A Good Read

If you want to know how local and state politics, TV news and Raleigh’s whole media/political world got to be the way it is, here’s the book for you.
 
It’s “I Never Promised Not to Tell,” a tell-almost-all by Grady Jefferys, a veteran writer-ad man-journalist-consultant who was there, as he says, “When Television and a New Era of Politics Came to a Southern City.”
 
Full disclosure: Grady is an old friend of mine. And a treasured one. I met him when he was working part-time at the N&O and I was working my way through college.
 
At 78, Grady is going strong, with the help of a strict regimen of healthy eating and 45 minutes a day “slogging” (not jogging) along the Neuse River near his farm.
 
His book is an eyewitness account of, among other things, the death of WNAO television, the birth of WRAL-TV, the rise of Jesse Helms, the painful beginnings of a thriving local advertising industry, the early days of political consulting, the election of Governor Dan Moore in 1964, the failure of Mel Broughton’s 1968 gubernatorial campaign, the rise and fall of Nick Galifianakis, the emergence of a young Jack Hawke, the failings of the FCC and local TV news, the racial tensions of a city and county torn between old ways and new realities and…well, you get the drift.
 
It’s about almost everything important and interesting in the changes Raleigh and Wake County have gone through since 1950. Through the wry and wise eyes of someone who was not only there, but in the thick of it.
 
You’re not going to find a more interesting read – or learn more – for $12.95. You can order Grady’s book on Amazon, or you can write Newsbook Publishing, 2846 Auburn-Knightdale Rd., Raleigh, N.C. 27610.
 
Get it, sit back and enjoy.
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Gary Pearce

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A Good Read

If you want to know how local and state politics, TV news and Raleigh’s whole media/political world got to be the way it is, here’s the book for you.
 
It’s “I Never Promised Not to Tell,” a tell-almost-all by Grady Jefferys, a veteran writer-ad man-journalist-consultant who was there, as he says, “When Television and a New Era of Politics Came to a Southern City.”
 
Full disclosure: Grady is an old friend of mine. And a treasured one. I met him when he was working part-time at the N&O and I was working my way through college.
 
At 78, Grady is going strong, with the help of a strict regimen of healthy eating and 45 minutes a day “slogging” (not jogging) along the Neuse River near his farm.
 
His book is an eyewitness account of, among other things, the death of WNAO television, the birth of WRAL-TV, the rise of Jesse Helms, the painful beginnings of a thriving local advertising industry, the early days of political consulting, the election of Governor Dan Moore in 1964, the failure of Mel Broughton’s 1968 gubernatorial campaign, the rise and fall of Nick Galifianakis, the emergence of a young Jack Hawke, the failings of the FCC and local TV news, the racial tensions of a city and county torn between old ways and new realities and…well, you get the drift.
 
It’s about almost everything important and interesting in the changes Raleigh and Wake County have gone through since 1950. Through the wry and wise eyes of someone who was not only there, but in the thick of it.
 
You’re not going to find a more interesting read – or learn more – for $12.95. You can order Grady’s book on Amazon, or you can write Newsbook Publishing, 2846 Auburn-Knightdale Rd., Raleigh, N.C. 27610.
 
Get it, sit back and enjoy.
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Gary Pearce

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