Ole Miss alumnus Eddie Fritts was a major power player during the communications industry’s greatest growth, including passage of the Telecom Act. The Journalism School’s Meek Magazine says Fritts (’63) learned lessons at the university that he carries with him today.
Soon after graduating Fritts bought his first radio station, “taking management skills he had learned from his father and applying them to his new venture,” according to the account. He and his family eventually bought other stations in Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas.
He became president of the Mississippi Broadcasters Association in 1972 and was elected to the NAB Radio Board in the late 70s. Fritts rose from NAB Joint Board Chair to president of the association in 1982, a position he held for 23 years.
During his tenure, he had many victories, including the must-carry/retransmission consent provision in the 1992 Cable Act that aided in the transition from analog to digital television. He also helped secure the regulatory reform of radio and television in the 1996 Communications Act.
Will Norton, Jr., dean of the Meek School of Journalism and New Media, says Fritts has used his “considerable skills to support and advance university causes,” and has been “an exceptional advocate.”
In 2006, Fritts opened a boutique political consulting firm, “The Fritts Group,” representing clients like CBS, NAB and Sprint.
This spring, the Broadcasters Foundation of America presented Fritts with the 2016 Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award at its annual breakfast April 20 during the NAB Show in Las Vegas.
Read the article here: http://hottytoddy.com/2016/08/04/ole-miss-alum-eddie-fritts-a-giant-among-leaders-in-the-communications-field/
Eddie also deserves to be acknowledge for his commitment to education and diversity. When he was president at NAB (1999) he had the association fund the launch of The Media Sales (MSI) program at Howard University in 2000. Since the launch of the MSI it has graduated over 600 candidates who have started their media sales careers. As of this past May,the program is currently hosted at 7 different colleges/universities.
Eddie… you can take credit for starting hundreds of “recent college graduates” careers.
Thanks for seeing and supporting Personal Selling Principles (PSP) vision.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey P.Myers
Developer
The Media Sales Institute (MSI).
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