Cathy Hughes, a name synonymous with resilience and vision in the media landscape, exemplifies the quintessence of a self-made mogul. Despite her modesty in eschewing the title, Hughes’ journey from the grassroots of Omaha, Nebraska, to the pinnacle of media entrepreneurship as the founder of Urban One, the largest Black-owned broadcast company in the U.S., is nothing short of legendary.
Her trailblazing path, marked by becoming the first African American woman to take a company public in 1992, and her induction into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2010, are testaments to her indomitable spirit and unwavering commitment to excellence. With Urban One’s expansive reach in radio, television, and digital media, Hughes has not only carved a niche for African American voices in the media but has also redefined the landscape, earning her the honorary title of “Queen” on her plaque at the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022.
Surviving against odds
Born into modesty in Omaha, Nebraska, on April 22, 1947, Cathy Hughes’ early life was a crucible of challenges that forged her resilience. The daughter of a pioneering African American accountant and a trombonist mother, Hughes’ upbringing in a housing project laid the groundwork for her tenacity. Faced with financial hardships, she ingeniously secured her first job at 14, demonstrating early on her determination to transcend her circumstances. A teenage pregnancy and subsequent estrangement from her family could have deterred her aspirations, but instead, they fueled her resolve.
Hughes’ journey from these humble beginnings, through her education at the University of Nebraska Omaha and Creighton University, to her seminal roles in the African American newspaper, the Omaha Star, and later in radio, showcases a relentless pursuit of her dreams against formidable odds.
Charting a rise
Hughes attended the University of Nebraska, Omaha and Creighton University, but could not complete her Business Administration course and consequently failed to obtain a degree. She worked for an African American newspaper, the Omaha Star, before entering the world of radio in the mid-1960s. In 1969, she took a job at Omaha’s KOWH radio station. Later, she relocated to Washington, D.C., to work in the administrative department at Howard University’s School of Communications.
By 1973, she was promoted to General Sales Manager of WHUR-FM, the college’s radio station. Under Cathy, the station increased revenue from $250,000 to $3 million in the first year. In the span of two years, in 1975, she became America’s first woman VP and general manager of a radio station. Hughes created the popular Quiet Storm, which was aired on 480 stations nationwide and transformed urban radio.
The program was hosted by Melvin Lindsey, a shy student intern at Howard University. He had no DJ experience, and without a playlist, he played album cuts from the soul artists he listened to in his basement. Lindsey’s soothing, satin voice made a huge impact on the emotions of his audiences. He used music to tell stories, and as his popularity began to rise, Hughes gave him the title of Quiet Storm, from which the radio program got its name.
Urban One is born
Hughes married Alfred Liggins Jr in 1965, and they have one child together. In 1979, she married Dewey Hughes, and that year, they set out to purchase a radio station, leading to the inception of Radio One in 1980. They acquired AM radio station WOL 1450 in Washington D.C. and renamed it Radio One (later renamed to Urban One). Despite adversities, Hughes revolutionized the station with a 24-hour talk radio format revolving around the “Information is Power” theme, which began the course of her successful journey in media.
Cathy’s marriage ended shortly after purchasing the radio station. Following her divorce, Hughes embarked on her journey as a single mother, and struggles began to mount. Taking ownership of her husband’s share in the enterprise, she and her son, Alfred, were compelled to relinquish their apartment as financial difficulties crept in. In order to make ends meet, they decided to move into the station premises. As time progressed, Hughes’ talk show gained significant traction, resulting in the station’s newfound profitability.
Urban One gradually became successful, extending its portfolio, owning a vast network of 70 radio stations across nine major U.S cities. Branching out from radio, Hughes ventured into television in 2004, initiating TV One – a lifestyle and entertainment channel targeting African-American adults. Hughes also hosted a show on TV One titled TV One on One, where she conducts interviews with prominent figures, primarily from the entertainment world. In 1999, following the selling of over seven million common stock shares of Urban One, Cathy became the first African American woman to chair a public corporation. The event marked the pinnacle of her success.
As an umbrella corporation for multiple subsidiaries, Urban One includes diverse functional units. TV One is their African-American-owned cable TV network. Reach Media focuses on syndicated radio programs. Interactive One manages celebrated websites such as The Daily Grind and Hello Beautiful. One Solution is a marketing firm that offers advertisers the opportunity to leverage Radio One’s extensive assets.
Urban One serves as a leading example of achievement in the African-American business community as well as in the broader media industry. TV One reaches 59 million households, and their radio network consists of more than 60 broadcast stations. Revenue in 2021 stood $441 million.
Cathy Hughes: Milestones and awards
Under Cathy Hughes’ visionary leadership, Urban One has emerged as a beacon of African American achievement in the media industry. Hughes’ adeptness at navigating the complex media landscape has propelled Urban One to unprecedented heights, setting benchmarks in radio market leadership and female ownership. Her contributions to the urban radio sector have not only reshaped the industry but have also been recognized with numerous accolades, underscoring her impact.
Awards such as the ADColor Lifetime Achievement Award, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Chair’s Phoenix Award, and the NAACP Chairman’s Award are a testament to Hughes’ influential role in media. These honors reflect not just her business acumen but her commitment to elevating African American voices and narratives, cementing her legacy as a transformative leader in media.
Beliefs and statements
Cathy Hughes believes that every community should represent their stories from their own viewpoint, as said in an interview at the Newseum. She is recognized in the museum’s “One Nation With News for All” exhibit, honoring immigrant and minority media contributions. In her talk with the host Frank Bond on “Inside Media”, she has said that in the current times, it would be challenging for any African American, particularly a woman, to secure financing for a single station as she did. She recommends entrepreneurs to aim to obtain multiple stations’ financing.
In her role as a media leader, Hughes has strived to disseminate news from an African-American perspective. She adapted Radio One’s content to meet this mission, adding programs that discuss politics, culture, and other latest happenings, all from an African American viewpoint. Prominent civil rights advocate and media personality Rev. Al Sharpton, has hailed Hughes as the woman who “took the mute button off of black America.”
Many praise Hughes for being a visionary leader, but she sees herself as a responsive observer of the times. She believes that you will be rewarded if you are on a mission for other people’s benefit. Hughes is impressed by how her company, Urban One, has managed to advance, even when the industry has struggled. Despite being a media business owner for over 40 years, she’s surprised by how few women are in similar positions. Hughes has applauded Black women who have executive roles in major companies.
Philanthropy
Hughes’ journey was fraught with struggles, and she deserves kudos for rising to the top in an industry where racial and gender inequality is rampant. Her sacrifices, hard work, and smart choices all paid off. Now a board member of several organizations, Hughes has dedicated her life to charity. In 2016, Howard University acknowledged her $4 million donation by renaming their communications building the Cathy Hughes School of Communications.
Hughes has publicly stated that her main goal is to support the African American community, not just increase stock values. When hiring services like major law or accounting firms for Radio One, she always insisted on having an African American representative. If a firm couldn’t provide one, Radio One would simply search for another firm.
When buying her first car as a teenager, she only wanted to make the purchase if the dealership had a black salesman. When they didn’t, she chose a different dealership.
Hughes encourages the African American community to do the same – to use their buying power to support black-owned businesses. This also includes supporting her media empire by tuning into her radio and television channels. Her outspokenness about African American issues has garnered her significant media attention. In 2009, she asked the black community to fight a new law in Congress that she claimed would kill black-owned radio. Her campaign came under criticism for being agenda-driven as the bill, if passed, would affect the company she had built. Critics pointed out that her efforts were more at ensuring her company’s survival than elevating race.
Education holds a special place in her heart, particularly The Piney Woods School in Mississippi. The school, the biggest African American boarding school in the U.S., was founded by her grandfather. But her kindness doesn’t stop there. She also helps feed the hungry, provides support to the homeless, mentors many women, and works hard to bring empowerment to minority communities.
Cathy Hughes has the following words of inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs:
One of the things my mother taught me when I was a child was just keep your eye on the prize and as long as you feel that you’re right with your creator and you’re right yourself, then other people’s opinions really don’t matter.