Larry Beaulieu’s broadcasting career began in radio in 1965. He was an engineering student at Texas Tech but, on a dare, he auditioned for the 10-watt campus station KTXT-FM. Almost immediately, he was allowed to do Saturday morning station IDs during carriage of the “Texaco Metropolitan Opera.” Soon his silky-smooth voice was heard on many on-air announcer shifts. Larry was hooked. He changed his major to broadcasting and began a career that would take him to radio station KLLL as a Country and Western DJ for his first commercial radio job. Larry was both station announcer and reporter – and his talents got him noticed. Television came calling. KLBK news director Duncan Ellison had seen Larry reporting news for KLLL radio and offered him a job as a reporter for both radio and television news. Larry would report from the field on the radio and then rush back to the station to anchor the 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. television news.
Larry’s next television opportunity came at KFDA-TV in Amarillo. He spent five years chasing tornados and covering spot news while at the same time producing and anchoring the evening broadcasts. In 1974, KFDM-TV, in Beaumont, Texas, hired Larry as news director. Since Larry was used to doing double and triple duty, he served as news director, anchor and anything else asked of him to keep KFDM the number one station in the market. Thirty-four years later, Larry’s attitude and his station’s position has not changed. Larry is now vice president and general manager of KFDM-TV and still anchors the 6:00 p.m. news.
Co-workers and community leaders alike recognize Larry as the dean of local broadcasting. It has been said that Larry’s team at KFDM would “walk through a wall for him.” More than a manager, employees look at him as a leader, mentor and friend. He is commonly referred to as “Uncle Larry.”
Larry is very active in his community and has been recognized by many charitable organizations for his tireless support. Larry has been honored by the Texas Association of Broadcasters with its Pioneer Broadcasting Award, the Freedom Corporation, which owns KFDM, has awarded him with the Freedom Leadership Award, and both Texas Tech and Lamar University honor him as a distinguished alumnus.
It is with great honor we welcome Larry Beaulieu into the Silver Circle of the Lone Star Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for his 34 years of outstanding contribution to television broadcasting.