(Left to right) Maureen Bunyan, Renee Poussaint, JC Hayward and Meryl Comer. Photograph by Jeff Elkins
“What Is She Doing Anchoring?”
—The Women Anchors
Not long ago, the anchors on TV newscasts were all white men. Then in the 1960s and ’70s, more women and people of color started delivering the nightly news. Here are a handful of local female pioneers, left to right: Maureen Bunyan, who in 1978 became coanchor of Channel 9’s 6 o’clock news; Renee Poussaint, coanchor of the 6 and 11 pm news on Channel 7 beginning in 1978; JC Hayward, coanchor of Channel 9’s 5:30 newscast starting in 1972; and Meryl Comer, who in 1973 became coanchor of Channel 5’s 10 o’clock news.
Hayward: “They didn’t have women doing anything—anchoring, sports, traffic. They had female reporters, but the anchor chair was saved for the kings. It’s nothing to see a woman on a newscast now, but in 1972 it was striking to see a woman in that chair. [When I first went on the air,] some people would call the station and say, ‘She needs to be in the kitchen, pregnant. What is she doing anchoring?’”
Sherri Dalphonse joined Washingtonian in 1986 as an editorial intern, and worked her way to the top of the masthead when she was named editor-in-chief in 2022. She oversees the magazine’s editorial staff, and guides the magazine’s stories and direction. She lives in DC.
You Must Remember…the Women Anchors Who Changed Local TV
Maureen Bunyan, Renee Poussaint, JC Hayward and Meryl Comer.
“What Is She Doing Anchoring?”
—The Women Anchors
Not long ago, the anchors on TV newscasts were all white men. Then in the 1960s and ’70s, more women and people of color started delivering the nightly news. Here are a handful of local female pioneers, left to right: Maureen Bunyan, who in 1978 became coanchor of Channel 9’s 6 o’clock news; Renee Poussaint, coanchor of the 6 and 11 pm news on Channel 7 beginning in 1978; JC Hayward, coanchor of Channel 9’s 5:30 newscast starting in 1972; and Meryl Comer, who in 1973 became coanchor of Channel 5’s 10 o’clock news.
Hayward: “They didn’t have women doing anything—anchoring, sports, traffic. They had female reporters, but the anchor chair was saved for the kings. It’s nothing to see a woman on a newscast now, but in 1972 it was striking to see a woman in that chair. [When I first went on the air,] some people would call the station and say, ‘She needs to be in the kitchen, pregnant. What is she doing anchoring?’”
Sherri Dalphonse joined Washingtonian in 1986 as an editorial intern, and worked her way to the top of the masthead when she was named editor-in-chief in 2022. She oversees the magazine’s editorial staff, and guides the magazine’s stories and direction. She lives in DC.
Most Popular in News & Politics
Best of Washington 2024: Things to Eat, Drink, Shop, Do, and Know
Washington DC’s 500 Most Influential People of 2024
What It Felt Like for a Virginia Marching Band to Win Metallica’s Contest
What’s IN and OUT in DC Restaurant Trends for 2024
Washingtonian Magazine
August: Great Festivals & Fairs
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
Best of Washington 2024: Where to Eat and Drink
Best of Washington 2024: Things to Do
Best of Washington 2024: Where to Shop
Best of Washington 2024: Things to Know
More from News & Politics
Mubadala Citi Open 2024 Is Putting Mics on Players and Hosting Michelin-Star Chefs
Why Is Babydog in All These Famous Artworks?
Varsity Pickleball Will Come to All Montgomery County High Schools This Fall
Can Any Town in the US Dethrone Arlington as the Nation’s Fittest Place?
I Saw “Twisters” in 4DX. I Didn’t Realize It Was a Comedy.
A Gen-Zer’s Guide to Kamala Harris Memes
MAP: How to Get Around DC During Benjamin Netanyahu’s Visit This Week
Olympics 2024: These DC-Area Athletes Will Compete in Paris