Indiana Broadcast History Archive

Eldon Campbell was born in Alert, Indiana. He went to grade school in Columbus, Indiana, and high school in Dundee, Illinois. He spent a lot of his time in high school and college experimenting with theater, drama and other types of expressive art.

He began his career in journalism as a sports reporter during college. He attended Hanover College, during which time he briefly dropped out and worked for J.C. Penny. After re-enrolling, he decided to switch to University of Illinois where he worked for the school's radio station, WILL. He graduated with a business administration degree. His parents were an inspiration to his achievements, Campbell said.

After writing hundred of letters to companies he wanted to work at, Campbell was hired as an announcer at WOWO, Fort Wayne, in 1938, and became the station’s program director in 1941. He performed on the program "Hoosier Hop" and made it a popular Saturday-night show. During this time, the draft for World War II occurred, but he was never drafted, partially because he worked for a station that informed the American public.

Campbell said he remembers covering the attack on Pearl Harbor during his time as the station's program director. The station read every name of the people who had died from the area the station covered over a span of 18 hours on air.

"We were very early in the concept of giving that much to some public affair," he said.

In 1945, Campbell left to work at KEX in Portland, Oregon. In 1946 he was promoted to sales manager. From 1950 to 1956, Campbell was an executive sales representative with Westinghouse Broadcasting in New York.

"I will always be grateful to the people and the system of Westinghouse Broadcasting Company," he said. "As a young man, they made me."

Campbell joined Time-Life Inc. and in 1957 became vice president and general manager of Time-Life-owned WFBM radio and television (now WRTV), Indianapolis, until 1973. The TV station received many local honors and a prestigious Peabody Award.

Campbell’s also worked on cable television franchises in Indianapolis, Terre Haute, and Marion. After retiring from broadcasting, he held executive positions with the Indiana Department of Commerce, a drug chain, and a bank. He was a mentor to many others in the broadcast industry.

Campbell died April 19, 1991, at age 75.

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Luzane Draughon

Information from Indiana Broadcast Pioneers and "In the Public Interest"