Dorothy Brunson
Encyclopedia
Dorothy Edwards Brunson was a notable African-American broadcaster.
Between 1973 and 1979, Brunson was an executive with Inner City Broadcasting Corporation
, which owned five radio stations including WLIB
and WBLS
in New York City
.
After leaving Inner City Broadcasting, Brunson was the first African-American female to own a radio station in 1979, WEBB
in Baltimore, Maryland. She also later purchased radio stations in Atlanta
and Wilmington, North Carolina
.
Brunson would sell off her radio stations in 1990 to provide funding to establish WGTW-TV
in Burlington, New Jersey
, a suburb of Philadelphia
, becoming the first African-American woman to establish a television station. She later sold WGTW to Trinity Broadcasting Network
.
at Mercy Medical Center
in Baltimore on July 31, 2011, at age 72.
Between 1973 and 1979, Brunson was an executive with Inner City Broadcasting Corporation
Inner City Broadcasting Corporation
The Inner City Broadcasting Corporation is an American media company based in New York City. ICBC is notable for being one of the first broadcasting companies wholly owned by black people...
, which owned five radio stations including WLIB
WLIB
WLIB is an urban contemporary gospel AM radio station located in New York City. WLIB is owned by Inner City Broadcasting Corporation along with sister station WBLS...
and WBLS
WBLS
WBLS is an urban adult contemporary FM radio station in New York City, operating on 107.5 MHz. WBLS is owned by Inner City Broadcasting Corporation along with sister station WLIB...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
After leaving Inner City Broadcasting, Brunson was the first African-American female to own a radio station in 1979, WEBB
WVIE
WVIE is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. Licensed to Pikesville, Maryland, USA, it serves the Baltimore area....
in Baltimore, Maryland. She also later purchased radio stations in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
and Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
.
Brunson would sell off her radio stations in 1990 to provide funding to establish WGTW-TV
WGTW-TV
WGTW-TV, digital channel 27, is a Trinity Broadcasting Network-owned and operated television station licensed to Burlington, New Jersey, and serving the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area...
in Burlington, New Jersey
Burlington, New Jersey
Burlington is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,920....
, a suburb of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, becoming the first African-American woman to establish a television station. She later sold WGTW to Trinity Broadcasting Network
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
.
Death
Brunson succumbed to ovarian cancerOvarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary. Symptoms are frequently very subtle early on and may include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating and frequent urination, and are easily confused with other illnesses....
at Mercy Medical Center
Mercy Medical Center (Baltimore, Maryland)
Mercy Medical Center is a hospital located in Baltimore, Maryland. The Tower Building of the hospital opened in 1963 and is located at 301 St. Paul Place....
in Baltimore on July 31, 2011, at age 72.