NBC's Bonnie Optekman and JLTV
Make History in Broadcasting
Bonnie Optekman becomes the first "official voice of" JLTV when her voice-over IDs (station identification announcements) begin airing this Sunday, April 4, 2010 on JLTV, America's Chosen Network. Rarely has a female voice been used in this role and almost never on network TV. The most identifiable network voice to date has been James Earl Jones for CNN. In a determined effort and commitment to promote gender equality in broadcast, JLTV's President and CEO Phil Blazer commented, "Bonnie's talent deserves to be heard. Showcasing her expertise by presenting her as the official voice of an American TV network is part of JLTV's commitment to equality for women in broadcast. We are proud to make this important announcement, reinforcing the network's pledge of equality." Bonnie is currently Vice President of News Interactive Production for NBC Universal, responsible for technology to engage the audience in new ways. Her responsibilities also include implementing new digital platforms for NBC News content, ensuring that information technology meets production requirements for NBC News worldwide. Prior to joining NBC and JLTV, Bonnie was a writer and producer at CBS News, where she earned two Emmy awards for In The News. Bonnie began her career in television at CBS as Walter Cronkite's assistant after graduating from Sarah Lawrence College, achieved Phi Beta Kappa status in Journalism from Hofstra University, with graduate studies at New York University. She is also a member of the RTNDA, NATAS, and Hofstra University School of Communication Advisory Board.
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