I know an African American Streaming Media Pioneer.

George FREENEY Jr. is an African American Streaming Media Pioneer, a title that fills me with pride every time I say it. This is one of my favorite stories to tell about George, a story that began for me in the summer of Band Camp my ninth-grade year in Amarillo, Texas, back in 1983. I remember the young and ambitious High School Sophomore, George Jones, who would talk to me for hours on the phone about his new computer and something called Telnet. There were stories of tickets to France and phone calls made from college—some to me—that I can personally vouch for, with a chuckle.

George served in the Military after college, and returned home to Amarillo after serving six years, with more than his last four being in Okinawa, Japan. He opened one of the first cyber cafes’ in the world, only second to the Speak Easy Cafe’ in Seattle, Washington. His cafe provided our home town a place that people could use computers to access the Internet from The First Internet Alliance, an new local Internet Service Provider, and a franchise George purchased from San Clemente, California.

You can Google George FREENEY Jr, and you’ll discover George’s career at RealNetworks, where he led teams that built and deployed many of his crazy ideas and user experiences from 1999 thru 2004. But what you won’t discover is that George was only one of six Blacks in the company, and only one of four Blacks with a Technical role at RealNetworks (one of whom was from Canada). It wasn’t comfortable for me to here him share how he had to prepare for, and feel each day working his first year because of racial tension he calls the “silent dance”, but I have a better connection to understanding why he is George, always a beacon of inclusion, advocating for diversity and equality with a chip on his shoulder.

I never personally met George’s mom, Mrs. Jones, but I’ve definitely heard her voice and tone of character a few times over the telephone, and and yes, she influenced the fire he needed to overcome the many things that I have never experienced at work being White, but I can genuinely empathize with both George and his mother because I am a women, and a mother.

A year in, George consulted with his mom about a career-risking crossroad he has reached, and they both concluded that if successful it would be a “win-win”, George’s words, not mine, for him and the company. That same boy that told me that the Internet was coming, diverted trouble because he was home sick, and had a train that traveled around his cyber cafe’ that our home town didn’t appreciate moon lighted under an alias name to design “Skins” for a new product, the Real Jukebox. I laugh at the story he tells me about how he literally overheard Software developers discussing a “Hole” in the code that let you make it look like anything you wanted, and George did. Ya’ll he

worked on intricate projects, partnered with Sister Judith Zoebelein to stream Pope John Paul II’s historic Christmas Mass, and architected the first-ever 24-hour live feeds for CBS’s Big Brother—a legacy that continues today.

George’s creativity didn’t stop there. After RealNetworks’ acquisition of Piggyback.com Games, his instrumental role in developing scalable e-commerce systems and his collaboration with designers took the internet by storm. The RealJukebox Skin promoting Rage Against the Machine’s album became an instant sensation.

As the company’s Diversity Advocate since 1995, George resonated with Black students, championing a more inclusive and equitable tech industry. His voice reached the halls of the University of Texas and Howard University in Washington, DC, advocating for minorities in the tech field.

George’s time at RealNetworks marked a pioneering era that has left an indelible mark on the company and the industry. His story is an inspiring testament to the power of leadership, creativity, and social consciousness in technology. It’s a journey I’ve witnessed from the very beginning, and it continues to amaze me every day.

His dedication, passion, and unyielding pursuit of excellence not only paved the way for a successful career but also for a legacy that parallels the great pioneers of our time. George’s story isn’t just a story of success; it’s a story of breaking barriers, of forging paths, and of standing tall among giants.

This is one of my favorite stories to tell about George, because I’ve known that this was going to be his journey after meeting a High School Sophomore, George Jones the Summer of Band Camp my ninth grade year in Amarillo, Texas in 1983. We spoke on the phone for hours about the things he was doing on a new computer his mom got him for Christmas. There’s stories of him using something called Telnet that allowed him to talk to people anywhere in the World, and they were all talking about the next best thing called the Internet. There is a story about tickets to France and phone calls made from college that some of which were made to me that I can confirm, lol.

George FREENEY Jr.’s journey at RealNetworks was marked by innovation, leadership, and a commitment to diversity. As the Manager of the Consumer Marketing Group, George’s vision and relentless drive led his team to exceed expectations, growing the subscriber base from 150,000 to a staggering 750,000 in just 15 months. Partnerships with major content providers like CBS, CNN, and various sports leagues flourished under his guidance.

But George’s influence extended beyond numbers and spreadsheets. A true advocate for diversity, he took on the role of Diversity Evangelist, traveling to prestigious universities like Howard and Texas. His eloquent speeches and strategic insights helped shape a more inclusive future for the company, fostering an environment where diverse talent could thrive.

His technical prowess shone brightly in his role as a Technical Program Manager. Whether working on intricate projects for esteemed clients like David Letterman and MLB Radio or partnering with Sister Judith Zoebelein to stream Pope John Paul II’s historic Christmas Mass, George’s ability to navigate complex technical landscapes was unmatched.

Perhaps one of his most remarkable feats was architecting the first-ever 24-hour live feeds for CBS’s reality TV series, Big Brother. A significant milestone that showcased his precise planning and execution, a legacy that continues to this day.

His creativity didn’t stop there. After RealNetworks acquired Piggyback.com Games and rebranded as RealGames, George was instrumental in developing a scalable e-commerce system that processed over 4,000 transactions daily. His collaboration with designers led to the creation of a promotional RealJukebox Skin that took the internet by storm, becoming the most popular download in just a month.

George’s influence wasn’t confined to technical and managerial roles. As the company’s Diversity Advocate since 1995, his voice resonated with Black students at the University of Texas and Howard University in Washington, DC, speaking on behalf of opportunities for minorities and championing a more inclusive and equitable tech industry. Through managerial expertise, technical innovation, and unwavering commitment to diversity, George’s time at RealNetworks marked a pioneering era that left an indelible mark on the company and the industry at large. His story serves as an inspiring testament to the power of leadership, creativity, and social consciousness in the ever-evolving world of technology.