Women Of Excellence: Brenda Wood

Anchor, WXIA-TV 11Alive

Tim Darnell

July 1, 2008

I n an industry that places a higher emphasis on temporary glamour than long-term substance, Brenda Wood has created an enviable niche for herself in one of the nation's fastest-growing media markets: a respected anchorwoman who has been a fixture on Atlanta TV since 1988.

"Female anchors in Atlanta tend to have a higher profile and more impact," Wood says. "And this might be attributable to Monica Kaufman, who was the first black female to anchor a major newscast in this market, and as someone who is charismatic and demonstrated what female anchors can and should be. She set the tone, and that's the standard to which we're held."

When Wood joined WAGA-TV, Atlanta was the nation's 17th largest media market. "Now its something like the eighth," Wood says. "And it's likely to get even larger over the next 10 years."

            
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Wood joined 11Alive in September 1997, and today anchors 11Alive News at 6, 7, 10 and 11 p.m., weekdays. Like virtually every broadcast journalist today, she is required to multitask, and hosts a series of mini-newscasts that are accessible via the Web and over personal cell phones. "In the end this is still a business, and you have to balance the bottom line. What's the best use of personnel? Can new technologies enable us to do more in less time with fewer people? This isn't unique to our industry; every major business is grappling with these issues."

So in a world where more people receive their news when and where they desire, is the day coming when anchors will no longer be needed? "I don't think evening broadcasts will be eliminated, but everyone in this industry is feeling the effects of declining viewership. There is a value in local news and its personalities, and you losethat sense when you get your news on the fly. There is value having a relationship – albeit through the TV – in having that affinity."

Today, Wood says there is a need for more female news executives and directors. Atlanta is wide open for women in the broadcast industry. "But it is surprising there isn't a whole heap of female news directors, and there is plenty of room for them."

A summa cum laude graduate of Loma Linda University in Southern California, Wood began her broadcast career in 1977 at WAAY-TV in Huntsville, Ala. She also has worked for WSM-TV in Nashville; WMC-TV in Memphis, before moving to Atlanta. She's the recipient of 13 Emmy awards from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences; five awards from the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists, and two from the Georgia Association of Broadcasters.

"What Brenda does on TV is a direct reflection of her personality," says Bob Walker, GM of 11Alive. "She puts family above all else, and you can see that when you watch her; the customer relates to that. And she generally cares about this community. She lives here, and raised her family here. She uses her commitment to the community to participate in a wide range of causes and interests, and that's another reason why she's so successful."

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