The news that we lost Mom and Dad in the same week was not lost on me.
Barbara Billingsley, the Beaver and Wally’s maternal guide, went first. And she was quickly followed in TV heaven by Tom Bosley, Richie Cunningham’s papa.
How much great advice was dispensed over the years by these two parental icons from the glow of our TVs in the den?
June Cleaver and Howard Cunningham were surrogate parents to many of us. That parental leadership is something that we hopefully enjoyed during our adolescence, but is often lacking in our adult lives.
That’s why I fondly remember some – but not all – of the ma and pa owners of radio stations during the years when I first got into the business. They weren’t all geniuses or even great broadcasters, but they were individual entrepreneurs with a philosophy and great stories to match. Tom Taylor has been looking at some of the more humorous (or shocking) tales that often revolved around these bootstrap owners in his “No Names, Please” feature.
Many of these broadcasters raised their own families in hometown communities. When the FCC limited ownership to just 7 AM and FM outlets, it was much easier to serve local markets and be involved in their growth and development.
Today, leadership on the corporate level is more fleeting. It is there. And there are still local folks like Bud Walters, Jerry Lee, Ed Levine, and the Bordes family to name just a few who are heavily engaged in their properties, and still have that paternal sense of responsibility and commitment to staffs and local markets.
June and Howard would be proud.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
- Is It Quittin’ Time For SiriusXM? - November 26, 2024
- Radio, It Oughta Be A Crime - November 25, 2024
- Baby, Please Don’t Go - November 22, 2024
Fred
Great piece!
Thanks for the props for the Bordes Family.
In addition great to see your mention of Mr. Lee and my old friend Ed Levine.
This article comes days after my mother just celebrated her 94th birthday. The lessons I learn from her apply everyday:
Grace under pressure
Dignity
Keeping busy and active!
Thanks so much!
Buzz Knight
Thanks for chiming in, Buzz. Where would Jacobs Media be – if not for Mrs. Jacobs. (OK, Mr. Jacobs played a role, too.) And where would us Boomers be without June Cleaver? My Dad always used to ask us why we couldn’t behave as nicely as the Beav and Wally. Go figure.