PAULINE FREDERICK. Born in Gallitzin, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., 13 February 1908. Educated at American University in Washington, D.C., B.A. in political science, M.A. in international law. Married: Charles Robbin, 1969. Feature writer for newspapers and magazines, from late-1930s; radio interviewer for NBC, 1938-45; war correspondent for the North American Newspaper Alliance, 1945-46; political reporter for ABC, 1946-53; reporter and interviewer for NBC, 1953-74; foreign affairs commentator for National Public Radio, 1974-90. Recipient: Peabody Award, 1954; Paul White Award from the Radio-Television News Directors Association, 1980; Alfred I. DuPont Awards' Commentator Award. Died in Lake Forest, Illinois, 9 May 1990.

TELEVISION

1946-53        ABC News (reporter)
1953-74        NBC News (reporter)

RADIO

1938-45        NBC (reporter)
1974-90        National Public Radio (commentator)

PUBLICATION

Ten First Ladies of the World. New York: Meredith, 1967.

Pauline Frederick's pioneering broadcast career covered nearly 40 years and began at a time when broadcasting was virtually closed to women. During these decades, she was the primary correspondent covering the United Nations for the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) and was the first broadcast newswoman to receive the coveted Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting.

Frederick began her career as a teenager, covering society news for the Harrisburg Telegraph. She turned down a full time position there in favor of studying political science at American University in Washington, D.C. Later she received her master's degree in international law, and at the suggestion of a history professor, combined her interests in journalism and international affairs by interviewing diplomats' wives. She broke into broadcasting in 1939 when NBC's director of women's programs, Margaret Cuthbert, asked her to interview the wife of the Czechoslovakian minister shortly after Germany overran that country.

Her interviews continued until America joined World War II. She then worked a variety of jobs for NBC, including script writing and research. After touring Africa and Asia with other journalists--over the protests of her male boss at NBC who thought the trip too difficult for a woman--she quit her job with NBC and began covering the Nuremberg trials for ABC radio, the North American Newspaper Alliance, and the Western Newspaper Alliance.

Denied a permanent job because she was female, she worked as a stringer for ABC, covering "women's stories." Her break came when she was assigned to cover a foreign ministers' conference in an emergency: her male boss had two stories to cover and only one male reporter. In a few months, the United Nations became her regular beat, and in 1948, ABC hired her permanently to cover international affairs and politics. In 1953, NBC hired her to cover the United Nations.

Over the next two decades she covered political conventions, the Korean War, Mideast conflicts, the Cuban missile crisis, the Cold War and the Vietnam War. After retiring from NBC, she worked for National Public Radio as a commentator on international affairs. Frederick received many honors, including election to the presidency of the United Nations Correspondents Association, named to Sigma Delta Chi's Hall of Fame in 1975, 23 honorary doctorate degrees in journalism, law, and the humanities.

Of her life, Frederick once said, "I think the kind of career I've had, something would have had to be sacrificed. Because when I have been busy at the United Nations during crises, it has meant working day and night. You can't very well take care of a home when you do something like that, or children." Through her work she advanced the position of women in broadcast news and became an important role model for newswomen everywhere.

-Louise Benjamin