Recognizing the Hard-Working Women at WBKB at the End of Women’s History Month

As Women’s History Month comes to an end WBKB’s female staff is front and center in the control room, sales and management departments and in front of the camera.

“At WBKB, in the beginning, in 1975, women have always been a major part of our workforce,” said Curt Smith, general manager of WBKB. One great example, Lisa Byington, is a play-by-play announcer, studio host, and feature producer/reporter, that started her career here at WBKB. She has broadcast games for Fox Sports, FS1, Big Ten Network, CBS, Turner Sports, Pac-12 Network, ESPN, and the SEC Network.  “I believe if I were to go back in history that I’d find that I probably have hired more or had more female news directors than I have male news directors, maybe it’s an even balance,” said Smith.

 With a staff of 23 employees, 57 percent at WBKB are men and 43 percent women, with the news department currently the only department with a higher rate (60 percent) women. Control Room Director, Natalie Gresens started working at WBKB four years ago, she shares her experience. “I was the only girl in the control room,” she said, “I was the first girl in about six years, since then, we’ve been bringing in more and more women, and it’s been really nice to see this progression to balance.”

As the years have passed, the numbers of men and women at the station have fluctuated, but the comradery they have when working together always stays the same.