Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1518483
April/May 2024 | maconmagazine.com 39 Del Ward became the first female host on Channel 13 in 1957 with "A Date with Del," and remained newscasting for 40 years. Angel Irving became the first Black host on the channel with the 1972 "Let's Talk About," cohosted with Doris Martin, before launching her solo, Emmy-nominated show, "Imprint," in the late 1970s. Colleagues' perspectives As "firsts" in their field of endeavor, Del Ward and Angel Irving left a trail of respect, love, admiration, and appreciation in their wake as barrier breakers in local television during their careers. The proof of that can be found in the comments of various friends and professional colleagues of both women. Macon Magazine asked a few of them for their thoughts on the two and here's what they had to say. "Del was focused. She was a whip. A very smart woman that loved this community. Like Del, Angel was interested and passionate and representative of the community. It was a pleasure working with them." Don McGouirk; retired general manager, WMAZ-TV "Angel cared about anything and everything. She was a nice smart person that was a good fit for her shows. We'll remember her for years. Del was the same on and off the air. That's why people liked her so much because she connected so well with them." Ron Wildman; veteran TV news manager/anchor/ reporter and production specialist "Del had a beautiful way about herself. She was very inspiring. If she believed in something she was going to go for it. She was someone to be reckoned with. Angel has a beautiful personality. It was an honor having a fellow Black female media member to confer with. We called each other "sisters." I learned a lot from both." Bernice "Queen Bee" Cotton; Legendary WIBB Radio DJ "I love Angel. She's my friend and a beautiful person inside and out. She knew what she was talking about on and off the air. One of the most professional and knowledgeable people I know. It was nice to see Del excelling in a male dominated environment as a confident trailblazer. They both broke glass ceilings as great women." Shirley "Mama Mia" Ellis; Former WMAZ-TV employee and iHeart Radio Macon air personality "Del was always on her game and as pleasant off air as she was when the cameras were rolling. She always encouraged me about my career. She pioneered the early days of television and established herself as a family member to the viewers. Angel was a role model when there were hardly any Black faces on television. She gained the respect and admiration of the powerful and the powerless. Both infiltrated the male-dominated broadcasting profession and did so with grace and dignity." Liz Fabian; Senior Civic Reporting Fellow for the Macon Newsroom at Mercer University Center for Collaborative Journalism accepted the position and made history as Middle Georgia's first Black television personality, co-hosting the daily morning show "Let's Talk About" with WMAZ favorite Doris Martin. Irving also hosted and produced "Imprint" — a TV show from a Black perspective — which was nominated for an Emmy in 1980. She hosted and produced "Contact," a talk radio-interview show. And as WMAZ's first director of community affairs, Irving's effort resulted in the Black Heritage series that profiled contributions of local and national Black people. While Irving had no hosting or producing experience before taking the leap of faith into the world of television, she was a quick study, and she reached out for mentorship. She connected with seasoned professionals like Xernona Clayton, founder of the popular Trumpet Awards and former travel companion of the late Coretta Scott King, and later, Atlanta based WSB-TV legendary anchor and reporter Monica Kaufman Pearson. "I wanted to know what to do. I knew there was information important to the community, especially the Black community, and I wanted to know how best to get it to them," Irving shared. Her mastery of the microphone over time found her interviewing actors James Earl Jones and Richard Pryor; actress Celeste Holmes of the hit CBS show "Touched by An Angel;" human rights activist and presidential candidate the late Dick Gregory; bluesman Muddy Waters; President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn; and U.S. Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia. Secretary of State Max Cleeland frequently visited Irving's show.