Chicago's Television Royalty to be Honored

Furniture Mogul Tim Smithe to Chair The Museum of Broadcast Communications'
Tri-Generational Reunion and Fan Celebration

For Immediate Release
Marla Saret
Marla.Saret@edelman.com
312-233-1320
Aaron Gannon Aaron.Gannon@edelman.com
312-240-2926

Chicago, Ill. (June 11, 2010) – The Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC) will present the first-ever reunion of three generations of Chicago television icons at the Hilton Chicago June, 11. A Salute to Chicago Television will honor the city's historic television personalities, producers, directors, writers and executives and also feature today's contemporary industry leaders. Tim Smithe of Walter E. Smithe Furniture, and a TV personality in his own right, will serve as General Dinner Chairman of the event. The Nielsen Company is the lead sponsor of the historic gathering.

Confirmed attendees are Lee Phillip Bell, Jim Conway, Carmelita Pope, Jorie Lueloff, Jim Ruddle, Warner Saunders, Joel Daly, Merri Dee, Jack Taylor, Harry Volkman, Jim Tilmon, Marshall Brodien, Bob Hale, Rudy Orisek, Jack and Elaine Mulqueen, second generation pioneers Bill Kurtis, Walter Jacobson, Roger Ebert, Rich Koz, Bob Sirott and Marianne Marciano, Frank Mathie, Bob Petty, Roy Leonard, John Drummond, Bob Wallace, Dick Kay, Ruben Cruz, Theresa Gutierrez, producers Thea Flaum and Scott Craig, executives Howard Shapiro, Bill McCarter and Sheldon Cooper, and ratings king Arthur C. Nielsen, Jr.

Current on-air personalities attending include Tom Skilling, Dean Richards, Cheryl Burton, Alan Krashesky, Anna Davlantes, Dick Johnson, LeAnn Trotter, Alex Perez, Amy Freeze, Corey McPherrin, Leah Hope, Mark Saxenmeyer and Bill Zwecker,

"My brothers and I grew up watching Chicago Television like Bozo's Circus, Ray. Rayner, and Kukla, Fran and Ollie," said Tim Smithe. "We watched the late news with our parents to feel more grown up. Today, it's hard to imagine that we only had five channels to watch. But these channels enriched our lives and painted a picture of our world. I am thrilled to chair A Salute to Chicago Television, and look forward to the grand opening of the museum."

Proceeds from the event will benefit the final phase of construction of the new MBC at State and Kinzie in downtown Chicago. The museum will be Illinois' first Gold LEED certified museum.

"The tri- generational reunion will provide contemporary Chicago television personalities with an opportunity to honor those pioneers who paved the way and also give fans a chance to meet their favorite local TV personalities in person," said MBC Founder and President Bruce DuMont.

"Keeping a television audience's attention is no easy task, and yet the Chicago broadcast community has delivered engaging content that keeps people tuning in decade after decade," said Cheryl Pearson-McNeil, Senior Vice President of The Nielsen Company. "Because of the rich and unique history The Nielsen Company shares with this community we're especially excited to be a part of an evening that promises to be exciting and memorable."

A Salute to Chicago Television will be held at the Hilton Chicago at 720 South Michigan Avenue starting with a 6:00 p.m. reception, followed by dinner and a program. Tickets can be purchased online at the MBC website at www.museum.tv. Anyone purchasing a table of ten will be seated with a Chicago TV personality.

Media contact:
Marla Saret, Marla.Saret@edelman.com 312-233-1320
Aaron Gannon, Aaron.Gannon@edelman.com 312-240-2926

About the MBC

The mission of the non-profit Museum of Broadcast Communications is to collect, preserve, and present historic and contemporary radio and television content as well as educate, inform, and entertain the public through its archives, public programs, screenings, exhibits, publications and online access to its massive resources at www.Museum.TV.