Museum of Broadcast Communications

09/11/2021

Just sad news today. WGN News Anchor Allison Payne died at age 57. A phenomenal woman, gone too soon. (Pictures from her friend and colleague Pam Grimes.)

https://youtu.be/SS-uZoIUBfo

09/05/2021

Join our Executive Director Susy Schultz who will be talking about Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and it’s award to MBC and our partner, the Greater Chicago Food Depository. That’s Sunday on The Hannah and Fred Show

The Hannah and Fred Show kicks off another great month of shows on 95.1 FM/AM 1420 WIMS with our medical contributor, USC Medical Center Critical Care Unit doctor, Dr. Raj Dasgupta. We’re talking booster shots, vaccines with full approval and Delta (oh my!)

Did you happen to see Darlena Cunha’s article in The Washington Post regarding school dress codes? She’ll join us to talk about why these stories keep happening.

Mariann Alda, who you know from her work on the TV shows, The Edge of Night, and The Royal Family, among so many others, is now a positive aging influencer. Yep, she’s fighting ageism like it’s a bully, and we get to learn all about how.

The Museum of Broadcast Communications was chosen for a really exclusive traveling art exhibit, and Susy Schultz comes on to tell us what to expect.

And, we discuss all the news of the week (and it’s been a LOT!) Tune into 95.1 FM/AM 1420 WIMS and 106.7 Valparaiso, starting Sunday at 11am. You can also listen via the TuneIn app, www.WIMSradio.com, and streaming live on Facebook (@HannahFredShow).

09/05/2021

Willard Scott, weatherman on NBC’s ‘Today’ show, dies at 87

Thank you, Willard. RIP.

Willard Scott, the beloved weatherman who charmed viewers of NBC’s “Today” show with his self-deprecating humor and cheerful personality, has died. He was 78.

08/29/2021

Ed Asner, Emmy-Winning Star of ‘Lou Grant’ and ‘Up,’ Dies at 91

Thank you, Ed Asner, for all the great roles, the many laughs and your wonderful talent. RIP

From Mr. Grant on the "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" to Santa Claus from "Elf," you always delighted and surprised us.

Below is the obit from the NYT and here is a link to Biography's take on Asner and his career: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PL7Lvs_M1U

Best known as the gruff newsman he first played on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” he was also a busy character actor and a political activist.

08/27/2021

#SendMBCTheArtJohn

How does one get chosen out of more than 1,000 entries to be a winner in the eyes of the crew at Last Week Tonight with John Oliver?

The recipe for MBC was simple: Get a great camerawoman, writer and director in Aileen Bishop, our general manager. Ask her to bring her wit and whimsy. Add in the expertise of sound engineer Michael Cantella. And line up the star power of Svengoolie (Thank you Rich Koz and Jim Roche!) to show people, MBC has friends in high places. Then, make sure your executive director (Susy Schultz) is willing to put pride aside and go to any lengths to promote the museum she loves.

Got it? OK, you're ready. Here is the video entry we submitted when asking John Oliver to send MBC his art.

The Museum of Broadcast Communications' winning submission to Last Week Tonight's competition for museums to host the Last Week Tonight Masterpiece Gallery.…

08/26/2021

Yesterday we shared that MBC is the second stop of the Last Week Tonight Masterpiece Gallery National Art Tour of 2021. Today, we give you the full story — Last Week Tonight with John Oliver second video goes into a little more detail. And yes, we are still honored to be one of the 5 museums chosen, and grateful it means we and the Greater Chicago Food Depository will get $10,000.

#MBC2021

08/25/2021

WE ARE SO EXCITED!
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver chose us along with four other lovely museums to host his eclectic art collection!
Yes, people, we are the second stop in the 2021 Last Week Tonight Masterpiece Gallery National Tour.
WHAT AN HONOR! #MBC2021

08/19/2021

Jennifer Lyons named president and general manager of CBS 2 - Robert Feder

Congratulations, Jennifer Lyons! Congratulations, WBBM-TV (Channel 2)!

Jennifer Lyons, who's been one of Chicago’s most honored and respected broadcast news executives for more than two decades, has been named president and ge

07/26/2021

Fan voting for the 2021 Radio Hall of Fame class starts today in the categories of Music Format On-Air Personality and Spoken Word On-Air Personality. Cast your vote at https://www.radiovote.com/

Fan voting for the 2021 Radio Hall of Fame class starts today in the categories of Music Format On-Air Personality and Spoken Word On-Air Personality. Cast your vote at https://www.radiovote.com/

07/12/2021

MBC is very proud to announce the 2021 nominee slate for the Radio Hall of Fame. Congratulations!

Congratulations to all of the 2021 Radio Hall of Fame nominees. Listener voting in the Music Format On-Air Personality and Spoken Word On-Air Personality categories begins July 26.

https://www.radiohalloffame.com/2021-nominees

07/11/2021

Hiring, Firing, Setting the Culture: Black Women at the Top of TV News

Great read from the Sunday The New York Times about Medill - Northwestern University’s Ava Thompson Greenwall’s book, “Ladies Leading.”

It “shines a spotlight on the highest-ranking Black women in television news management. But even at the top, sexism and racism abound,” the NYT writes.

The museum was thrilled to interview Greenwall in May.
please watch it here: https://vimeo.com/574196422.

The book, ‘Ladies Leading,’ shines a spotlight on the highest ranking Black women in television news management. But even at the top, sexism and racism abound.

07/08/2021

So very excited about the new exhibit we are building to celebrate a century of radio. Tune in to our page everyday as we share another fun radio fact from our upcoming display!

Did you know that radio waves, the ones that powered the first transmission across the air in the 1920s are what also powers your smart phone today?

And take a look at this beauty — any idea what it is?

It’s the first of it’s kind but we still use it today to show off our pipes. Guess below and the first person to get it right, will get an MBC T-shirt and mug!!!

We will be opening. We are a bit delayed due to technical issues but as they say, stay tuned!

06/22/2021

Happy (half) Hour: John Owens, Natl. Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

John is the president of the Chicago/Midwest chapter of NATAS

06/16/2021

Live at Five | Goodman Theatre

Thanks to the Goodman Theatre for asking us to co-sponsor this discussion on the intersection of theater and television. It was a fascinating discussion about yesterday, today and tomorrow with some of the bright minds in the theater world. Take a listen!
https://www.goodmantheatre.org/LiveatFive

Join us for a panel discussion in celebration of Live, in partnership with the Museum of Broadcast Communications. Artists and scholars, including playwright Ike Holter (I Hate It Here, Lottery Day), Susy Schultz, Museum of Broadcast Communications Executive Director, actor Mary Beth Fisher (The Sou...

06/14/2021

Join us at 5 p.m. (CST) tomorrow (Tuesday) for a panel discussion on current and historical intersections of theater and television. The museum is excited to partner with the Goodman Theatre's LIVE at 5 series. The panel, features our Executive Director Susy Schultz along with these phenomenal artists and scholars: Ike Holter, "I Hate It Here" playwright, Christopher Oscar Peña, playwright and screenwriter, and Mary Beth Fisher "The Sound Inside" actor. It will be moderated by Goodman's Director of Education and Community Engagement Willa Taylor.

Join us on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrMzs7szWxw

Join us at 5 p.m. (CST) tomorrow (Tuesday) for a panel discussion on current and historical intersections of theater and television. The museum is excited to partner with the Goodman Theatre's LIVE at 5 series. The panel, features our Executive Director Susy Schultz along with these phenomenal artists and scholars: Ike Holter, "I Hate It Here" playwright, Christopher Oscar Peña, playwright and screenwriter, and Mary Beth Fisher "The Sound Inside" actor. It will be moderated by Goodman's Director of Education and Community Engagement Willa Taylor.

Join us on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrMzs7szWxw

06/09/2021

Happy (half) Hour: Al Gini & TV Fathers

As a lead up to Father's Day, this week on the Happy (half) Hour, Susy Schultz and Loyola University Chicago's Al Gini discuss the portrayal of fathers on television, from classic to modern and everything in between.

H(h)H is off next week, but back live on June 22 with John Owens from Chicago/Midwest Chapter: National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences to talk about the Chicago/Midwest Silver Circle Award. Then we'll be on hiatus for the summer - we have a museum to get open for you!

06/08/2021

No Happy (half) Hour today, but we'll be talking to Al Gini tomorrow on a special Wednesday edition. As Father's Day draws near, our topic will be the portrayal of fathers on television - classic, modern, wonderful, and weird. Tune in tomorrow, Wednesday 6/9 at 5:30 PM for the penultimate H(h)H before we take a summer hiatus!

No Happy (half) Hour today, but we'll be talking to Al Gini tomorrow on a special Wednesday edition. As Father's Day draws near, our topic will be the portrayal of fathers on television - classic, modern, wonderful, and weird. Tune in tomorrow, Wednesday 6/9 at 5:30 PM for the penultimate H(h)H before we take a summer hiatus!

05/29/2021

Gavin MacLeod, Star of 'The Love Boat' and 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show,' Dies at 90 — The Hollywood Reporter

Gavin MacLeod, Star of 'The Love Boat' and 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show,' Dies at 90 — The Hollywood Reporter

The actor also stood out in the war film 'Kelly’s Heroes' and on 'Hawaii Five-O.' A stint on 'McHale’s Navy' almost killed him.

05/27/2021

Dr Ava T Greenwell: Ladies Leading

Dr Ava T Greenwell: Ladies Leading

05/26/2021

Don't miss tonight's Zoom discussion with Medill - Northwestern University's Dr. Ava Thompson Greenwell about her new book "Ladies Leading: The Black Women Who Control Television News". Thanks to Robert Feder for the mention in today's column! You can still register at https://museum.doubleknot.com/event/dr-ava-greenwell-ladies-leading/2817583

Don't miss tonight's Zoom discussion with Medill - Northwestern University's Dr. Ava Thompson Greenwell about her new book "Ladies Leading: The Black Women Who Control Television News". Thanks to Robert Feder for the mention in today's column! You can still register at https://museum.doubleknot.com/event/dr-ava-greenwell-ladies-leading/2817583

05/25/2021

Sign up today, join us tomorrow.
Dr. Greenwell's book is fascinating.
tinyurl.com/MBCevents

Sign up today, join us tomorrow.
Dr. Greenwell's book is fascinating.
tinyurl.com/MBCevents

05/20/2021

How The “Rural Purge” Created Modern TV

From one of our favorite academics and our television curator, Walter J Podrazik. Nice video, Bloomberg.

This is how cancellations of popular rural-themed television shows in the early 1970s such as Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, Lassie, Hee-Haw, and The Bever...

05/18/2021

Happy Half Hour, our weekly look at the wide and wonderful world of broadcast — be it radio, television or digital — will return in two weeks. Please join us then.

Happy Half Hour, our weekly look at the wide and wonderful world of broadcast — be it radio, television or digital — will return in two weeks. Please join us then.

05/17/2021

On Wednesday, May 26, we are excited to host Dr. Ava Thompson Greenwell of Medill - Northwestern University for a Zoom discussion of her new book "Ladies Leading: The Black Women Who Control Television News," which explores the struggle and obstacles faced by Black women in newsrooms, and the importance of representation in all levels of journalism.

Registration is required at: https://museum.doubleknot.com/event/dr-ava-thompson-greenwell-ladies-leading/2817583

Purchase the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Ladies-Leading-Black-Control-Television/dp/1951941632

On Wednesday, May 26, we are excited to host Dr. Ava Thompson Greenwell of Medill - Northwestern University for a Zoom discussion of her new book "Ladies Leading: The Black Women Who Control Television News," which explores the struggle and obstacles faced by Black women in newsrooms, and the importance of representation in all levels of journalism.

Registration is required at: https://museum.doubleknot.com/event/dr-ava-thompson-greenwell-ladies-leading/2817583

Purchase the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Ladies-Leading-Black-Control-Television/dp/1951941632

05/13/2021

Dick Kay, longtime Chicago political reporter for WMAQ-TV, dead at 84

Dick Kay, a reporter who covered national and local politics for more than four decades, died today. RIP.

Here is The Chicago Sun-Times' obituary by Maureen O'Donnell, who captured his style perfectly: "Mr. Kay had a stentorian voice that sliced through the noise at crime scenes and news conferences like a bass-baritone in an opera. It seemed to command answers from politicians and public relations people who might have preferred to slink away from a mic."

He worked the NBC station for 38 years. Hired as a writer in 1968, he soon was covering the Democratic National Convention, one of the biggest political stories of the century.

05/11/2021

Happy (half) Hour: Daniel Kisslinger and Damon Williams, AirGo Podcast

Daniel Kisslinger and Damon Williams,
Co-Hosts of AirGo Podcast

05/09/2021

Happy Mother's Day! Who is your favorite TV Mom?

Happy Mother's Day! Who is your favorite TV Mom?

05/08/2021

Tea with the Turtles

We love our colleagues at Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum! And who doesn't love the idea of Tea with Turtles?

Join the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum as we share our unique work with Blanding's turtles.

05/05/2021

There are still a few open spots to register for tomorrow's event! Register at: https://museum.doubleknot.com/event/melody-spann-cooper-a-discussion-of-radio/2815202

Join us at 7pm on May 6th for our event with Melody Spann Cooper as we continue celebrating #100yearsofradio. Learn more about her years of experience working in the #radio industry and about her new book, "The Girlfriend's Guide to Closing the Deal."

The program costs $5 to attend, and you can register via the link in the flyer below.

Thank you to WVON 1690AM - The Talk of Chicago and Wvon Midway Broadcasting for working with us to put on this event.

#womeninradio #radio #BlackWomenInRadio #midwaybroadcasting

05/04/2021

Happy (Half) Hour w/Isabel Vazquez, Senior Producer at Third Coast Audio Festival

It's time for our weekly Happy (Half) Hour show, featuring Isabel Vazquez, Senior Producer at Third Coast International Audio Festival.

Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to join us again next week, same time, same place.

05/03/2021

Is anyone else an avid NPR listener? 🙋‍♀️

Listen to the first, on-air, original broadcast of "All Things Considered" at: https://www.npr.org/2021/04/28/990230586/hear-nprs-first-on-air-original-broadcast-from-1971

#NPR #AllThingsConsidered #radio #nostalgia #100yearsofradio #OnThisDay #onthisdayinhistory

Is anyone else an avid NPR listener? 🙋‍♀️

Listen to the first, on-air, original broadcast of "All Things Considered" at: https://www.npr.org/2021/04/28/990230586/hear-nprs-first-on-air-original-broadcast-from-1971

#NPR #AllThingsConsidered #radio #nostalgia #100yearsofradio #OnThisDay #onthisdayinhistory

04/29/2021

Join us at 7pm on May 6th for our event with Melody Spann Cooper as we continue celebrating #100yearsofradio. Learn more about her years of experience working in the #radio industry and about her new book, "The Girlfriend's Guide to Closing the Deal."

The program costs $5 to attend, and you can register via the link in the flyer below.

Thank you to WVON 1690AM - The Talk of Chicago and Wvon Midway Broadcasting for working with us to put on this event.

#womeninradio #radio #BlackWomenInRadio #midwaybroadcasting

Join us at 7pm on May 6th for our event with Melody Spann Cooper as we continue celebrating #100yearsofradio. Learn more about her years of experience working in the #radio industry and about her new book, "The Girlfriend's Guide to Closing the Deal."

The program costs $5 to attend, and you can register via the link in the flyer below.

Thank you to WVON 1690AM - The Talk of Chicago and Wvon Midway Broadcasting for working with us to put on this event.

#womeninradio #radio #BlackWomenInRadio #midwaybroadcasting