.
At NBC, Messerland had the privilege of working and training with Margaret Cuthbert, Director of Talk, and Bertha Brainerd, Director of Programming. Cuthbert and Brainard had a major impact on Messerand and helped her to form a desire to further her career, as she saw that the people they worked with respected their opinions and treated them more or less equally.
In 1931, Messerand left the NBC to work for Hearst Radio as its director of publicity for 10 stations. She was also known at Hearst as "The Music Bell Girl" because part of her job was to announce the hours of the day, play music and broadcast news.
She stayed at Hearst for several years before moving to WOR radio in New York in 1937 as assistant news director. It was here that Messerland really began to find her footing and began to make an impact on the industry. Her position alone made her the first woman in radio to assign reporters to stories and to help determine the entertainment programmes broadcast on the station.
Later at WOR, Messaland was also instrumental in designing what is now considered the modern radio newsroom. She even produced some of the first radio news documentaries in which she used a new technique to incorporate realistic background sound effects. Her role in creating the first newsroom proved to be timely, as regular updates on the state of the war needed to be provided to the public after the start of World War II in 1939. By the early 1940s, according to the US Census Bureau, some 28 million households owned a radio, claiming to be the dominant news and entertainment medium of the time. Messerand also organised the station's enduring Children's Christmas Fund campaign, calling on listeners to donate toys to children in need during the holiday season.
In 1951, Messerland founded and served as president of the American Association of Women in Radio and Television (AWRT). The organisation's goal was to unite and empower women who work or aspire to work in the radio and television industry. The organisation is still active today, albeit under a different name (the Alliance for Women in Media), and its mission is to connect, recognise and inspire women across the media industry.
A year later, Messerland retired from WOR and moved to a tree farm in Charleston, New York, where she opened an advertising agency and managed radio and television campaigns for former New York Lieutenant Governor Mary Anne Klupsack.
In her later years in the 1970s, Messaland continued to support her local community. She became her town historian and founding president of the Charleston Historical Society, where she helped save the town's first Baptist church. She eventually died in 1997 at the age of 88, an influential figure in broadcast journalism.
Edythe Messerand was a brilliant female broadcast journalist who had a major impact on the field of journalism. Her pioneering work in radio broadcasting helped pave the way for future generations of women journalists. Her legacy continues to inspire journalists today and stands as a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of pursuing your dreams.
