MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) - Chattanooga radio personality Earl Freudenberg is among six people inducted in the 2019 Tennessee Journalism Hall of Fame class.
Freudenberg has more than 50 years in broadcast journalism and was named 1981 state broadcaster of the year.
WRCB-TV 3 anchor and "Chattanooga Radio and Television" author David Carroll called Freudenberg a "role model and good friend" to dozens of local media and journalism professionals.
"He's done it all," he said. "He was a disc jockey, an editor, a reporter, everything. And, even for those of us growing up in the business who were not that much different in age than he is, maybe 10 years apart or so, he was always seen to be the grownup in the room. He just has a maturity and professionalism about him."
Other inductees are Valerie Calhoun, co-host of "Good Morning Memphis" on WHBQ-TV and the recipient of five Emmys; Joe Edwards, longtime music writer for the Associated Press' Nashville office who retired after 42 years; Francis "Red" O'Donnell, a Nashville Banner columnist being recognized posthumously; Paul Tinkle, president and general manager of Thunderbolt Broadcasting and Digital in Martin and Union City, Tennessee; and Bill Williams, an anchor emeritus at Knoxville's WBIR-TV.
The induction ceremony takes place Aug. 6 in conjunction with the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters Annual Conference in Murfreesboro.
Staff writer Barry Courter contributed to this story.