Broadcasting community mourns professor
Danny Penera
Issue date: 9/25/07 Section: News
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City Times
Having a pleasant-sounding voice was a gift that Fred Lewis used to build a reputation in San Diego broadcasting. But what he used it for was more than that - he gave his gift to the public so that others could be known and understood as well.
As a longtime teacher to those who attend and work at San Diego City College, he was responsible for waking up the inner voice that laid dormant in so many of his former students.
Now these voices of San Diego mourn after Fred Lewis, a longtime announcer, model, broadcaster and teacher died Sept. 6 at the age of 78. He had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in January 2002.
However, illness alone was not enough to silence Lewis. After being diagnosed with prostate cancer, Lewis continued to work on his show "The Heart of San Diego," in which he had conducted 653 interviews.
Lewis performed his last show with his wife, Jenny, on Aug 17.
On his show, Lewis was known for being interested in getting to know the real person and not just the celebrity that the media had portrayed, said Craig Chatfield, one of Lewis' former students.
"He was very genuine" Chatfield said. "What you saw on TV was what you got in person."
For over three decades, students at City College had the chance to find out "what you got in person" with Lewis, who taught many broadcasting students who have come through City College.
He helped his students to be more self aware and confident in front of an audience and he did so by encouraging them to be themselves and nobody else, according to Chatfield.
"He touched many lives and enabled many students to go on and have successful lives," Chatfield said.
Evidence of Lewis' teaching success is present at City College on the C Building's Wall of Fame, which contains pictures of former City College students who have gone on to lead professional lives in broadcasting, many of whom were taught by Lewis.
In Lewis' own work, his manner of reporting allowed others to see deeper than what a primary glance would suggest. Like others in the field, Lewis believed that most issues required some deeper examination.
This, however, was not applicable to the man himself, as many say Lewis was up front and open.
It is believed that through this personal style and lighthearted nature he was able to get anyone to tell him their story.
Laura Castañeda, from the radio/television department, said that Lewis was a gentle, funny, man who could make anybody feel at ease.
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