[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 147 (Wednesday, October 16, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1521]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING THE LIFE OF DR. HOWARD JACOBSON

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                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 16, 2013

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of 
Dr. Howard Jacobson, who passed away on October 9, 2013 at the age of 
88. Howard was an incredible man who loved his family and dedicated his 
life to strengthening the relationship between the public and its 
media.
  Born on August 22, 1925 in Worcester, Massachusetts, Howard learned 
the value of hard work through selling ice boxes in his father's 
appliance store. He went on to earn his undergraduate degree at the 
University of New Mexico, then his graduate degree at the Missouri 
School of Journalism. Following graduation, Howard worked as a stringer 
for the Associated Press during World War II and later began a 36-year 
career as a teaching professor at the University of Bridgeport.
  Between his time as a professor and Chair of the Journalism 
Department at the University of Bridgeport and a professor at Columbia 
University, Howard encouraged students to expand beyond their 
traditional means of communication to reach new audiences. His students 
thrived in this interactive environment that culminated in the 
circulation of a community newspaper that focused on local issues. 
Howard reveled in the special relationship between communities and 
their news, and he passed this enthusiasm onto his students. 
Testimonies from former students emphasize that Howard always took the 
time to focus on each and every student, and that his guidance, largely 
influenced by study of the behavioral sciences, continues to have a 
powerful impact on their careers today.
  Outside of the classroom, Howard participated on the New England 
Cable Advisory Council for 30 years. He also founded the first Center 
for the Development for Community Media, which built on the lessons he 
taught in the classroom. Through the Center, Howard experimented with 
different means of communicating with the public in the urban media 
environment and encouraged his students to do the same. Finally, he co-
authored several books that focused on the intersection of mass 
communications theory and technology, and how that connection would 
shape the future of journalism. All of Howard's work reinforced his 
belief that the public access to news depended on fiercely protecting 
first amendment rights and making the most of all available means of 
dissemination.
  Howard leaves behind his wife, Dr. Dana Raphael, and his children 
Brett, Seth, and Jessa. Full of love and memories, Howard and Dana 
recently celebrated 60 wonderful years of marriage.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great respect that I ask my colleagues in the 
House of Representatives to pay tribute to the life of Howard Jacobson, 
a beloved husband, father, professor, journalist, and friend.

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