Vassar College Executive Residence Paula Madison to speak on journalism, television news and diversity in the workplace, April 16.

Paula Madison, president and general manager of Los Angeles television station NBC4, will lecture at Vassar College on Monday, April 16, at 5 p.m. in the Aula. The lecture is free and open to the public. Madison will discuss her experiences in journalism and television news. She will also discuss diversity in the work place.

She is a 1974 Vassar College graduate who began her career in journalism as a reporter for the Syracuse Herald Journal in Syracuse, New York. In 1980, she worked for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram as an investigative bureau reporter and later became assistant city editor for the Dallas Times Herald. Madison got her start in television news in 1982 as a community affairs director for WFAA-TV in Dallas, Texas. Madison has worked as a news director for KOTV-TV in Tulsa, Oklahoma and KHOU-TV in Houston, Texas. In 1996, Madison joined WNBC, NBC's flagship station in New York where she was the station's vice president and news director. Under her direction, in 1999, WNBC became the number one television station in New York. Later that same year, NewsChannel 4 closed out the November 1999 ratings as the market's news leader, finishing first in all local newscasts for the first time in 16 years. WNBC has continued this dominance through the October 2000 Neilsen sweep.

Known for her involvement in the community, Madison is active in a number of organizations including the National Associations of Black Journalists, and the African American Alumnae/i of Vassar College. She also serves on the boards of the National Medical Fellowships, Inc., a national non-profit organization seeking to improve the quality and accessibility of health care to all communities by increasing their number of under-represented minority physicians; the Center for Public Integrity, a non-profit agency based in Washington, D.C., created to bring vital information about the state of government and public service to the public's attention; the Poynter Institute, a school dedicated to teaching and inspiring journalists and media leaders; and the Maynard Institute which is an advanced training and resource center for diversity in the news industry.

Paula Madison will be at Vassar for two days as executive-in-residence. This program was established in 1982 by the Office of Career Development to demonstrate and strengthen the relationship between the liberal arts and the business world. Each year the college invites national leaders who are strong supporters of the liberal arts to Vassar to share their experience, knowledge, and ideas with students, faculty, and the mid-Hudson Valley community.

For more information, call the Vassar College Department of Career Development at (845) 437-5285. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Cathy Jennings, Office of Campus Activities, (845) 437-5370, as far in advance as possible to request reasonable and appropriate accommodations for the event.

Vassar College is a highly selective, coeducational, independent, residential liberal arts college founded in 1861.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations or information on accessibility should contact Campus Activities Office at (845) 437-5370. Without sufficient notice, appropriate space and/or assistance may not be available.

Vassar College is a highly selective, coeducational, independent, residential liberal arts college founded in 1861.

This article was posted on Monday, April 16th, 2001.