For Immediate Release

Date:  April 15, 2002

(Raleigh) -- The North Carolina Association of Broadcasters (NCAB) has honored five leaders in the field of broadcasting.  In an announcement made by NCAB President Michael Pulitzer, Jan Caddell, Don Curtis, Rick Dees, Tom Joyner, and Earl Wynn have been named the 2002 inductees to the Association's Hall of Fame.

After becoming a cable television pioneer at the young age of 25, Don Curtis became one of the youngest people ever to be a licensee of a radio station in North Carolina, and started the Curtis Radio Group in 1967 with WCSL in Cherryville.  The group began to grow, adding stations in Laurinburg, Mebane, Greenville, Thomasville and Tabor City.  Don built his Laurinburg operation into one of the highest billing small markets in the country with billings exceeding $800,000 in a county of 35,000 in 1978.  Durham Life Insurance Company took notice of the successful radio group and the two merged, putting Don in the position of Executive Vice President of Durham Life Broadcasting, operator of WPTF, WQDR and WPTF-TV.

After a while, Don left Durham Life to re-establish his own successful company, quickly acquiring stations in Durham, Williamston, Tarboro, Goldsboro, Fayetteville, Laurinburg and Burlington.  In 1991 he led a successful effort to purchase WPTF - WQDR from long-tern owner Durham Life Broadcasting.  He had the first duopoly in the United States with owners of WKTC, WPCM, WQDR and WPTF in the Raleigh market.  Don has built ownership in the Raleigh-Durham TSA to 14 stations.  In addition, Curtis Media Group is an industry leader in on-line products, including TriangleHelpWanted.com, TriangleRadioNews.com, and TriangleTrader.com, as well as 14 station sites.  The group is believed to be the largest single shareholder company remaining in the nation.

Don is past president of the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters and has served on the Board of Directors since 1978.  He received the association's Distinguished Service Award in 1990.  In addition, he has received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest honor awarded bestowed by the Governor of North Carolina on private citizens for public service, and is a member of the Order of Kentucky Colonels, granted by the Governor of Kentucky. 

The NCAB Hall of Fame was initiated in 1970 to recognize and honor persons who have contributed to the broadcast industry in the past or over an extended period of time.  To date, 75 people have been honored with the award.  Consideration is given to North Carolina residents who have made significant contributions to the broadcast industry outside the state, and persons either born or residing outside of North Carolina who have made significant contributions to broadcasting in North Carolina.

NCAB is a statewide association representing more than 300 broadcasting executives and business managers in industries that support broadcasting operations.  The association provides current legal, legislative, and regulatory information to its members and serves as a lobbying voice on legislative issues; promotes professional interaction and educational opportunities among its members; and encourages its membership to participate in community events and works to maintain a positive image of the broadcasting industry.

###