Columbus native Birney Imes Jr. was part of the five-person class inducted into the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame earlier this month.
Imes began his broadcasting career with WCBI Radio in Columbus.
He went on to open a network of radio stations between 1940 and 1950, known as the Mid-South Network. There were stations in Tupelo, Clarksdale, Winona and West Point.
However, he was also responsible for establishing the WCBI television station.
WCBI-TV, a CBS affiliate began broadcasting on July 13, 1956, according to the station’s website.
The original building was a cement block building on Highway 12, east of Columbus. In 1993, the station moved into town, making its home in the renovated Egger’s and Loeb’s Department Store.
This also opened the door to a new venture, and Imes purchased more television stations in El Paso, Texas, Clarksburg, West Virginia and Manchester, New Hampshire.
He also had experience in the print industry, stepping into the role of editor/publisher of The Commercial Dispatch following the death of his father, Birney Imes Sr., in 1947. The Imes family still owns the publication.
Imes Jr. passed away in 2003.
This is the second class to be inducted into the MAB Hall of Fame since its creation in 2021.
According to Derek Rogers, general manager for WCBI and MAB board president. He said the Hall of Fame was started to honor pioneers in the broadcasting industry, such as Imes.
“Having worked for Mr. Imes, it was a great honor to induct him into the Hall of Fame,” Rogers said. “I was very honored to be a part of it.”
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