Amyre Makupson
Amyre Makupson, always known as one of television's most respected and active anchors, served as Public Affairs Manager for UPN50 and CBS62 (responsible for license renewal procedures) as well as news anchor for the UPN50 Ten O'Clock News and CBS News At Eleven. She was also Executive Producer and host of Straight Talk and Straight Talk for Kids. During her tenure at the stations, she hosted and co-produced the Children's Miracle Network Telethon, United Negro College Fund Telethon, March of Dimes Telethon and the Michigan Humane Society Telethon for as long as they aired on her stations. Her 26 year broadcast career ended after parent company Viacome ceased local news broadcasts in December, 2002. Since that time, she had the lead performance in the world premiere production of Here and There at Detroit Repertory Theatre and also published So...What's Next? (AuthorHouse - Bloomington, Indiana) - a compilation of thoughts, hopes and desires about life after death. She currently produces and hosts programs for Comcast Cable, public television and the City of Detroit.
During her broadcast career, she earned six Emmy awards for Best News Anchor, Best Interview/Discussion program, and four times for Best Commentary. She received a total of twenty-two nominations in all. Makupson has also received awards and commendations from the Detroti Press Club, Michigan Association of Broadcasters, Oakland County Bar Association, Associated Press, American Women in Radio and Television, Women's Advertising Club of Detroit and Women in Communication. She was most recently honored as a Legendary Classic Television Personality by the Detroit Historical Museum (2010).
Other awards and citations include being named Michiganian of the Year by the Detroit News, Distinguished Woman of hte Year by the General Motors Women's Club, Humanitarian of the Year by the March of Dimes, Order of Charity Award by Providence Hospital Foundation and Media Person of the Year by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. She is named as Honorary Member of the Golden Key National Honor Society by Howard University and is listed in Who's Who of American Women, Who's Who in the Midwest, and Who's Who Among African Americans.
Makupson devotes several hours to various civic and charitable events. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Skillman Foundation, Covenant House of Michigan, the Alzheimer's Association, Providence Foundation and AAA Michigan.
A native of Detroit, Makupson holds a Master of Arts degree from the American University in Washington, D.C. and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. Amyre and her husband Walter live in Southfield, MI. THey have two adult children.