Sam Chu Lin
Encyclopedia
Sam Chu Lin was an American
journalist. Born in Greenville, Mississippi
, Lin died, at the age of 67, in Burbank, California
on March 5, 2006. In the 1960s, he was one of the first Asian American
s to appear on both radio
and (in 1968) television
, eventually working for all four major broadcast networks. Lin's career in broadcasting began in his hometown and later led him to Phoenix
, New York City
, San Francisco
, and finally Los Angeles
. It was with CBS News
in New York that he first reached a national audience.
During his lifetime, Lin won several awards for his reporting and community service, and produced stories on the history of Asians in the U.S. for ABC
and NBC
. Lin's last broadcast news position before he died was as a freelancer for KTTV
(Fox
affiliate, Los Angeles
), a position he held since 1995. He was also a frequent contributor to such Asian American publications as AsianWeek
and Rafu Shimpo
, as well as the San Francisco Examiner. His last published article is a feature story on efforts to preserve Phoenix's Sun Mercantile Building
, dated March 3, 2006. Lin is survived by his wife, Judy, and two sons, Mark and Christopher. He is the God-father of his niece Robyn Elam.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist. Born in Greenville, Mississippi
Greenville, Mississippi
Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
, Lin died, at the age of 67, in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
on March 5, 2006. In the 1960s, he was one of the first Asian American
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
s to appear on both radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and (in 1968) television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, eventually working for all four major broadcast networks. Lin's career in broadcasting began in his hometown and later led him to Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, and finally Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. It was with CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
in New York that he first reached a national audience.
During his lifetime, Lin won several awards for his reporting and community service, and produced stories on the history of Asians in the U.S. for ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. Lin's last broadcast news position before he died was as a freelancer for KTTV
KTTV
KTTV, channel 11, is an owned-and-operated television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in Los Angeles, California. Serving the vast Los Angeles metropolitan area, KTTV is a sister station to KCOP , Los Angeles' MyNetworkTV station...
(Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
), a position he held since 1995. He was also a frequent contributor to such Asian American publications as AsianWeek
AsianWeek
AsianWeek was a widely circulated publication of Asian American news, across all Asian ethnic groups, providing coverage of Asian-American issues such as the killing of Vincent Chin, Asian American college admissions, and quotas on Chinese students in competitive San Francisco examination schools...
and Rafu Shimpo
Rafu Shimpo
is a Japanese-English language newspaper based in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California, USA.The paper began in 1903 as a one-page, mimeographed Japanese-language newspaper produced by Rippo Iijima, Masaharu Yamaguchi, and Seijiro Shibuya. H. T. Komai became publisher in 1922, beginning a family...
, as well as the San Francisco Examiner. His last published article is a feature story on efforts to preserve Phoenix's Sun Mercantile Building
Sun Mercantile Building
The Sun Mercantile Building is a warehouse building in Phoenix, Arizona designed by E.W. Bacon and constructed by Wells & Son in 1929. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 and has been a locally-protected historic landmark since 1987. Sun Merc is the last remaining...
, dated March 3, 2006. Lin is survived by his wife, Judy, and two sons, Mark and Christopher. He is the God-father of his niece Robyn Elam.
External links
- APA Coalition Attempts to Save Phoenix Landmark, by Sam Chu Lin, AsianWeek, Mar. 3, 2006
- Renowned Reporter, Sam Chu Lin, Dies At 67, Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, Mar. 6, 2006 - Sam’s Sudden Sign Off, by Emil Amok, AsianWeek, Mar. 10, 2006
- The Greatness of ‘Sam Chu Lin, Reporting’, by Christopher Chow, AsianWeek, Mar. 17, 2006 (archived 2007)
- Veteran Reporter, Sam Chu Lin, Dies at 67, staff report, AsianWeek, Mar. 10, 2006 (archived 2007)