William “Bill” Terrell
Believe in yourself and prepare yourself to meet life’s challenges. Cultivate the positive attributes and productive skills of each individual. Give people the necessary resources to qualify for opportunities. Try to aid in the development of that which is good and wholesome in each person. This philosophy has worked for Bill Terrell and the message has been heard by many thousands of people who have watched his television programs and listened to him on the radio. Terrell has produced radio and television programs in South Carolina for the past thirty years. Terrell is Director of African-American Programming for South Carolina Education Television. He is the executive producer and host for Job Man Caravan and executive producer of For The People. Job Man Caravan, initially produced in 1968, is the longest running series on South Carolina ETV. Its original purpose was to assist in combating unemployment in the African-American community by giving information on job preparation and employment. Terrell and his staff go on-site to interview dutifully employed African-Americans in a variety of jobs with the aim of demonstrating success in different fields of employment. Those who watch, they believe, will be motivated by the achievement of others. Job Man Caravan also introduces and addresses many issues facing the African-American community, such as teen pregnancy, infant mortality, AIDS, legal battles and affirmative action. In both 1968 and 1969, Terrell received statewide Emmy awards for Job Man Caravan. Today, the program covers a lot of ground, including community and family features. As executive producer of For the People, he and the show’s first host, Listervelt Middleton, launched this program into national and international acclaim. For the People, which is in its 26th season on SCETV, focuses on national and international issues affecting people of African descent. Terrell has also been the radio play-by play announcer for South Carolina State University’s football team since 1980. The program is aired on more than twenty radio stations. He previously served as radio announcer and program director at WOIC-AM and WWDM-FM, Columbia, South Carolina. Terrell was educated at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee and Memphis State University from which her earned a BA in political science. He serves his community in a variety of areas, having been a member of the Board of Directors of the Columbia Urban League and the Columbia Opportunities Industrial Center, campaign chair for the United Black Fund of the Midlands, Little League coach, and a host for South Carolina United Negro College Fund Telethon. This public servant has been honored for his outstanding achievements, including induction into the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame. He has an Achievement Award form the South Carolina Scholastic Broadcasters, a Brotherhood Award form the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and a Service Award form the Bahai Faith Religious Organization.