An Appreciation: James A. Fellows, 1934-2012
As I think about words to describe Jim Fellows and his remarkable life, a number come to mind because, in many ways, Jim was sort of a modern “Man for All Seasons.”
He was, of course, a loving and devoted son, a caring brother and a proud and nurturing uncle. That role, in itself, would have made for a meaningful and successful life for most of us. But, Jim touched the lives of so many people in different ways.
Many of us who were colleagues of Jim thought of him as a sort of moral rudder for the business of public service broadcasting. He continually helped us keep our eye on its mission and gently exhorted us to just do a little better.
Even though the term is often overused, Jim truly was a visionary for the institution of public broadcasting to which he devoted his life. He fostered the evolution of broadcast stations into communications centers that use a number of technologies to reach users.He exhorted stations to collaborate rather than compete — and we see in many joint projects today that the message has been received.
Jim always looked for new and creative ways to make this worthy cause a critical element of our society, rather than simply a footnote in our history. I often think that if we had done a better job of listening to Jim and his thoughtful ideas our industry would have even more of an impact on the American landscape.
Although Jim was basically shy and self-effacing by nature, he was an effective and persuasive advocate for public service broadcasting and on a personal level he was, without fail, a gracious and generous host.
Throughout his life, Jim always was a gentleman and a gentle man. Whether he was engaged in an intense discussion about the future direction of public service broadcasting or in a pleasant conversation with a friend, he always brought to the table a sense of civility.
Jim also was a masterful teacher. Hundreds of people whose life has been touched by Jim almost invariably came away from a visit with him feeling a little bit smarter, as a result of an anecdote, a recording he shared or an appropriate clipping that seemed just right for the moment. Above all, we came away from a visit with Jim feeling just a little bit better about life in general.
Most of all, to me, Jim was a wonderful friend. We were friends for over 40 years and it’s impossible for me to recount all the special ways in which his friendship enriched my life. I will always be honored that he called me “friend.”
David L. Fornshell was for years the executive director of the Ohio Educational Telecommunications Network Commission in Columbus.
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Copyright 2011 American University
