USA: RONALD REAGAN ENTERS RADIO HALL OF FAME

July 1, 2011

The National Radio Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2011 today and at the top of the list is former President Ronald Reagan. Reagan began his storied career in broadcasting as an Iowa  radio sportscaster where be once announced Chicago Cubs games for WOC/Davenport, Iowa and WHO/Des Moines, Iowa. The induction ceremony and national broadcast will take place on Saturday, November 5th in Chicago.

The other inductees are sportscaster Graham McNamee, news commentator H.V. Kaltenborn, The WLS National Barn Dance – First broadcast in 1924, it was the first acclaimed country music show in radio history, The Great Gildersleeve – One of radio's earliest spin-off programs, Gangbusters - The iconic radio crime drama series that dramatized FBI cases, Suspense, a radio drama.

Bruce DuMont, Chairman of the NRHOF Steering Committee tells Radio Ink "Ronald Reagan represents the quintessential young man of the 1930's from the Midwest who during the late 20's and early 30's fell in love with radio --- and made it his first big goal---until Hollywood called. Ronald Reagan is the second President inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame –and like Franklin D. Roosevelt  (inducted in 2007) , Reagan was chosen by the Radio Hall of Fame Steering Committee. In fact each year for the past 15 years there is one inductee chosen by the Committee—and not voted in by the public. There is nothing new to this process."

Dumont also says In 1995 when the Radio Hall of Fame celebrated radio's 75th anniversary ,the Steering Committee made numerous  inductions that included many pioneers –and several minorities who had been overlooked by history. "In fact, the Committee has discussed during many meetings over the past decade the need to play "catch up" --like we did in 1995 (see below ) on pioneers who have never received enough votes when pitted against one another during public voting. Unfortunately, few people alive today  know  who these inductees are—but that is the primary role of the National Radio Hall of Fame—to educate the public and the leaders of the radio industry about those who came before them."

Extended biographies of the inductees as well as audio clips can be found at www.RadioHOF.org. The 2011 selections were made by the 27 members of the National Radio Hall of Fame Steering Committee, a diverse group of radio executives, historians, academics and civic leaders. Tickets to the ceremony are $250 each – and VIP tables of ten are available for $15,000--$10,000--$5,000--and $2,500 online at www.RadioHOF.org. The National Radio Hall of Fame and the Museum of Broadcast Communications are both 501 (c-3) tax-exempt organizations. The 2011 ceremony will be the first to be held in the new Museum of Broadcast Communications at 360 N. State Street in Chicago, where the National Radio Hall of Fame gallery is housed

 

SOURCE:: RONALD REAGAN ENTERS RADIO HALL OF FAME http://bit.ly/j3Zwza

Via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia