Rhea G. Sikes
Rhea Gaynelle Sikes (June 14, 1922 – November 5, 2019) was an American television producer and educator. She worked for networks including PBS and local television stations WQED and WNET.
Early life and education[edit]
Rhea Sikes was born and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina.[1] She attended Greensboro High School and went to University of North Carolina Women’s College.[1][2] During her undergraduate studies, Sikes’ artwork was displayed several times, including works with media lithographs and oils.[3][4] There she earned her bachelor’s degree in Art and minored in Drama.[1] She earned her Master’s of Arts in Television in 1954 from Syracuse University.[2] With this educational experience, she had a strong background in script-writing, producing, and directing.[5]
Career[edit]
Sikes started her television career working for WFMY-TV in Greensboro, NC.[2] She also traveled the United States to present educational programs for the Good Teeth Council.[5]
In July 1955, Sikes began her career at WQED in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as producer of Television Teaching Demonstration.[5] She then transitioned to the position of director of educational services.[2][5] Sikes produced programming for the first telecast classrooms to elementary schools for the Metropolitan School Service in 1955.[2] She helped sustain WQED's instructional television service for almost twenty years, helping to plan and encourage the use of instructional television in Pennsylvania and in the wider Eastern Educational Network.[2]
In 1970, Sikes produced the television series “The Turned on Crisis” at WQED about the issues of drug abuse in the Pittsburgh area; the series won the 1970 Community Service Award competition.[6] In 1971, Sikes was the director of educational activities at WQED.[6] During her time working at WQED, Sikes served many positions, including assistant program manager, producer, director of school services, and executive producer for educational programming.[2][6][7]
In 1973, began working at the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and became the first coordinator of educational services at WNET.[2] In this position, Sikes reviewed, evaluated, and coordinated informational and educational programming presented to general and classroom audiences.[2] In 1978, Sikes left her job at PBS to become an independent consultant.[2][7] She consulted for other television stations, school systems, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.[archive 1]
Sikes was honored with the George Peabody Award for television education (1971), the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Community Service Award (1971), and a citation for contributions to the advancement of education from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (1974).[2] Sikes was a member of the organization American Women in Radio and Television.[5]
Sikes died on November 5, 2019.[1]
List of works[edit]
- Robertson, James; Sikes, Rhea G. (1978). KRMA: its present status, its future potential : a study for the Denver Public Schools. Denver, CO: Robertson Associates, Inc. OCLC 842289606.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d "Obituary for Rhea Gaynelle Sikes". Casperson Funeral Home & Cremation Services. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Collection: Rhea G. Sikes papers | Archival Collections". archives.lib.umd.edu. p. A13. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
- ^ "Sculpture And Etching Works Of Norma Croom Displayed At College". Wilmington Morning Star (Final ed.). 15 May 1942. p. 12.
- ^ "Woman's College Students to Take Part in Exhibit". Wilmington Morning Star (Final ed.). 10 April 1941. p. 7.
- ^ a b c d e Garland, Hazel (31 March 1962). "WQED Official Addresses Gateway Chapter of AWRT". Pittsburgh Courier (City ed.). p. A13. ProQuest 202474225.
- ^ a b c "WQED 'Turned on Crisis' Wins Station Public Service Award". Pittsburgh Courier (City ed.). 24 April 1971. p. 15. ProQuest 202518127.
- ^ a b Robertson, Jim (1993). TeleVisionaries (PDF) (Limited First ed.). Charlotte Harbor, FL: Tabby House Books. pp. xix, 110. ISBN 0-9627974-8-0. LCCN 92-062246.
- ^ "Sikes, Rhea" (1979-1982) [tape recording]. Public Television's Roots Oral History Project, Box: 3, folder 16. Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections, Wisconsin Historical Society.
External links[edit]
- Jim Robertson papers at the University of Maryland libraries. Contains an interview with Rhea Sikes on August 3, 1981 for the Public Broadcasting Oral History Project.
