The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia

Karen Curry is Executive Director of the Kal and Lucille Rudman Institute for Entertainment Industry Studies. The institute is based in the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design at Drexel University and is generously funded by Kal and Lucille Rudman. Kal is a member of the board of directors of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia.

Karen Curry has extensive experience in broadcast journalism as a producer and executive. She created award-winning programs from around the world for NBC’s Today Show and was NBC News London Bureau Chief. As Bureau Chief, she managed the largest bureau outside the United States and directed the bureau’s coverage of the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. She was responsible for covering major breaking stories, including the death of Princess Diana.

Karen was also Executive Director of Morning News Programming at NBC where she launched Weekend Today, the first Saturday/Sunday edition of a network morning news broadcast.

Karen then joined CNN as Vice President and New York Bureau Chief, where she directed the New York Bureau’s newsgathering efforts and was responsible for the production needs of CNN programs based in New York. She ran the bureau’s coverage of 9/11 and its aftermath, including serving the needs of several new shows that were launched in the midst of the coverage.

The Rudman Institute’s focus is on expanding Drexel’s knowledge of and relationships with the rapidly changing media and entertainment industry. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the institute is focused on the creative, technical, business and social issues facing the film, television, music, internet, video-gaming and performing arts worlds, as well as the ever-changing world of broadcast and online journalism.

The mission of the Rudman Institute is to use public activities and scholarship to bring together the resources of Drexel University, the dynamism of Philadelphia and the expertise of industry, academic and civic leaders to create an incubator for ideas that can help shape the future of media.

The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com