Radio and broadcast careers have long been a male dominated field, with only around 30% of these positions being held by women. As a writer for the Indiana Broadcast History Archive, I have researched and written about countless men who were pioneers in their field. While their work is impressive, I can’t help but wonder how many women were just as capable of the same positions, yet were held back due to their gender.
The few women that I have come across have been remarkable, and are a reminder to the world and to myself that being a woman is a strength, not a setback. In honor of Women’s History Month, here are three women that I believe should be given the spotlight for their contributions in the radio and broadcast world.
Ann Harper Wagner
Ann Harper Wagner was the first female vocalist on television in Indiana and the first female disc jockey in Indiana. She was a talented vocalist, who hosted several singing shows and television shows. She later became chair of the Radio and TV Department and manager of WAJC at Butler University.
To read more about Ann Harper Wagner, check out her profile.
Madelyn Pugh Davis
Madelyn Pugh Davis was a script writer of five-time Emmy-winning television show “I Love Lucy,” starring Lucille Ball. Along with Bob Caroll Jr., Davis wrote 179 episodes of the top-rated CBS comedy show. She also worked for NBC and CBS, and was a pioneer for female journalists.
To read more about Madelyn Pugh Davis, check out her profile.
Marilyn Schultz
Marilyn Schultz led one of the most important lawsuits in media history to provide better working conditions for women at NBC News in the 1970s. She is an Indiana University graduate who worked at NBC for nine years. She later moved back to Indiana and worked at WTHR-TV in Indianapolis and earned her MA and PhD. at Indiana University. She worked as a university professor at the University of Texas at Austin, Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA, and St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas.
To read more about Marilyn Schultz, check out her profile.
March 2025
By Lily Saylor
Lily Saylor is a freshman Ernie Pyle scholar at IU. She writes for the Indiana Daily Student and the Indiana Broadcast History Archive. She is from Plainfield, IN.