He started his career at WBT in Charlotte in 1952. Twenty-six years later he would become President of the Broadcast Division of Allbritton Communications, former owner of such stations as ABC affiliate WJLA-7 in Washington.
Now, many across the Nation’s Capital and around the U.S. are paying tribute to Thomas Cookerly, who has died at the age of 94.
Cookerly’s long run in broadcast media includes stints as Genera Manager of of WBTV in Charlotte. He moved to Washington D.C. in 1971 and was President/GM of WJLA-7 for seven years before earning a big promotion. In 1978, he became President of the Broadcast Division of Allbritton Communications.
Cookerly was a founder of the Washington Area Broadcasters Association, Chair of the Television Bureau of Advertising, and Chair of the ABC Television Affiliates Association.
In 1972 he started The Neediest Kids; a charity to help financially disadvantaged students. TNK is now part of the National Center for Children and Families that currently works with ten regional school districts, representing over 800,000 students across 1,140 schools in the DMV area.
