JAMES C LEAKE dies

Oklahoma broadcasting pioneer James C Leake died Tuesday morning. <br><br>Leake is credited with helping bring television to Oklahoma. He started in broadcasting in the 1940s at radio stations KTUL in

Tuesday, July 3rd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Oklahoma broadcasting pioneer James C Leake died Tuesday morning.

Leake is credited with helping bring television to Oklahoma. He started in broadcasting in the 1940s at radio stations KTUL in Tulsa and KOMA in Oklahoma City.

In 1953, he entered television when he and business partner John Griffin put three stations on the air in nine months. Those included KATV in Little Rock, Ark., KWTV in Oklahoma City and KTUL in Tulsa, which was then known as KTVX. From 1969 until 1983, he was chairman of Leake Industries, owner of KATV and KTUL. The stations were sold in 1983.

Leake also was well known for his collection of antique cars and the annual Leake car auction in Tulsa.

Don Woods was Leake's weatherman for almost 30 years. "He was a great visionary. He loved Eastern Oklahoma and he knew this was a great part of the state and had a lot of great things going here. He used to say to all of us his most valuable asset was not equipment, but people, the people he had.â€

Leake was related by marriage to the Griffin family, which owns KOTV, Channel 6.

Funeral services will be held Monday in Muskogee.