Bill Parker Honered by NYS Broadcasters

Bill Parker is a name many people remember from radio and television here in the Binghamton area, but for broadcasters he's much more than that.
Yesterday Bill Parker was inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame!

Parker has had a long history with our community for over 60 years as a television and radio personality.

My parents remember the TV Ranch Club which ran earlier in the late 1950's.
Many of us who grew up in the 1960's and 70's remember Bill from the Officer Bill Show, which ran on channel 12 for many years. I was even on the show three times!

I still remember the first time I met Bill Parker. I was probably 6 or 7-years-old, and I was with my grandfather at the G&H Diner on Front Street. My grandfather brought me up to him and said introduced me to 'Officer Bill'.

I knew from that day that I wanted to be like him. So years later when I got into radio, one of my first jobs was weekends at WNBF radio. I had the chance to meet up with Bill once again, but this time as a co-worker.

I remember taking him to lunch and bringing a notebook with me. I asked a lot of questions and wrote down everything he said. Bill's greatest advice to me was to become active in my community. Being a broadcaster is a privilege and you should always try to use that status to help good causes.

One day Bill Parker walked into a room into the studio and said, "Doug, I was wondering if you would do me a favor? I will be taking a few days off and wondered if you could do my show for me?" That was probably the biggest thrill of my whole career and I will never forget it!

So as I said at the beginning of this blog, Bill Parker is much more than a television and radio personality to the broadcast family.

I feel the utmost admiration, respect, and pride to have worked with him, and to see him recognized state wide for the incredible passion he has given to the broadcast field.

Check out Channel 12's two-part special on the 'Dean of Broadcasting' below.