Norma Goodman is often referred to as “Alaska’s First Lady of Television.” As the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences noted when awarding her an Emmy, “Norma Goodman set the standard for broadcast journalism in Alaska for over five decades. Long before Alaska’s statehood, Norma took to the airwaves in 1953, bringing a sense of community to the Last Frontier. At the time of her passing, Norma had the longest-running show in America and she was still bringing quality to the lives of Alaskans. Half a century of touching the lives of thousands of people and hundreds of organizations, Goodman’s dedication to the community remains unmatched.”

In a five-decade career that spanned the dawn of television in Alaska to its entry into the digital age, she worked as a tireless advocate for the public good while producing a daily show that connected Alaskans to their communities, the region, and beyond.

Goodman was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, but moved to Canada’s west coast as a teenager. She was drawn to broadcasting from a young age; at 17, she was on the air at CJGX Radio in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. She moved to Vancouver, British Columbia at 19, and although she was training as a dental nurse by day, she was also hosting a music and conversation show on CBC Radio at night.

In 1952, she married John ‘Sid’ Goodman and began her adventure in Alaska. She started in Alaska radio as a copywriter at KBYR. Augie Hiebert, one of the pioneers of Alaskan media, asked Norma to put together a daily “woman’s show.” She joined the staff of KTVA in early 1954, and later that year, she went live on the air with “Hostess House,” a combination of cooking and household tips, along with public affairs interviews. A great many people have talked about how—especially in those early years when Anchorage was a relatively small town—“Hostess House” was their way of connecting to the community, to know what people were doing and how they could help their neighbors.

She was a woman who broke boundaries for her gender but did it with humility and grace. She was the first woman with a regular daily live broadcast show and the longest-serving talk show host in television history. In 1961, she became the fifth woman—and first Alaskan—to fly a tactical mission in a TF-102A “Delta Dagger,” which at the time was America’s first line of aerial defense against a Soviet strike. Because there were no oxygen masks fitted for women at that time, the handlers just had to crank the men’s facemask tighter and tighter, resulting in Goodmangiving the report on air days later with two black eyes.

Goodman was known not only for her ability as a broadcaster but also for her extraordinary generosity of spirit and commitment to her community. Her work with community organizations, from March of Dimes to Catholic Charities to the Mental Health Association, spanned five decades. As the Alaska Legislature noted in its declaration honoring Goodman, “A wide range of organizations in our State has benefited greatly from Norma’s hard work and fund-raising efforts. Some of the groups she’s been actively involved in include the YMCA, PTA’s, the Salvation Army, the Cancer Society, the Alaska National Guard, and various other military organizations…Over the years, Norma has received many prestigious awards and honors, acknowledging not only her involvement in her life but also her involvement in life….The members of the Sixteenth Alaska legislature congratulate Norma Goodman, a woman whose accomplishments and generosity have rendered her an invaluable citizen of Alaska and we thank her for her kindness.”

As a naturalized citizen, Goodman was fiercely patriotic. She was a tireless advocate of military support. She received the Americanism Award from the Air Force Sergeant’s Association, citing her for her “love of America; her loyalty to her institutions as the best yet designed by man to secure life, liberty, individual dignity and happiness; and the willingness to defend our flag against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” She was a regular representative to employers on behalf of the National Guard, and was a member of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Service (DACOWITS), appointed by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. Throughout her career, she worked with all branches of the military, as well as the reserve, to ensure the security of Alaska’s borders.

In the 1970s, Goodman’s profile on the network expanded, and she took on the roles of morning and midday news anchor, as well as co-anchoring Eyewitness News. She also anchored the election coverage for KTVA during these decades. She did all of this while being a mother to her four children—Fraser, Leslie, Kelly, and Stuart—it made for some very hectic years, by her account.

Over the years, the show hosted a vast number of public officials, movie stars, dignitaries, non-governmental organizations, and charitable organizations. From the Archbishop of Canterbury to Mary Tyler Moore, from Lorne Greene to Walter Cronkite, most everyone who came through Anchorage ended up on Goodman’s show, and often with an invitation for dinner at her house.

Goodman spread her service activities across a range of organizations, serving on the boards of, among others, the Alaska Mental Health Association, the YMCA, the Salvation Army, the DOD Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Service, the Cancer Society, the Anchorage Women’s Club, the Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Task Force.

Awards

Among her many awards and citations for public and community service, as well as excellence in broadcasting, are the following:

• McCall’s Gold Mike Award, category of Broadcaster Service to Community – 1961
• Mental Health Association, Award for Service – 1959, 1970
• American Legion, Americanism Through Youth Award – 1970
• Daughters of the American Revolution, Americanism Medal – 1972
• Army and Air National Guard Meritorious Service Award – 1972
• March of Dimes Service Award – 1972
• Alaska Congress of Parents and Teachers Merit Award – 1972
• National Guard Bureau Guardsman Award – 1977
• Muscular Dystrophy Association Citation of Merit – 1974, 1979
• Alaska Tuberculosis Association Outstanding Service Award
• American Cancer Society Outstanding Service Award
• International Jaycees Outstanding Service Award
• Alaska Press Club Best Women’s Program – 1972
• United States Navy Recruiting, Certificate of Appreciation – 1972
• Outstanding Citizen Award, presented by Mayor Sullivan – 1974
• American Lung Association, Public Service Award – 1979
• Association for Retarded Citizens, Meritorious Service Award – 1957 through 1977
• Anchorage Republican Women’s Club, Press and Media Award – 1976, 1978
• National Federation of the Blind, for Outstanding and Dedicated Assistance – 1978
• Alaska Paramedical Association Outstanding Service Award, 1978
• Alaska Children’s Services, Service Award – 1979
• National Guard Bureau “Guardian Angel” Award, 1990
• American Association of Volunteer Administration Award – 1990