Jack Capparell, General Manager, Service Electric Cable TV, has been inducted Into “The Cable TV Pioneers ‘Class of 2021.”

Capparell has worked in cable television for 57 years.

“I have been very fortunate to have worked with some of the greatest innovators and pioneers in our industry, especially John Walson, founder of Service Electric Cable TV,” said Capparell, who has spent his entire professional career with Service Electric.

“I am honored to be included with the pioneers of this great industry,” Capparell said.

The Cable TV Pioneers’ class of 2021 had 24 inductees. The Cable TV Pioneers’ original class in 1966 had 21 inductees. Membership, which has grown to almost 700, is made up of some of the most influential individuals in the industry.

“Just as our industry rose to the challenge of keeping America connected this past year, these men and women continued to make significant contributions on their business, home and community fronts,” said Pioneer chairman Dave Fellows.

“The Class of 2021 exemplifies the ‘Pioneer‘ spirit and commitment to do the best no matter the circumstances,” Fellows said.

Capparell started his career with Service Electric in 1964 when the cable TV industry was in its infancy and had 12 channels and used tube amplifiers.

Capparell has been a witness to the industry’s exponential growth and dramatic change in service offerings over the years.

Capparell played a part in several milestones, including the 1972 launch of the United States’ premier pay television service, Home Box Office, in Wilkes Barre.

Capparell also played a significant role in bringing digital cable TV, Internet service and telephone service to the company’s offerings.

Service Electric Cable TV & Communications was founded in 1948.

In 1947, John Walson ran a cable to connect his appliance store in Mahanoy City, Schuylkill County, to an antenna tower on top of a nearby mountain, eventually connecting homes in the community.

As a result, the cable television industry was started in the U.S. This model was copied throughout the country in areas where TV reception was difficult or impossible.

Service Electric is the birthplace of Home Box Office (HBO), launching the country’s first premium subscription service in the Wilkes-Barre market in 1972.

Walson was guided by one fundamental principle: people wanted quality access to television and his duty was to provide it.

Service Electric, which is still family-owned, continues to build its positive reputation in the cable industry, offering a variety of TV, Internet, telephone and telecommunication services.

The Cable TV Pioneers, founded in 1966, is composed of individuals responsible for building the systems that have become the nucleus of today’s cable broadband industry.

For more than two decades, the Cable Pioneers has been responsible for establishing and funding the Cable Center. Originally located at The Pennsylvania State University, the Cable Center was moved to the campus of the University of Denver in the 1990s.