Hartford Business Journal Special Editions

4 Hartford Business Journal • October 6, 2014 www.HartfordBusiness.com L i f e t i m e A c h i e v e m e n t A w A r d s 2 0 1 4 For decades, Franklin shaped public broadcasting in connecticut and beyond By Krystal Overmyer Special to the Hartford Business Journal J erry Franklin's first inkling of a television career came at age 5 on his family farm in Georgia. Before his family owned a TV, his mother crafted a pretend cardboard tele- vision and used butcher paper to draw scenes and narration. Franklin learned to read by practicing those TV lines. Later, a teacher told him broadcasting was a perfect fit for a talker like him. "It was my mom and my high school teacher who set the dream in my eye," said Franklin, now 67. Since 1985, Franklin has served as president and CEO of Connecticut's only locally owned media organiza- tion, the Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network. During his tenure, the network has grown to include three digital TV chan- nels and five radio stations that reach an estimated 1 million visitors monthly. It has produced and presented programs that have become household names nationwide, such as Barney & Friends, Bob the Builder and Thomas & Friends, among others. "Connecticut Public Broadcasting is one of the jewels of public broadcasting in the United States," said Hartford attor- ney Peter Kelly, a member of the network's board of trustees. "And that's because of Jerry." Franklin relishes tackling new ventures, Kelly said. He played a key role in bringing the University of Connecticut women's basketball games to the network from 1994 to 2012, a partnership that greatly increased the visibility of the team and women's basketball overall. "He thinks large thoughts. He's imaginative," Kelly said. "He's bullish and courageous in the steps he takes." Franklin's time at CPBN has not been without its chal- lenges. About 25 years ago, Franklin was faced with steering the network through an "extraordinarily frightening situa- tion" — the organization did not have enough funds to meet payroll. "I said, 'Never again,'" Franklin recalls. He worked doggedly to transform Connecticut Public Broad- casting from an indebted network with a $4 million operating budget to a debt-free, $20 million business with an endowment of nearly $30 million. Franklin aims to raise that figure to $50 million when he retires in a few years. His success has enabled him to create unique, community-focused initiatives like the Learning Lab, an educational program for youth. Opened in 2013, the Learning Lab gives students from Hartford high schools the opportunity to spend a year developing media portfolios in journalism and digital media. In the evenings, the lab transforms into the Veterans Vocation- al Training Program to help military veterans build in-demand new skills in digital media, such as video production, computer game design and web development. In its first year, the program placed 85 percent of participants in jobs, Franklin said. "That's an extraordinary feeling," Franklin said. Other recent programming innovations include the CPTV Sports Network focused on coverage of Connecticut college and high school sports. But of all the television projects Franklin has overseen, his favorites are documentaries that explored serious topics, such as a series on mental health in Connecticut. "The power of the medium, in terms of how it has touched people, gives you a good feeling when you come home at night," he said. His mother would be proud, he quipped. His latest project is developing a strategic plan to guide CPBN's future. Franklin worries about the demographic and political divides that seem to be growing across the country. A future CPBN may take a stronger lead on sifting through issues that sometimes make people uncomfortable, he said. The network is also challenged to break down barriers to engage with new constituents and demographics, he added. "If we do that, we'll be even more successful in the next 50 years than we have been in the last 50," he said. Prior to joining CPBN, Franklin served as general man- ager of WGBY-TV for the WGBH Educational Foundation in Boston. He previously served in the Air Force with the Armed Forces Radio and Television and earned degrees at Georgia Southern University and Indiana University. Under Franklin's leadership, the network has won many awards such as two National Daytime Emmy awards and 95 Regional Emmy awards. Radio station WNPR has earned two George Foster Peabody awards and more than 60 Associated Press Awards. Franklin was honored in 2013 with a Silver Circle Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for his enduring contributions to the television industry. Earlier this year, he was inducted as a member of the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame. Franklin and his wife of more than 40 years, Ida, par- ticipate in major civic and community events. Franklin has served as a trustee of many community organizations such as The Hartford Stage, Connecticut Boy Scouts Executive Coun- cil and the Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance. He said he is also proud to be a member of the People's United Bank board of directors. P H O T O | S T e v e L a S c H e v e r

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