2012 Legacy Inductee
Jim Steele
1946 - 2011
Jim was originally from Mississippi. After working at WOKK AM in Meridian, he went west to attend college. He graduated from the University of Denver in 1970 with a Masters degree in Mass Communications. From there he worked in television in Denver, and Chicago. From 1974 until 1982 he was the editor of the NAB Code Authority in New York. Jim was regional sales manager for the NAB in Washington from 1982 until 1985 and an ad manager at Bozell Jacobs in New York from 1986 until 1988. In 1989 he moved to Georgia and bought WKBX FM in Kingsland. Jim was chairman of the Georgia Association of Broadcasters in 2000 and served on several committees in that organization. Jim served on the board of Directors of the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame and was it's treasurer. His passion was antique microphones and he was considered somewhat of an expert, receiving calls, letters and emails from fellow collectors around the world. He often purchased old mics in less than perfect condition and restored them,. often having parts custom made. His personal collection of over 250 vintage broadcast microphones is now on display at the Richard Russell Special Collections Library as part of the Walter J. Brown Media Archives at the University of Georgia in Athens. After being diagnosed with Cancer in early 2011, Jim continued to go to WKBX almost daily until within weeks of his death in November 27, 2011.
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