Cathy Hughes is the Chair of the Board of Directors and Secretary of Radio One, the largest African American owned and operated broadcast company in the United States. Reaching more than 20 million black listeners daily, there are now 59 radio stations and a cable network, TV One, and a controlling interest of Reach Media Inc.

Essence magazine has named her one of the “100 Who Have Changed the World” and Washingtonian magazine listed her as one of the “100 Most Powerful and Influential People.” 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.”

In 1999, Hughes made history by becoming the first African American woman with a company on the stock exchange when she and her son Alfred Liggins, President & CEO of Radio One, took their company public. Today, Radio One’s value is currently in excess of two 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.

Hughes Founded Radio One in Washington, DC. Although Radio One, Inc. is now a public company, the foundation of Radio One 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 while being recognized for intense community involvement—the trademark of Hughes herself.

The Washington Post describes Hughes as “The Voice of Black community,” committed to keeping black broadcast ownership alive and building a broadcast empire with a solid foundation in the African American community. The result has been an increase in revenue and opportunities for minorities and women. Hughes currently has more than 800 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 life. As such, she was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Washington Area Broadcasters Association and the Seventh Congressional District Humanitarian Award. Other awards and recognitions include Rob Brown Business of the Year Award by the Department of Commerce, the Baltimore NAAC’s Parren J. Mitchell Award, the Mayor’s Recognition Award, and the Everett C. Parker Award.

Topics

The Voice of the Black Community

Entrepreneurship & the Minority Community

Media Professionals,