Women at the top of entertainment industry

Women at the top in the entertainment industry - includes related article on entertainment publicists
by Lynn Norment

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THE multibillion-dollar entertainment industry is still a mans world. Talented Black women occasionally dominate the music charts, get top television ratings and great movie reviews, but behind the scenes the movers and shakers are almost always male and White.

In recent years, a handful of dynamic Black women have maneuvered past obstacles to land in decision-making positions in an industry that is trendy and unpredictable.

Oprah Winfrey, CEO of Harpo Entertainment Group, has built an entertainment empire anchored by her popular talk show. Forbes magazine listed her as the world's second highest-paid entertainer, behind Bill Cosby, with earnings of $88 million in 1991-92. And her show doesn't appear to be affected by the talkshow competition that has emerged in the past year.

At the same time, Sylvia Rhone has worked her way through the ranks of the recording industry to the position of CEO/chairman of East West Records America, whose parent company is the giant Atlantic Records. Rhone has the final word concerning a growing roster of artists, including En Vogue and Gerald Levert. And there's Suzanne De Passe, one of the most respected executives in the entertainment industry. After 20 years with Motown and Berry Gordy, the savvy writer/producer has molded De Passe Entertainment into a notable production company and is now expanding into artist management.

While their jobs require more creativity and pizzazz than most positions in corporate America, female entertainment bosses emphasize that when it comes to the executive suites, show business can be stereotypically conservative.

When asked what obstacles face Black women in corporate entertainment, Winifred Hervey-Stallworth, executive producer of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, says: "Sexism, racism and the lack of creative freedom." Her professional colleagues echo these sentiments; several mentioned that sexism often is more of a problem than racism.


Lisa Jackson, executive vice president/general manager of Spike Lees 40 Acres 'And A Mule Musicworks, says White men are still the decision makers. "But there are and there have always been intelligent, dedicated, creative women making integral contributions to this growing industry," she adds, "many who have managed to do so while meeting the demands of both careers and families." However, says Jackson, too few Black women are in positions to actually make decisions that affect company budgets, priorities, policies and commitments.

Jackson is one of those, and so is June M. Baldwin, senior vice president, business affairs, for Quincy Jones Entertainment in Los Angeles. Baldwin says that while show business is a tough field to get into on any level, it is most difficult to obtain executive programming and business positions. She points out that while White women appear to be faring quite well on the creative side, they, too, continue to encounter the "glass ceiling" and few actually "break through." It's much more difficult for minority women to "break through," she says, adding that there are many more Black women in creative positions than business positions. She adds: "As hard as it is for minority women, the establishment still finds us less threatening, and things are even harder for Black men."

Debra Langford, vice president/current programming for Warner Brothers Television who is responsible for shows such as Murphy Brown, Life Goes On, and Night Court, says success demands professional savvy and understanding the intense complexities and unwritten rules of the business. "Success requires patience, tenacity and flexibility," adds Langford. "And just getting the opportunity is not enough; what you do when you get there is key."

Cassandra Mills epitomizes that point. Starting as Stephanie Mills' secretary and then manager, Cassandra Mills had built a thriving personal management agency when she was offered the chance to oversee the Black Music Division of Giant Records. She seized the opportunity and has built an impressive track record with hit releases from Miki Howard, Color Me Badd and the New lack City soundtrack. "Being female, being Black and having been in business for myself for 10 years, I got used to dealing with obstacles," says Mills. "I never bothered to categorize them. Instead, I focus on how to overcome them." Fresh Prince producer Winifred Hervey-Stallworth advises women pursuing careers in the entertainment field "to get an education and enter the business because you love it and have something to say," not just because of fame and money. "Be patient and take the time to learn," she says. "Listen to people who have more experience than you. Remember that Hollywood is not the whole world. And watch your back."

June Baldwin and others also emphasize how important it is for Black women in entertainment to be attuned to corporate politics. 'The politics are as important as your intellectual contributions," says Baldwin. "And if you are not in sync with your company's politics, more likely you will not be successful."

On these pages we feature a representative sampling of dynamic Black women who are in powerful decisionmaking positions in the entertainment industry, beginning with those who hold positions of chief executive officer, president and executive or senior vice president. These women have proven they have what it takes to succeed in the glorious world of show business.

TOP ENTERTAINMENT PUBLICISTS

IN corporate America in general and the entertainment industry in particular, image and perception are valuable commodities. Consequently, publicists, promotions executives and marketing experts are considered crucial to the success or failure of a company that derives its revenue from the trendy, topsy-turvy world of entertainment. Marketing professionals are responsible for making sure the media, and consequently the public, know about their artists, recordings, movies and other products. And they are involved in shaping a new talent's image from concept to hyping the product to minimizing negative information when necessary. This far-reaching task falls to public relations, media relations, corporate communications, marketing and promotions specialists. On this page we feature a sampling of the entertainment industry's premiere female public relations and marketing executives who hold a corporate position of vice president or higher.