NRHOF 2013 Inductees Announced

The National Radio Hall of Fame (NRHOF) hasannounced its induction Class of 2013. The black-tie ceremony, hosted by broadcast icon Larry King, will take place on Saturday, November 9 at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago.

Jim Bohannon of Dial Global Networks will be the announcer for the ceremony and broadcast.

The Class of 2013 includes a dynamic and trend setting team that changed the Chicago radio landscape and pushed the medium’s content limits, a Nashville country music veteran with a national following, broadcast legends in Cleveland and Detroit, one of the most respected play-by-play voices in baseball, the most successful Mexican personality in Los Angeles and nationwide, and an innovative genius from Cincinnati who was a pioneer in programing, management and manufacturing.

THE CLASS OF 2013 INCLUDES:

Steve Dahl and Garry Meier Chicago

Chicago Tribune photo

In March 1979, Steve Dahl was doing a morning show at WLUP-FM where he met overnight DJ Garry Meier. The two began a cross talk that eventually led to Meier teaming up with Dahl as both sidekick and reporter. The duo moved to WLS-AM/FM for five years, then returned to the WLUP-AM in 1986, and came full circle September 1993, moving back to WLUP-FM. They became the most talked about radio team in the city’s history, representing a generation and ushering in an era of content envelope pushing that was imitated nationwide. Each continued successful careers when the duo went their separate ways.

Blair Garner Nashville

Blair Garner hosts the highly acclaimed Country radio show “After MidNite,” a six-hour program nationally syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks that airs on approximately 230 affiliates. Garner’s recognized as one of the nation’s leading on-air hosts and has received recognition every year from the Academy of Country Music and Country Radio Broadcasters. In 2003, 2005 and 2011Garner won the Academy of Country Music’s “On-Air Personality of the Year” Award in the national category.

John Lanigan Cleveland

John Lanigan came to WGAR 1220 AM to replace Don Imus in the 1970’s and had a very successful run as the morning man until he left for a Florida station in February 1984. In 1985, he returned to Cleveland and went to work at WMJI. John Lanigan began his morning show along with newscaster John Webster on September 17, 1985 with local comedian Jimmy Malone. The highly rated morning show “Lanigan & Malone Show" has remained intact ever since. During this period, WMJI achieved the highest total weekly listenership of any Cleveland radio station in the 1990s.

Paul W. Smith Detroit

Paul W. Smith is the radio news talk show host at WJR-AM and has been with WJR since July 1996. He has been a regular fill-in on "The Rush Limbaugh Show," "The Sean Hannity Show" and even subbed for the legendary Paul Harvey. He has hosted shows on the ABC Radio Network and the former Financial News Network as well as in Philadelphia, New York City and Toledo. A University of Michigan graduate, Smith devotes time to many public service groups, including Think Detroit PAL.

Eddie “Piolín” Sotelo Los Angeles

Eddie Sotelo’s show, "Piolín por la Mañana," runs weekday mornings on KSCA in Southern California. The LA Times once ranked Sotelo among the 100 most powerful people in Southern California. His show, broadcast entirely in Spanish for a Spanish speaking audience, is one of the most popular radio shows in Los Angeles and is nationally syndicated by Univision Radio. Apart from his commitment to his listeners, Eddie “Piolín” Sotelo is also one of the most sought after radio personalities in the nation for personal appearances, making regular appearances on national television.

Charley Steiner Los Angeles

Charley Steiner began his professional broadcasting career in 1969 at WIRL-AM/Peoria, Illinois. Before landing his current play-by-play job with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Steiner broadcast three years for the New York Yankees. 

Prior to his seasons with the Yankees, Steiner spent 14 years at ESPN, where he anchored SportsCenter and did Major League Baseball play-by-play on both ESPN Radio and Television. He was also was the voice for ESPN 2's Saturday Primetime football.

Powel Crosley Jr. (posthumous) Cincinnati & Sarasota

In the 1920’s, Powel Crosley purchased a booklet titled "The A.B.C. of Radio," after his son asked for a radio and he discovered it was $100. Powel and his son eventually built their own radio and soon Crosley was manufacturing radios and its components. By 1924, Crosley Radio Corporation was the largest radio manufacturer in the world—with the slogan "You’re There With A Crosley" used in all advertising.

On March 22, 1922, Crosley Broadcasting Corporation began operating WLW/Cincinnati, a 50-watt radio station. Throughout the 1930s, Cincinnati's WLW was truly "the Nation's Station," producing many hours of network programming every week. Red Skelton, Doris Day, Jane Froman, Fats Waller, Rosemary Clooney, and the Mills Brothers all performed live from the WLW's studios. Crosley also developed radio’s earliest "soap operas" with sponsorship by Procter & Gamble.

Tickets to the black-tie gala are available online at www.radiohof.org – $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000 for tables-of-ten. Individual tickets are $350. Call (312) 245-8200 for phone orders.