[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 101 (Friday, July 16, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1572-E1573]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING GARY COCOLA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 16, 1999

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gary Cocola 
for his service to the Fresno community through his broadcast 
television stations.
  While attending Memorial High School in Fresno, Cocola received 
inspiration to pursue a career in broadcasting. He was one of the local 
high school students chosen to participate in a television program 
called ``Open House.'' He continued to participate in other activities 
on radio and television, including a Top 40 show with a dance party 
format that aired in Bakersfield.
  Cocola enrolled at Fresno State to pursue a degree in radio and 
television. He added a minor in business in the event that his father 
may need him. His father, Morris Cocola, owned the family's tree fruit 
and grape growing, packing and shipping business. But Gary Cocola's 
passion was for the television business.
  In 1962, Cocola found an agent in Los Angeles and considered entering 
the highly competitive Southern California media market. Cocola's agent 
dissuaded him from this, which caused Cocola to become discouraged. So, 
he entered his father's business and began a career in sales.
  Cocola excelled at his business and by 1970 he formed the Cocola 
Fruit Corporation that allowed him to be a dealer and broker as well as 
a commercial merchant. Cocola was financially well off, but was not 
entirely happy with his job. His dream was to return to broadcasting.
  With the help of his wife Diane Dostinch, he applied to put a local 
full power station on the air in 1977. After successfully completing 
the Federal Communications Commission's lengthy application process, 
the station was finally built in 1984. In 1985, his station, KMSG, 
began as a Christian station. He has visions to

[[Page E1573]]

create a station resembling MTV, but it was not commercially feasible.
  Cocola began branching out into the low power channels he was 
accumulating. At a cable television convention, Colcola met Bud Paxson, 
the founder of the Home Shopping channel. In 1987, Cocola entered the 
shopping channel market. In 1988, the Spanish News Network out of New 
York City contacted KMSG, and Cocola converted the channel to Telemundo 
59.
  As the 80's went by, Cocola continued to expand his ownership of the 
low power channels not offered on cable TV. He added more shopping 
channels, a pay for view music TV channel, and a classic movie channel. 
Today his broadcast empire includes 10 stations owned locally, 
including a full power station, Channel 43, and an additional five 
channels in other locations throughout the United States. One station 
is a full power channel in Omaha, Nebraska and another is a low power 
station that delivers a new concept in Internet access. This new idea 
will use broadcast to deliver access to the Internet at a faster speed 
than the current linkups allow.
  Cocola has provided a service to many community members without cable 
by bringing them news, public affairs and entertainment for free.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Gary Cocola for his service to the 
community. I urge my colleagues to join me in wishing Gary many more 
years of continued success and happiness.

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