George Barco
| George J. Barco | |
|---|---|
George J. Barco
|
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| Born | 11 April 1907 |
| Died | 15 November 1989 (aged 82) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Lawyer, businessman |
| Known for | Cable TV pioneer |
George J. Barco (11 April 1907 – 15 November 1989) was an American lawyer and cable television (CATV) executive who played a key role in development of the cable industry.
George Barco was born on 11 April 1907, the son of Italian immigrants. He attended Meadville High School, and before graduating had married Emmaline DeLorenzo and become a father. Emmaline's parents were also Italian, and she had seven siblings. Their first daughter, Yolanda, was born on 13 March 1926 and their second daughter, Helene, was born in 1928. George Barco graduated from Meadville High School in 1926, then attended Allegheny College in Meadville, graduating in 1930 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He then enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh to study law, and joined the Bar in 1934.
George Barco founded Barco and Barco, a legal firm, in Meadville in 1934. Both his daughters would later join him in this business. He became Assistant District Attorney and then Deputy Attorney General in Pennsylvania, before entering private law practice. For fifteen years he was solicitor for the Meadville Area School District.
George Barco became interested in television. In 1953 he established Meadville Master Antenna (MMA), a cable TV system, with help from Milton Shapp of Jerrold Electronics. He was the first to use aluminum sheath cables, which greatly reduced interference with the signal. As a result, MMA could deliver 12 channels, a huge number at the time. In the early years of cable Meadville Master Antenna was one of the largest systems in the United States. In 1987 MMA merged with Armstrong Communications.
George Barco was one of the founders of the National Community Television Association (NCTA), now the National Cable and Telecommunications Association. He was National Chairman and Vice Chairman of the NCTA, a long-time member of the NCTA board and chairman of various NCTA committees. From 1956 to 1980 Barco was the general legal counsel to the Pennsylvania Community Television Association, now the Broadband Cable Association of Pennsylvania. From 1959 to 1962 he was a member of the first Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. When the Pennsylvania Bar Institute was established in 1965, he became president. To avoid any appearance of conflict of interest, since he was legal counsel to various cable operators, Barco refrained from expanding MMA.
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