Julian Sinclair Smith
American electrical engineer and television executive (1920–1993)
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Julian Sinclair Smith (May 5, 1920 – April 19, 1993) was an American electrical engineer and television executive. He founded the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which grew from a single UHF television station in Baltimore to become one of the largest television broadcasting companies in the United States.[1][2]
Television executive
Julian Sinclair Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 5, 1920 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Died | April 19, 1993 (aged 72) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Johns Hopkins University (BS) |
| Occupations | Electrical engineer Television executive |
| Known for | Founding Sinclair Broadcast Group |
| Spouse | Carolyn Beth Cunningham (m. 1949) |
| Children | 4, including David |
Early life and education
Smith was born on May 5, 1920, in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of a grain exporter.[1] He attended the Boys' Latin School of Maryland and developed an early interest in electronics.[1] During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy at the Great Lakes Naval Station, where he instructed navigators on sonar technology.[1]
After the war, Smith studied electrical engineering at Johns Hopkins University while working as an engineer at WFBR-AM radio station. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1952.[1] Following graduation, he held aerospace engineering positions at Johns Hopkins' Applied Physics Laboratory, Martin Marietta, and Fairchild-Hiller. He also purchased and operated a downtown electronics trade school in Baltimore until 1979.[1]
Career
In 1958, Smith founded the Commercial Radio Institute, a broadcasting trade school in Baltimore, and applied for an FM radio license.[1] In 1960, WFMM-FM (93.1 MHz) went on the air as a classical music station, with Smith building much of the equipment himself.[1]
Anticipating the potential of UHF television, Smith applied for a UHF license after the Federal Communications Commission mandated UHF capabilities in new TV sets.[1] In 1971, he launched WBFF-TV (Channel 45) in Baltimore under the Chesapeake Television Corporation. The station featured old movies, syndicated reruns, and children's programming, with startup costs of about $1.3 million and over $3 million invested in programs.[1][3]
In 1974, Smith sold WFMM-FM and used the proceeds to acquire WPGH-TV in Pittsburgh. Expansion continued with stations in Columbus, Ohio (WTTE), Bloomington, Indiana (WIIB-TV, later WTTV), and St. Petersburg, Florida (WTTA).[1]
In 1986, the company was incorporated as Sinclair Broadcast Group, named after him.[3][4] His son David became CEO in 1988.[5]
Personal life and death
Smith married Carolyn Beth Cunningham in 1949. They had four sons: Frederick G. (a dentist and vice president), David D. (executive chairman), J. Duncan (vice president and secretary), and Robert E. (director).[1][3][4][6]
Smith died on April 19, 1993, at his home in Roland Park, Baltimore, at age 72, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.[1] He was survived by his wife, four sons, two brothers, and 13 grandchildren.[1]
Legacy
The Julian Sinclair Smith Award, presented by the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation, honors contributions to education and lifelong learning, reflecting Smith's passion for knowledge.[7]
Sinclair Broadcast Group, now Sinclair, Inc., operates nearly 200 television stations across the U.S.[2][5]
