{{Short description|American broadcasting executive}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}} '''Clair R. McCollough''' (January 15, 1904 – November 30, 1995) was an American broadcasting executive. He worked for 44 years as an executive for the Steinman Stations company and at its flagship station, [[WGAL|WGAL-TV]] in [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania]]. He was also involved in the foundation of [[Broadcast Music, Inc.]], and with the [[National Association of Broadcasters]] (NAB). During his career, McCollough received a Distinguished Service Award from the NAB in 1959 and the Common Wealth Award of Distinguished Service in 1980.

==Life== McCollough was born in [[York, Pennsylvania]] in the early 1900s as the son of A. E. McCollough.{{r|saxon}} At the age of eight, he was run over by a horse and buggy while playing in the middle of a York street.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69066407/|accessdate=January 31, 2021|title=Team Runs Over Boy On Street|work=The Gazette|date=April 10, 1912|page=1}}</ref> At the age of 10, he was a carrier boy for [[LNP Media Group|Lancaster Newspapers]], owned by the Steinman family; he later worked in newspaper offices in high school and college.<ref name="who">{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1951/BC-1951-01-29.pdf|title=Who's Who on the NAB-TV Board|work=Broadcasting|date=January 29, 1951|page=25|accessdate=January 31, 2021}}</ref> After graduating from [[Millersville University of Pennsylvania|Millersville State Normal School]], where he played on the football team,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69066541/|title=Andrews Shakes-Up Millersville Team|page=8|work=Lancaster News Journal|date=November 2, 1922|accessdate=January 31, 2021}}</ref> he started his career as a classified advertising salesman for Lancaster Newspapers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69066779/|title=Social And Personal|work=Intelligencer Journal|date=January 21, 1929|accessdate=January 31, 2021|page=18}}</ref><ref name="saxon">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/03/us/clair-mccollough-92-executive-who-repaired-tv-s-reputation.html|work=New York Times|date=December 3, 1995|first=Wolfgang|last=Saxon|title=Clair McCollough, 92, Executive Who Repaired TV's Reputation|page=57|accessdate=January 31, 2021}}</ref>

The Steinmans branched into broadcasting in 1929, and McCollough moved with them. After starting as manager of the two Steinman outlets in [[Wilmington, Delaware]], WDEL and WILM,{{r|who}} by 1932, he was the general manager of York station [[WOYK|WORK]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69067827/|title=A. B. C. Hears Talk On Radio Work|page=9|work=Lancaster New Era|date=August 16, 1932|accessdate=January 31, 2021}}</ref> Two years later, he had been promoted to general manager of the Mason Dixon Radio Group,<ref name="truck">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69067563/|title=Hit By Truck|work=Lancaster New Era|page=18|date=July 12, 1934|accessdate=January 31, 2021}}</ref> with stations at Lancaster, York and [[Hazleton, Pennsylvania|Hazleton]] as well as the two in Wilmington.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69068056/|accessdate=January 31, 2021|date=April 30, 1935|title=West Junior Assembly|work=Intelligencer Journal|page=21}}</ref> The group grew to seven outlets by 1944, having expanded into [[Easton, Pennsylvania|Easton]] and [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69068932/|accessdate=January 31, 2021|date=March 13, 1944|title=High Frequency Station Awaits FCC Okay|page=6|work=The Morning Call}}</ref> By the late 1940s, he was president of WGAL radio and television, a post he would hold until his retirement.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69069163/|pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69069206/ 40]|title=Gets Citation: Clair R. McCollough Awarded Showmanager Plaque For Outstanding Achievements|date=May 26, 1950|work=Intelligencer Journal|accessdate=January 31, 2021}}</ref>

In the late 1930s and 1940s, McCollough's career began to include more prominent state and national positions. In 1938, the NAB elected him as a director, which began a lengthy involvement with the association.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69068429/|accessdate=January 31, 2021|date=February 16, 1938|page=1|work=Intelligencer Journal|title=McCollough Elected By Broadcast Group}}</ref> A year later, he served on the copyright committee that oversaw the creation of performing rights organization [[Broadcast Music, Inc.]]{{r|saxon|commonwealth}} He presided over the [[Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters]], the first state association of its kind, from 1940<ref>{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1940/1940-12-15-BC.pdf|work=Broadcasting|date=December 15, 1940|title=Penna. Discusses Music Problems|page=32|accessdate=January 31, 2021}}</ref> to 1945.{{r|top}} At the NAB, he served on various committees.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1943/1943-05-03-BC.pdf|page=7|work=Broadcasting|date=May 3, 1943|title=NAB Prepares for Total War Operation|accessdate=January 31, 2021}}</ref> By 1955, he had been elected to the NAB board more times than any other individual.<ref name="degree">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69069331/|date=May 3, 1955|title=Clair M'Collough To Get Degree At F&M Graduation|page=3|work=Intelligencer Journal|accessdate=January 31, 2021}}</ref> McCollough also served as the group's president in 1958.{{r|retires}}

McCollough was also active within the [[NBC]] network with which WGAL radio and television were affiliated, chairing the NBC stations planning and advisory committee.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1950/BC-1950-10-09.pdf|accessdate=January 31, 2021|date=October 9, 1950|work=Broadcasting|page=54|title=NBC Convention: 400 Scheduled to Attend}}</ref> He also took part of the founding of the [[Television Bureau of Advertising]]{{r|post}} and was the president of Broadcasters' Foundation, Inc., in the 1960s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1963/1963-07-29-BC.pdf|work=Broadcasting|date=July 29, 1963|title=McCollough elected|accessdate=January 31, 2021|page=10}}</ref> The NAB presented McCollough with its Distinguished Service Award, one of its highest honors, in December 1959.<ref name="top">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69069600/|accessdate=January 31, 2021|date=December 4, 1959|title=Clair McCollough Given Top Award By Broadcasters|pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69069661/ 31]|work=Intelligencer Journal}}</ref> Days later, he was named to a commission created to clean up the radio and television industries in the wake of the [[1950s quiz show scandals]] and other controversies.<ref name="post">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69070108/|accessdate=January 31, 2021|date=December 9, 1959|work=Lancaster New Era|pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69070147/ 2]|title=McCollough Named to Post On TV Cleanup}}</ref>

Two years later, when the radio and television boards of the NAB were unified, he was unanimously elected chairman and served in that post for two years.<ref name="retires">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69070316/|pages=42, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69070472/ 34]|title=Clair McCollough Retires at WGAL|work=Lancaster New Era|date=July 1, 1974|accessdate=January 31, 2021}}</ref> McCollough retired from all of his positions—president of WGAL, president of the Steinman Stations, and president of Steinman's cable television division—in 1974.{{r|retires}} After retiring, he became a consultant to Steinman{{r|retires}} and was named vice-chairman of WGAL radio and television.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69070514/|accessdate=January 31, 2021|title=Harry Shaub Jr. Elected President of WGAL-TV|date=December 13, 1975|page=17|work=Intelligencer Journal}}</ref>

===Personal life and death=== In addition to his broadcasting involvement, McCollough served as president of the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69069063/|accessdate=January 31, 2021|date=September 12, 1947|work=Lancaster New Era|title=C. of C. Sponsors Parley on National Affairs|page=22}}</ref> and was active in a myriad of civic and business organizations in Lancaster.{{r|retires}} A member of the [[Presbyterian Church (USA)]], McCollough served on its long-range planning committee{{r|degree}} and chaired its Department of Radio and Television.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69069491/|title=Churchmen Told TV, Radio Offer Challenge To Extend Ministry|date=January 10, 1956|page=24|work=Intelligencer Journal|accessdate=January 31, 2021}}</ref> McCullough was honored with the Common Wealth Award of Distinguished Service in 1980.<ref name="commonwealth">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68973961/mccollough-honored-for-broadcasting/|accessdate=February 13, 2021|work=Lancaster New Era|date=December 19, 1980|pages=45, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68973984/ 19]|title=McCollough Honored for Broadcasting Leadership}}</ref>

After having been active on the Millersville state normal school's council of trustees from 1936 to 1942, a $200,000 gift from McCullough in 1985 established a broadcasting center at the now-university,<ref name="gift">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69070608/|pages=62, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69070695/ 39]|first=Joe|last=Byrne|work=Lancaster New Era|title=MU Receives $200,000 Gift To Establish Broadcast Center|date=August 21, 1985|accessdate=January 31, 2021}}</ref> and a scholarship was also established in his name at the university.{{r|eraobit}} McCullough married Velma A. Dilworth in 1926 and had one daughter; Dilworth died in 1982.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69070968/|accessdate=January 31, 2021|work=Lancaster New Era|title=Mrs. Clair McCollough, MSC Trustee, Dies at 78|page=3}}</ref> McCullough died in Lancaster on November 30, 1995.<ref name="eraobit">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69070798/|pages=A-1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69070863/ A-6]|work=Lancaster New Era|title=Clair McCollough dies; civic leader, radio/TV pioneer|date=November 30, 1995|accessdate=January 31, 2021}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McCollough, Clair}} [[Category:1904 births]] [[Category:1995 deaths]] [[Category:American radio executives]] [[Category:American television executives]] [[Category:Millersville University of Pennsylvania alumni]] [[Category:People from York, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:20th-century American people]]