Services set for longtime radio executive, TV manager Edwin Clay

Edwin Clay, a longtime radio executive and TV director who worked with Central State University and the Phil Donahue Show, is being remembered this week by family and friends.

Mr. Clay, former Jazzy 88.9 WCSU-FM general manager and technical director for the nationally syndicated Phil Donahue Show, has died after a lengthy illness, CSU officials announced Monday evening. He was 69.

The Dayton native and 1969 CSU alum was an adjunct faculty member at CSU for more than 20 years. This past summer, he retired as interim GM of the university’s public radio station — the only minority owned and operated noncommercial Ohio public radio station in Ohio.

Mr. Clay earned his Bachelor of Science degree at CSU and his Master’s from Miami University in Oxford. He also was a graduate of the CPB Management Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Clay taught high school history for several years and began his career in commercial broadcasting at WDTN-TV, where he worked as producer/director for local programming and technical director for the Donahue show.

He began work in public broadcasting as production manager for WPTD/WPTO Dayton/Oxford, Ohio. Later, he became special projects producer for the Nebraska Educational Television Network in Lincoln. Mr. Clay was one of three African-Americans in public television serving as station manager for a major market operation while working for WOSU-TV at Ohio State University in Columbus. He remained there 31 years.

Visitation is 6 p.m. Thursday at the Living Faith Apostolic Church, on Mock Road, Columbus. The funeral follows at 7. Wayne T. Lee Funeral Services in Columbus is in charge.

Burial will be 11 a.m. Friday at West Memory Gardens Cemetery, 6722 Hemple Road, Moraine.