Former Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., a member of the Senate Commerce Committee who focused on communications issues, died Thursday at his home in Billings at age 81. Burns was elected to the Senate in 1988 and twice re-elected before losing a close election to Democrat Jon Tester in 2006. Burns was a livestock auctioneer, traveling salesman and agriculture news broadcaster before turning to politics. NAB CEO Gordon Smith, who served with Burns in the Senate, noted his death. “Conrad's deep appreciation for local broadcasting -- based on his many years of service as a farm broadcaster in Montana -- was evident on the Senate Commerce Committee,” Smith said. The NG911 Institute said in a statement that Burns was a founding co-chair of the Congressional E911 Caucus. “Not only was he successful in his pursuit of improving the 911 system, but he did it in a bipartisan manner,” the group said. Burns is survived by wife and two children. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Art Brothers, 85, founder of Beehive Telephone, now Beehive Broadband, died Wednesday. Brothers first built a radio telephone system for boaters on Lake Mead, Nevada, said his obituary in The Salt Lake Tribune. That grew into Beehive, covering parts of Nevada and Utah. Brothers built the company using wire he got from military surplus and switching equipment given to him by another phone company, according to the obituary. A funeral service was held Monday in Salt Lake City.
Alan E. Bell, digital rights management veteran who as onetime engineer at IBM’s Almaden Research Center helped broker the format-war compromise that led to the successful 1997 introduction of the DVD, died Monday in Cambodia from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident while on a business trip. At the time of his death, Bell ran his Los Angeles-based consulting company and was on the board of WR Films Entertainment Group. Previously, Bell was chief technology officer at Paramount Pictures and executive vice president-technology at Warner. Bell held dozens of patents, including a September 2006 Warner application that bore his name (see 0609070159) for a “multilayer dual optical disk” that would bridge the warring HD DVD and Blu-ray formats, much as the dual-format players from LG and Samsung were designed to do. Bell was active on many standards bodies, including that of the Advanced Access Content System, which is the backbone of the Blu-ray format’s content protection platform. A memorial service is planned for Bell.
Judge Dan Brenner of Los Angeles County Superior Court was struck by a car while crossing a street in Los Angeles and killed Monday, according to industry and other officials, and NCTA, where he previously led the Legal Department for many years as senior vice president. After leaving the association, he went in 2009 to Hogan & Hartson, where he represented cable interests, before California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) named him a judge. Before NCTA, Brenner taught at UCLA, was an aide to then-FCC Chairman Mark Fowler, and he has been on the CPB board and CPB vice chairman. Other details weren't available.
Gray Television Chairman William Mayher, 77, died Sunday in Athens, Georgia, the broadcaster said. Chairman since 1993, the former neurosurgeon helped oversee Gray as it transitioned from a small newspaper publisher and broadcaster to a major owner of U.S. TV stations. Funeral is 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 212 N. Jefferson St., Albany, Georgia.
John Stewart Bryan, 77, Media General chairman, died Saturday at Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, from complications related to neck injuries from a Jan. 15 fall, the company said. His 50-plus years in local media included being publisher of four newspapers, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and he also was CEO of Media General. Bryan is survived by wife, two sisters, five grandchildren and others. Donations in Bryan's honor can be made to the George C. Marshall Foundation or the Virginia Historical Society. Funeral arrangements were pending.
Jay Kitchen, 70, president of PCIA from 1994 to 2004, died Sunday after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. An engineer, he was also a wireless aide at the FCC and former president of the National Association of Business and Educational Radio. Kitchen “played an instrumental role in shaping the modern voice of the wireless industry in Washington,” said PCIA President Jonathan Adelstein. “Under his watch, PCIA established itself as a leading organization representing companies that build, operate and own the nation's vital wireless infrastructure.” Kitchen is survived by wife, two sons and four grandchildren. The family plans a celebration of life ceremony Jan. 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Mount Vernon Country Club, 5111 Old Mill Rd., Alexandria, Virginia, and in Palm Island, Florida, Jan. 2.
Connie Durcsak, 50, Utilities Telecom Council president-CEO, died suddenly Saturday, the group said. Cause of death wasn't announced. Durcsak had held the job since 2011 and was previously at PCIA. “Connie was a strong leader, a great visionary and an outstanding wife, mother, friend and mentor,” said Ron Taylor, chairman of UTC. “We are all in a state of shock at this unbelievable loss and we ask for prayers and support for her family, the UTC staff and the greater UTC membership.” Durcsak is survived by her husband and two daughters. The funeral service is at 11 a.m. Friday at the Murphy Funeral Home, 4510 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Virginia. PCIA President Jonathan Adelstein also noted the death, saying Durcsak had been at PCIA for more than a decade and was important to the growth of that association.
Everett Parker, 102, civil rights defender, founder of the United Church of Christ Office of Communication (UCC OC) and trailblazer in setting a precedent for public participation in FCC proceedings, died Thursday, longtime friends and allies told us. He died after a possible stroke at a hospital in White Plains, New York, said Cheryl Leanza, policy adviser to the UCC. In a 1966 U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit decision against the FCC, UCC OC under Parker established the right of anyone to participate in proceedings before the agency, the group said. He directed UCC OC until 1983. Parker is survived by a son, a daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Funeral details will be forthcoming, and donations can be made in his honor to UCC. Statements honoring Parker flowed in the hours after UCC OC announced his death Thursday, including from FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and from Commissioner Mignon Clyburn. Parker was "the man responsible for the public having the ability to challenge FCC actions," noted Wheeler's statement. "Perhaps no single person has had a greater impact on this country's communications landscape," he said. Parker "was special hero of mine," said ex-Commissioner Michael Copps, now Common Cause special adviser.
Michael Birck, 77, retired chairman and one of the co-founders of Tellabs, died July 6 of leukemia. He worked for Bell Labs, Continental Telephone Laboratories and Wescom before launching transmission and signaling equipment maker Tellabs. Survivors include his wife, two sons and a daughter. A funeral Mass is set for 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Isaac Jogues Church in Hinsdale, Illinois.