A giant of local broadcasting has passed away.

According to an obituary placed by the family, former WSKG Station manager and local television pioneer Phillip Jackson of Vestal passed away August 7, just shy of his 89th birthday.

 According to the obituary, Johnson began his broadcasting career in the 1960s as a producer/director at WNBF-TV and later became Program Director of Binghamton’s premier television station, which, at that time was owned by WNBF Radio.

Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News (file)
Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News (file)
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In 1968, Jackson became the Station Manager of the local public broadcasting outlet, WSKG and built the organization into a financially viable entity through fundraising and the popular annual WSKG auction.

Jackson was inducted in the Southern Tier Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2010.

In addition to his illustrious career in local broadcasting, Jackson was also a public servant.  He was the Town of Union Deputy Commission of public works from 1980 to 1999 and was awarded for outstanding and meritorious achievement by the New York Chapter of the American Public Works Administration in 1997.

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Jackson also served on several boards of directors including the Union Volunteer Ambulance Service, Binghamton Girl’s Club, West Endicott Board of Fire Commissioners and was a volunteer firefighter and ambulance attended with the West Endicott Fire Department.  He also served as a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee of the Town of Union.

Family will receive friends at Saint James Church in Johnson City at 10 a.m. Friday, August 19.  A funeral Mass will be offered at 11 a.m.

Military services for Jackson, who served in the Korean Conflict, will be offered after the Mass.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to AVRE, the Food Bank of the Southern Tier or other worthy charity.

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