LANSING, Mich. (WXYZ) — Jeanne Findlater, the first woman in the country to lead a television news station in a top 10 market, is now a member of the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame.
Watch Jolie Sherman's report below
Hundreds came out to the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center at Michigan State University to honor the newest inductees, including the 97-year-old former general manager of WXYZ.
"To the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame, I never thought this could happen," Findlater said.
Findlater, who recently reflected on her career during Women's History Month last month, served as general manager of WXYZ and vice president of ABC-owned television stations from 1979 to 1987. At the time, Channel 7 was ranked number 7 in the country.
"I don’t think it was courage, and I don’t think it was confidence. I think it was a matter of I just had to be good at my job," Findlater said.
Many call her a pioneer, a trailblazer, and a mentor. However, Findlater said it was not about being the first woman, but using her role and platform to help others.
"It’s mentioned that I’m the first woman in the job. I take no credit for that. That’s a matter of consequence. I was in the right place at the right time when opportunity knocked," Findlater said.
Findlater says she is most proud of the programs she launched at Channel 7, including her "Learn to Read" series tailored for adults. She said that program reached more than 20 million viewers nationwide.
"So I called up the ABC-affiliates, we were a known station, and asked them if they would like to have the programs, and across the country they rolled it out, which was remarkable," Findlater said.
Mike Murri, Channel 7’s longest-serving vice president and general manager, remembers working with Findlater at the very beginning of his career.
"She was a visionary who inspired men and women in our industry. She used our platform to do good, to move our communities forward, and for that, we’ll always be grateful for the lessons that we learn from Jeanne," Murri said.
Findlater is already a Michigan Women’s Hall of Famer and a recipient of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Lifetime Achievement Award. As she was recognized for a third time, she offered advice for others.
"Be ethical, absolutely ethical and true to your mission, and to never stop working hard," Findlater said.
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