Hugh Ike Shott
Encyclopedia
Hugh Ike Shott was a newspaper
editor, pioneer broadcaster
, and Republican
politician in the U.S. State
of West Virginia
.
. He moved to the then-booming new city of Bluefield, West Virginia
. He took control of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph
, the city's primary morning newspaper. Via straw parties, he also controlled the "competing" evening Mountain Sunset Review.
He was also involved in the railway mail service and was postmaster
for several years. In that era, postmaster was a political appointment given by the President of the United States
.
He was elected to the United States House of Representatives
in 1928 and re-elected in 1930. However, he was defeated for a third term in 1932, as well as in his attempt to run for the United States Senate
in 1936.
In 1942, he was a candidate for the special Senate "short term" caused by the resignation of Matthew M. Neely
. He won and served from November 18, 1942 to January 3, 1943. The election was almost honorary, as the Senate only met twice during his term of office. He was not a candidate in the regular election, held on the same day, for the following regular six-year term. He was referred to as "Senator" for the rest of his life.
. In 1948, Jim and Hugh, Jr. started a companion FM
station, the call letters of which were initially WHAJ-FM (for Hugh and Jim). The venture turned out to be premature, as there weren't enough FM receivers to make the station a success, and it was temporarily shut down. When it returned to the air several years late, its call letters were changed to WHIS-FM. Several years later, the call letters were returned to the original WHAJ-FM. Both continue in operation today.
His control of both daily newspapers and both of the primary radio stations gave him a virtual news monopoly
in his area. His newspaper, the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, was an unashamedly Republican publication. The radio stations and the television station that would later become part of the company were not organs of opinion.
In 1955 his heirs obtained, by the only special exception ever granted by the Federal Communications Commission
, the sole television
station in the city, which likewise carried his WHIS initials.
After extended litigation, the United States Supreme Court ordered that no one company could own both the primary AM and FM stations, the only TV station, and the only daily newspaper in the same town. WHIS-TV was sold and the call letters changed to WVVA
in 1979. His name lives on in WHIS-AM although it also was later sold, as was the FM station he owned.
in 1984 with the objective to help improve the social and economic quality of life within the trade area of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph. Shott Jr. was with the newspaper founded by his father for more than 60 years.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
editor, pioneer broadcaster
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
, and Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician in the U.S. State
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
.
Career
Shott apprenticed as a printerPrinter (publisher)
In publishing, printers are both companies providing printing services and individuals who directly operate printing presses. With the invention of the moveable type printing press by Johannes Gutenberg around 1450, printing—and printers—proliferated throughout Europe.Today, printers are found...
. He moved to the then-booming new city of Bluefield, West Virginia
Bluefield, West Virginia
Bluefield is a city in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 10,447 at the 2010 census. It is also the core city of the Bluefield WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 107,342.-Geography & Climate:...
. He took control of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
The Bluefield Daily Telegraph is seven-day morning daily newspaper based in Bluefield, West Virginia, and also covering surrounding communities in McDowell, Mercer and Monroe counties, West Virginia; and Bland, Buchanan, Giles and Tazewell counties, Virginia .The weekly Princeton Times, covering...
, the city's primary morning newspaper. Via straw parties, he also controlled the "competing" evening Mountain Sunset Review.
He was also involved in the railway mail service and was postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
for several years. In that era, postmaster was a political appointment given by the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
He was elected to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1928 and re-elected in 1930. However, he was defeated for a third term in 1932, as well as in his attempt to run for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1936.
In 1942, he was a candidate for the special Senate "short term" caused by the resignation of Matthew M. Neely
Matthew M. Neely
Matthew Mansfield Neely was a Democratic politician from West Virginia. He is the only West Virginian to serve in both houses of the United States Congress and as the Governor of West Virginia...
. He won and served from November 18, 1942 to January 3, 1943. The election was almost honorary, as the Senate only met twice during his term of office. He was not a candidate in the regular election, held on the same day, for the following regular six-year term. He was referred to as "Senator" for the rest of his life.
Broadcasting
In 1928, his sons Hugh, Jr., and Jim H., obtained a license for the only radio station in Bluefield at the time. The call letters stood for his initials – WHISWHIS
WHIS is a Talk formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Bluefield, West Virginia, serving Bluefield in West Virginia and Bluefield in Virginia...
. In 1948, Jim and Hugh, Jr. started a companion FM
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
station, the call letters of which were initially WHAJ-FM (for Hugh and Jim). The venture turned out to be premature, as there weren't enough FM receivers to make the station a success, and it was temporarily shut down. When it returned to the air several years late, its call letters were changed to WHIS-FM. Several years later, the call letters were returned to the original WHAJ-FM. Both continue in operation today.
His control of both daily newspapers and both of the primary radio stations gave him a virtual news monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
in his area. His newspaper, the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, was an unashamedly Republican publication. The radio stations and the television station that would later become part of the company were not organs of opinion.
In 1955 his heirs obtained, by the only special exception ever granted by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
, the sole television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
station in the city, which likewise carried his WHIS initials.
After extended litigation, the United States Supreme Court ordered that no one company could own both the primary AM and FM stations, the only TV station, and the only daily newspaper in the same town. WHIS-TV was sold and the call letters changed to WVVA
WVVA
WVVA, virtual channel 6, is an NBC-affiliated television station in Bluefield, West Virginia, USA, owned by the Quincy Newspapers media chain. The station's studios are located in Bluefield, and its transmitter is based at East River Mountain, near the West Virginia-Virginia border.-History:The...
in 1979. His name lives on in WHIS-AM although it also was later sold, as was the FM station he owned.
Legacy
The Hugh Ike Shott, Jr. Foundation – Shott's youngest son, H.I. Shott, Jr., established a foundationFoundation (charity)
A foundation is a legal categorization of nonprofit organizations that will typically either donate funds and support to other organizations, or provide the source of funding for its own charitable purposes....
in 1984 with the objective to help improve the social and economic quality of life within the trade area of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph. Shott Jr. was with the newspaper founded by his father for more than 60 years.