The Georgia Radio Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization based in LaGrange. Its mission is to recognize radio professionals who are from the state of Georgia or who have worked in the state of Georgia, and to preserve the history of Georgia radio. It was founded in 2007 by Sam Hale and John Long.
Courtesy of the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame
The Georgia Radio Hall of Fame recognizes two categories of inductees—career achievement (for living radio professionals) and legacy (for deceased radio professionals). Members of the organization nominate and select the career achievement inductees, while the board of directors selects legacy inductees. The organization also bestows two awards—the Founders and Directors Award and the Elmo Ellis Spirit Award. The former is awarded to a Georgia radio professional selected by the board of directors. The latter honors Elmo Ellis, a respected writer and producer who worked for WSB Radio and WSB Television in Atlanta from the 1940s to the 1980s. The recipient of this award, selected by the board of directors and the Ellis family, is a Georgia radio professional who has shown unique leadership. An induction awards ceremony is held each year.
Courtesy of History of WSB Radio
The officers of the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame include a president, a vice president, a treasurer, a secretary, and board members. Operating revenue consists of membership fees, donations, and contributions for the annual event. Membership benefits include the right to nominate and vote for career achievement inductees, a subscription to the monthly newsletter, and reduced pricing for event tickets. All officers and staff of the organization are volunteers; there are no paid employees.
Since the organization’s inception, members have donated Georgia radio memorabilia, audio recordings, and photographs. The collection is displayed at the Georgia Radio Museum and Hall of Fame, which moved from St. Marys to LaGrange in 2018. Much of the collection can also be seen and heard on the organization’s Web site, and a complete list of inductees appears there as well.
