R.I.P.: Chicago Radio, TV Host Billy Zayas

Billy Zayas

Longtime Chicago-area broadcaster Billy Zayas died of natural causes at his home April 11, said a longtime friend, Susan Alvarez.

He was 69-years-of-age, according to The Chicago Tribune.

Born and raised in the Bronx, NY. Dating back to his college days in Puerto Rico, Zayas had an interest in media, and hosted and produced TV and radio shows at stations in Puerto Rico, Boston and New York City. He worked as a weekend news anchor and feature reporter for WBZ-TV in Boston and produced and directed several programs for WNET-TV in New York City.

In 1978, Zayas moved to Chicago, where he began working as a radio producer. Over the next two decades, he hosted and produced shows for WBEZ-FM, WFYR-FM, WBBM-AM, WIND-AM, WOJO-FM and WOJO-FM. He also produced programs for WSNS-Ch. 44 and WCIU-Ch. 26, and was the producer and writer for "Tapestry," a WLS-Ch. 7 documentary that delved into how Hispanics new to the Chicago area interacted with longtime Hispanic residents. Beginning in 1983, Zayas began co-hosting Channel 7's coverage of Chicago's Puerto Rican Day Parade.