A lifelong television broadcaster whose career spans five decades, like many, took a moment on Thursday (8/25) to reflect on the life and achievements of Frank Boyle. Boyle died Tuesday at the age of 96, leaving a legacy that includes running WJR-AM in Detroit 70 years ago, making Eastman Radio a name known across the industry, and success as a broker well into his 90s.
In recognition of Boyle’s contributions to the broadcast media industry, Citadel Communications President/COO Ray Cole penned a heartfelt tribute.
Cole’s words, edited from a letter sent to RBR+TVBR President and Publisher Deborah Parenti, appear below.
By Ray Cole
I’ve never put much stock in the “bad things come in 3’s” theory. But with the broadcasting profession losing Bill O’Shaughnessy, Jim Thompson and Frank Boyle in such a short time frame, I may begin to think differently.
Frank was a treasure. You’ll likely recall that he was honored just last October as “A Giant of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts” by the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation.
I took some time to compile just a few excerpts from the dozens of e-mail exchanges I had with Frank in recent years. I didn’t know what to do with them but pass them along to you.
There was one exchange in particular that I’d completely forgotten about. I sent the following note to Frank, and CC’d some of his other longtime friends, on October 4, 2016. The occasion was Frank’s 91st birthday.
Editor’s Note: Other e-mail communication with Boyle was shared by Cole. In March 2017, he recalled industry leaders including the late Stu Olds, Rick Buckley and Tony Malara.
November 28, 2017
I’ll never forget the time I arranged a meeting with Randy Michaels and [Citadel Communications owner] Phil Lombardo. Phil and I were trying to persuade Randy and Sam Zell to pay $30 million for WHBF-TV; Randy believed the value was closer to $21 million. Phil kept declining every pitch Randy made in his usual declarative tone, “No sale. Randy, you can go to hell with that offer.” After about an hour, Randy decided to give up the fight. Randy and I worked our way downstairs to hail a cab. Along the way, I asked him what he thought of Phil Lombardo. Randy laughed and said, “I’d always heard that Phil was very persuasive. After the 10th time he told me to go to hell, I felt I’d probably enjoy the trip!” I offered to be his travel agent. Again, no sale.”
Randy Michaels and Sam Zell were associated with Tribune Broadcasting at the time.
December 16, 2018
I have to share my earliest Des Moines memory with you before I repped KIOA. In 1952, I was working for the GE Supply Company, the wholesaler selling GE
appliances to more than 50 authorized dealers in southern Michigan. In conjunction with my role as Asst. Advertising and Sales Promotion Manager, I was given the assignment to host the TV Voice of GE: Ronald Reagan. He was
scheduled to make public appearances at several of the biggest dealers in town. I picked him up in my brother’s 1949 Ford sedan, and we spent the day together
driving all over Detroit and Pontiac. We talked about how we got our current
jobs. He told me how he was working as sportscaster, ‘Dutch Reagan,’ at WHO in
Des Moines. A movie agent who was in town just happened to hear him on the
radio, took him to Hollywood for a screen test, and the rest is history. Ron was
great in his time at each dealer … Some 30 years later I once again met then-President Reagan in the Roosevelt Room at the White House. Our old fraternity at Michigan State was honoring Mike Deaver, Reagan’s best friend and closest advisor, with our “Man of the Year” award. The president remembered me and reminisced about our GE dealer tour in Detroit.
November 12, 2020
It’s now been over 75 years that I flew my 35th and final bombing mission in a
B17’s ‘Belly Ball’ turret over Germany in 1944. Upon my return home, I became a
gunnery and remote turret instructor on B29 Super Fort planes — the same ones
that dropped two atom bombs on Japan. You might say that was my first “sales
manager” job!
The most recent communication between Boyle and Cole shared with RBR+TVBR is dated March 3, 2022. It was in response to Cole’s book, released last autumn.
Dear Mr. Winnah,
Fascinating book — most of it over my head — I’m just not a TV guy. My wife, Bev,
worked for NBC TV/Radio for 23 years and she loved it. My “winners” were radio
guys like Carl Brazell and Rick Buckley. But you and Phil Lombardo are great pals
and I am lucky to know you.
Ray Cole has held a variety of management positions with Citadel Communications LLC since 1985, and has served as its president and chief operating officer since 1992. Today, Citadel has a single asset — Suncoast News Network home WSNN-LD in Sarasota, which is operated by a third party through a LMA. Former television stations owned by Citadel are today owned by groups including TEGNA, Nexstar Media Group, Standard Media and Sinclair Broadcast Group
Most recently, Cole served as the co-author of “Hangin’ with Winners,” a book published in October 2021. He has served in a variety of leadership positions on the boards of the NAB, the TVB and the ABC Television Affiliates Association. Cole currently serves on the board and executive committee of the Broadcasters Foundation of America.
