IBA Honors Mel Bellairs With Lifetime Award


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Posted by chicagomedia.org on June 22, 2009 at 16:21:02:

Broadcast pioneer receives big award

By SARAH STEIMER | NW Herald

WOODSTOCK -- Radio and TV pioneer Mal Bellairs sometimes can't even step outside in the morning and say hello to the garbage collector without being recognized.

But he doesn't seem to mind one bit.

"It's the greatest flattery in the world," he said.

And Bellairs, 90, said he was just as pleased with the recognition that he received Wednesday from the Illinois Broadcasters Association.

The IBA presented Bellairs with the National Radio Hall of Fame award as a Regional Pioneer Broadcaster during a luncheon in Peoria. Bellairs' entire broadcasting career was spent in Illinois and came to a close in Woodstock, where he lives with his wife.

After spending time working on radio and TV in Chicago, Bellairs decided in 1969 to buy a radio station in Woodstock and try his hand at running a mom-and-pop radio station.

He succeeded quite well at owning and operating the station and even taught many of his children the workings. After 10 years, an offer came in, and he decided to sell his operation. He continued to work there for a little while before he fully took on retirement.

Now, after all of his hard work and dedication, he received one of the highest degrees of acknowledgment from the world of broadcast.

"It is the nicest thing that could have happened," he said. "It's the culmination of my career: a great compliment given by my peers."

But even after getting an award of such a grand scale, Bellairs still seems to be the most impressed with the recognition that he gets from his fans years after he stepped away from the microphone and the camera.

"In this crazy world of broadcast, you need to leave something behind," he explained. "We don't have anything physical to leave. We don't build bridges, ... all we can leave are our words."


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