Barbara Marshall
Encyclopedia
Barbara Novak Marshall (March 5, 1944 – February 22, 2009) was a American
television
broadcast journalist
and politician
. She was elected three times to the Honolulu City Council
in Honolulu, Hawaii
following her retirement from broadcasting.
Marshall was known throughout Hawaii for a long career as an investigative journalist, consumer advocate, documentary filmmaker, news anchor and reporter for KHON-TV
television station.
Born Barbara Novak in Berwyn, Illinois
she went on to become the first female graduate of the Radio and Television Journalism program at the University of Illinois
in 1965. As Barbara Novak, she broke through television journalism's glass ceiling
to become the first woman Radio-TV grad to anchor a regularly scheduled broadcast television news program in the United States. She rose to further prominence as Barbara Marshall in Boston
, where she worked for a decade as an award-winning reporter for two Boston television stations, first for channel 56 WLVI and then for channel 4 WBZ-TV
. A number of her interviews and stories were broadcast on NBC-TV network newscasts.
Marshall transported her career to Honolulu in 1979, working for 23 years as reporter, news anchor and producer for channel 2 KHON
. During her tenure at KHON, Marshall initiated Action Line (a TV-consumer complaint line), live television election coverage and created the first morning news program in Hawaii. She won awards for two documentaries: One on the eruption of the Kilauea
volcano, and another on the life of Challenger
astronaut Ellison Onizuka
.
In 2002, she won a seat on the Honolulu City Council
in her first attempt at elective office. She was reelected to the council seat on September 18, 2004 and again on September 25, 2008 and was elected chairman by her peers on January 2, 2007.
Marshall died on February 22, 2009, aged 64, after an eight-month battle with colon cancer
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
broadcast journalist
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and politician
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
. She was elected three times to the Honolulu City Council
Honolulu City Council
The Honolulu City Council is the legislative branch of the City & County of Honolulu and is considered the second most powerful parliamentary body in the State of Hawaii, following the Hawaii State Legislature...
in Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
following her retirement from broadcasting.
Marshall was known throughout Hawaii for a long career as an investigative journalist, consumer advocate, documentary filmmaker, news anchor and reporter for KHON-TV
KHON-TV
KHON-TV is a Fox-affiliated television station in Honolulu, Hawaii. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 2.In addition to its Honolulu broadcast facilities, KHON has relays on all the major Hawaiian Islands to rebroadcast programs outside of metropolitan Honolulu: KHAW-TV in Hilo; KAII-TV in...
television station.
Born Barbara Novak in Berwyn, Illinois
Berwyn, Illinois
Berwyn is a city in Cook County, Illinois, co-existent with Berwyn Township, which was formed in 1908 after breaking off from Cicero Township. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 54,016.-Demographics:...
she went on to become the first female graduate of the Radio and Television Journalism program at the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
in 1965. As Barbara Novak, she broke through television journalism's glass ceiling
Glass ceiling
In economics, the term glass ceiling refers to "the unseen, yet unbreachable barrier that keeps minorities and women from rising to the upper rungs of the corporate ladder, regardless of their qualifications or achievements." Initially, the metaphor applied to barriers in the careers of women but...
to become the first woman Radio-TV grad to anchor a regularly scheduled broadcast television news program in the United States. She rose to further prominence as Barbara Marshall in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, where she worked for a decade as an award-winning reporter for two Boston television stations, first for channel 56 WLVI and then for channel 4 WBZ-TV
WBZ-TV
WBZ-TV, virtual channel 4, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station, located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WBZ-TV's studios and office facilities, shared with sister station WSBK-TV , are located in the Allston-Brighton section of Boston, and its transmitter is located in Needham,...
. A number of her interviews and stories were broadcast on NBC-TV network newscasts.
Marshall transported her career to Honolulu in 1979, working for 23 years as reporter, news anchor and producer for channel 2 KHON
KHON-TV
KHON-TV is a Fox-affiliated television station in Honolulu, Hawaii. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 2.In addition to its Honolulu broadcast facilities, KHON has relays on all the major Hawaiian Islands to rebroadcast programs outside of metropolitan Honolulu: KHAW-TV in Hilo; KAII-TV in...
. During her tenure at KHON, Marshall initiated Action Line (a TV-consumer complaint line), live television election coverage and created the first morning news program in Hawaii. She won awards for two documentaries: One on the eruption of the Kilauea
Kilauea
Kīlauea is a volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, and one of five shield volcanoes that together form the island of Hawaii. Kīlauea means "spewing" or "much spreading" in the Hawaiian language, referring to its frequent outpouring of lava. The Puu Ōō cone has been continuously erupting in the eastern...
volcano, and another on the life of Challenger
Challenger
-Land vehicles:* Challenger trucks, a Canadian maker of heavy trucks* One of several British Army tanks:** Cruiser Mk VIII Challenger, in service during World War II** Challenger 1 tank, in service from the late 1980s to early 21st century...
astronaut Ellison Onizuka
Ellison Onizuka
was a Japanese American astronaut from Kealakekua, Kona, Hawaii, who successfully flew into space with the Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-51-C, before losing his life to the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger, where he was serving as Mission Specialist for mission STS-51-L...
.
In 2002, she won a seat on the Honolulu City Council
Honolulu City Council
The Honolulu City Council is the legislative branch of the City & County of Honolulu and is considered the second most powerful parliamentary body in the State of Hawaii, following the Hawaii State Legislature...
in her first attempt at elective office. She was reelected to the council seat on September 18, 2004 and again on September 25, 2008 and was elected chairman by her peers on January 2, 2007.
Marshall died on February 22, 2009, aged 64, after an eight-month battle with colon cancer
Colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer, commonly known as bowel cancer, is a cancer caused by uncontrolled cell growth , in the colon, rectum, or vermiform appendix. Colorectal cancer is clinically distinct from anal cancer, which affects the anus....
.
External links
- Honolulu Council - Barbara Marshall
- Remembering Former KHON2 Reporter Barbara Marshall KHON2 news story with video.