The Cable Center has established a visiting news and information bureau in
the name of one of the industry's pioneers.
Frederick Cablevision Inc. founder George B. Delaplaine Jr. has been honored
with a $1 million donation made in his name by the Delaplaine Foundation and
three Great Southern Enterprises Inc. executives.
The donation recognizes Delaplaine's role as a pioneer in the newspaper and
cable sectors and establishes the 'George B. Delaplaine Visiting News and
Information Bureau at The Cable Center,' the organization announced.
The Cable Center -- the mission of which is to develop and promote
educational, training and research programs to address issues facing the cable
and telecommunications industries on a global basis -- is set to open its
permanent Denver home in December 2002.
The visiting news and information bureau will offer center visitors --
including journalists, scholars, students and professors -- access to the latest
electronic and archival resources available.
Born in 1926, Delaplaine became general manager in 1964 of family printing
business Great Southern and Manufacturing Co., which published the Great
Southern newspaper serving the area around Frederick, Md.
Capitalizing on the need for television access in the region, Delaplaine
launched Frederick Cablevision in 1967. The MSO eventually served 120,000
subscribers before it was sold to Adelphia Communications Corp. last year.
'Even in an industry rich in leaders as cable, it is difficult to find
someone more well-respected than George Delaplaine. We could not think of anyone
more fitting for which to name our visiting news and information bureau,' The
Cable Center vice president of development Beverly O'Brien said in a prepared
statement.
The donation was made by the Delaplaine Foundation and Great Southern senior
executives Robert Cole, Marlene Young and Philip Hammond.
