Karen Holmes Ward, a veteran journalist whose career has spanned more than four decades, will be celebrated this fall with the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association’s (MBA) Broadcaster of the Year Award. The honor will be presented on November 13 during the MBA’s Sound Bites conference at the Sheraton Framingham.
Holmes Ward recently announced she will retire from WCVB-TV, where she has spent 44 years shaping public affairs and community-focused programming. At the station in Needham, she currently serves as Director of Public Affairs and Community Services and is also the host and executive producer of CityLine. The long-running weekly magazine program highlights the issues and achievements of people of color across Boston and surrounding communities. CityLine has earned Associated Press awards, multiple Emmy nominations, and a reputation as a vital platform for underrepresented voices.
Before joining WCVB, Holmes Ward built her career in Boston broadcasting with early roles at WEEI News Radio, as News Director at WILD-Radio where she also hosted a daily talk show, and as a reporter for WGBH-TV.
Beyond the newsroom, her work has extended deeply into public service. She played a key role in WCVB’s long-running partnership with Habitat for Humanity, helped lead Five Fixer Upper, which refurbished nonprofit community spaces, and was instrumental in launching Commonwealth 5. That pioneering online initiative connected viewers with local nonprofits, drew national recognition, and earned an Emmy Award nomination.
Her dedication to the community was also evident in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing, when WCVB’s coverage and service efforts were recognized with the National Association of Broadcasters’ Service to Community in Television Award.
Over the years, Holmes Ward has been honored with honorary doctorates from Boston University, Cambridge College, and Merrimack College. She was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2018, and her achievements have been recognized by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with its Silver Circle Award for Lifetime Achievement. Other honors include the Boston Jaycees Ten Outstanding Young Leaders Award and Journalist of the Year from the National Association of Black Journalists Region I.
Reflecting on her career, Holmes Ward described her time at WCVB as “the honor of a lifetime,” citing her dual role of elevating local nonprofits and amplifying the voices of Boston’s communities of color.
This November, she will become the twelfth recipient of the MBA’s Broadcaster of the Year Award, an accolade that recognizes not only excellence in broadcasting but also extraordinary commitment to community service.
The Sound Bites conference, where the award will be presented, is the MBA’s annual gathering that mixes professional development seminars, networking, industry speakers, entertainment, and the Sound Bites Awards, celebrating excellence in Massachusetts radio and television.
Tickets for the event remain available through November 6 on the MBA website.
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