The Charlotte Broadcast Hall of Fame has its first black inductee.

Retired WGIV radio personality Hattie Leeper was added to the inaugural class a week after the nominating committee was criticized for excluding black broadcasters. Leeper, who was a major figure in black radio in the 1950s and ‘60s, was the station’s first woman to host her own show.

“During the past week, we've had honest and considerate conversations with concerned community members and we've heard their voices,” said Amy Burkett, general manager at WTVI and a member of the hall’s nominating committee. The inaugural class will be inducted on August 21 at the Charlotte City Club.

Burkett said committee members met with black media professionals, including officials from the Charlotte Area Association of Black Journalists.

“We discussed the impact of the unintentionally flawed process that resulted in list of inductees that was not inclusive of Charlotte's full and diverse broadcasting history,” Burkett said. “We quickly came to a consensus on what we feel is the appropriate and legitimate next step.

That step was inducting Leeper, whose on-air nickname was “Chatty.” She lives in Charlotte, where she made her reputation as one of black radio’s leading women in addition to branching out to producing recording artists and running her own label.

"As a pioneer broadcaster, Hattie Leeper is a Charlotte treasure and I was glad to be part of the group that came together this week to help ensure that the Charlotte Broadcast Hall of Fame's inaugural class is more reflective of our true history," said WBTV reporter and documentary filmmaker Steve Crump, who met with the nominating committee.

"Chatty" Hattie Leeper was the first African-American woman on North Carolina's radio airwaves. She got her start as a deejay on WGIV in the 1950s and went on to become a record producer and even ran her own record label.

Leeper was the 11th in the committee’s initial balloting, trailing the likes of TV anchors Bill Walker, Doug Mayes and Charles Kuralt; evangelist Billy Graham and broadcasters Stan and Sis Kaplan. The inaugural class was expanded to include Leeper.

Reaction to the original snub was swift as African Americans criticized the panel for its lack of diversity and overlooking the accomplishments of black broadcasters. Among those who didn’t make the cut were WGIV legends “Genial” Gene Potts and Ray Gooding, who also broadcast at WBT and television pioneers Ken Koontz (WBTV) and Beatrice Thompson (WBTV and WCNC).

The voting committee was made up of 17 people, including representatives from four corporate-owned radio companies and six television companies. Burkett pledged changes to reflect the city’s diversity.

“Moving forward, we will revamp the inductee selection process to ensure that it is more inclusive of Charlotte's full broadcasting history and legacy,” she said.

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