James 'Jim' Sieger

James (Jim) Sieger obituary James J. (Jim) Sieger, recently of Savannah, GA, died on December 5, 2024. Visitation will be held at St. Peter the Apostle Church, 7020 Concord Rd., Savannah, GA 31410 at 12:00 p.m. on December 10, 2024, with a funeral mass at 1:00 p..m., and interment at Greenwich Cemetery to follow.

Born on July 12, 1933, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Jim was the youngest of three sons of Maximillian and Adele Sieger. Jim enjoyed childhood adventures with his brothers and his close friends Tom and John Dudley Nee. Through his childhood friendship with the Nee brothers, Jim met their sister the beautiful Maureen (Mollie) Nee, whom he later married in 1962. Jim and Mollie raised their two daughters all over the United States, instilling in them a love of travel, literature, music, fine dining, and the beauty of God’s creation. Jim loved nothing more than a beautiful view of trees, mountains, or bodies of water, especially when shared with family.

Of all the accomplishments and awards accumulated during his 91 years, Jim was proudest of the family he and Mollie created, and the generations to come. Family and friends member Jim's brilliance, his sense of humor, his love of words (even the bad ones), his jokes, and his hilarious stories. No gathering would be complete without his compulsion to take many perfectly arranged photographs, or his need to ensure everyone was having a good time. Jim’s constant pursuit of excellence in all things, and his fierce loyalty to those he loved, endures.

Jim's natural curiosity and love of words took him to The University of Notre Dame where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism in 1955. He later earned his Master's degree in Cinematography from The University of Southern California in 1957, graduating with award winning director James Ivory. After Jim's two year military service as head of the TV Writers Unit at the Army Pictorial Center in New York City, Jim won his first international award. In 1960, Jim's short documentary "Navajo Silver Smith" won a top award at the Venice Film Festival. Multiple major awards followed, including the National Academy's "Best TV Documentary of the Year" in 1965 for "The Revolution Religion."

In 1968, Jim moved into news management and ran top-rated news operations in Chicago (WBBM) and Philadelphia (KYW). Jim was executive producer of WBBM's news operation during the 1968 Democratic Convention calling live coverage of protests outside the convention and activities on the convention floor. In 1975, Jim was hired by the legendary Alvin G. Flanagan to change the news fortunes of the Gannett stations. At the time, all seven of the Gannett stations were poor also-rans with five of them a distant last in the news rankings. Within four years, they were all ranked first, with the Denver station (KBTV, later KUSA), ranked the highest rated newscast in the nation. Jim's introduction of new technologies and coverage patterns were actually overshadowed by his way of telling the story. "We do call them stories," Jim said, "but most reporters don't try to tell them as the world would tell a story. A little tale." Not only top ratings, but top awards followed. Nationally, in both the photographic and reporting areas, one or another of the Gannett stations was named America's station of the year almost every year until Jim's retirement. Such success brings imitators. During the 1970s and 1980s station managers, news directors, and news consultants studied what came to be known as "the Gannett newscast." "He taught us to do 'high tech/high touch'," said a former employee. "He was five parts news strategist and five parts news philosopher," said Jeff Davidson, "but unlike so many others, with Jim, it was the philosophy that shaped the strategy rather than the other way around. That's why his newscasts were always a cut above."

Jim served on the Board of Advisors for the University of Georgia School of Journalism, the Board of Directors for the Easter Seals Society, and was a member of Mensa. He also volunteered for St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, the pro-life office for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and the Atlanta Men's Shelter. Throughout his life, Jim travelled to 18 countries and 46 states. Jim is survived by his wife Maureen (Mollie), daughters Mary Miller of Tallahassee, Florida, and Christine Barker (Michael), of Savannah, as well as two grandchildren, Nicholas and Natalie Barker, and numerous nieces, and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Compassus Hospice, who have provided outstanding care for the Siegers, can be made in Jim’s name at www.compassus.com