Fellows, James A. MILLVILLE CENER, N.J. A pioneer and leader in public broadcasting, James A. Fellows, 77, a North Greenbush native, died on Friday, January 6, 2012 after an extended illness. He had battled Parkinson's disease for years and had resided at the Millville, N.J. Center since 2008. Mr. Fellows' career spanned 47 years, including roles as president and senior staff of the National Association of Educational Broadcasters in Washington, DC, (1961-1981), when it championed the transformation of educational TV and radio into today's national public broadcasting system. He launched Current, the public broadcasting trade newspaper, among many initiatives designed to enrich public broadcasting and professional development at the stations. Mr. Fellows also was president of the Central Educational Network in Des Plaines, Ill. (1983-2003) and founder of the American Center for Children and Media in Chicago. He served on many boards, including chair of the Maryland Public Television Foundation in Owings Mills, Md. and International Advisory Board of the Prix Jeunesse in Munich, Germany. He was a board member of the Educational Development Center in Newton, Mass.; J2 Communications in Los Angeles; and other media and cultural groups. In 1979, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting honored him with the Ralph Lowell Medal, its highest honor for outstanding contributions to public broadcasting. Mr. Fellows was born in Troy, grew up in North Greenbush, and received degrees from Syracuse University where he later was a professor of television. He is predeceased by his parents, Charles Vincent and Bernice Barden, both of North Greenbush; and a sister, Brenda Fellows of Dallas. He is survived by his niece, Karen Marx, who lives in New York City; and a nephew Andrew Marx, who resides in Dallas, Texas with his wife, Tiffany and their son. Funeral will be Monday morning at 11:00 at Bloomingrove Reformed Church, Defreestville. All are welcome to attend. Burial will follow the service in Bloomingrove Cemetery, Defreestville. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in the memory of Mr. Fellows to the American Center for Children and Media (James A. Fellows Fund), 5400 St. Louis Avenue, Chicago, IL. 60625 or to donors' local public radio or TV stations.