Chicago (CBS) — 19 notable Americans awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom Among them at the White House on Friday was Phil Donahue, who once taped his famous talk show on Chicago's CBS 2.
Donahue, 88, said she was visibly moved by President Joe Biden's honor.
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A native of Cleveland and graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Donahue worked in several radio and television jobs before joining WHIO Radio in Dayton, Ohio, in 1959. According to his recollections, he hosted a program on the station called “The Conversation Piece.'' From the Dayton Daily News. He also worked as an anchor at his CBS affiliate WHIO-TV in Dayton.
He then changed stations to WLWD-TV (now WDTN) and founded “The Phil Donahue Show” in 1967. This program became nationally broadcast three years after his.
Donahue moved the show to Chicago in 1974 and began recording from WGN-TV 9. The show's name was changed to “Donohue.”
In January 1982, “Donohue” switched from Channel 9 to CBS 2 in Chicago, recording from the station's old studio at 630 N. McClurg Ct. In historic Studio 1, the site of the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon presidential debate.
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Donahue followed the same style in his shows, with a focus on engaging and involving the audience. He focused on his one guest or topic per show and made a point of bringing people out and getting them involved.
Topics at the time included serious and controversial themes at the time, such as abortion, nuclear war, the Equal Rights Amendment, and LGBTQ+ rights such as adoption by lesbian couples. But he also entertained celebrities, politicians, and members of the press. Donahue's show also brought icons to celebrities. “Frugal Gourmet” Jeff Smith became nationally famous after appearing on “Donahue” in 1983, and shortly thereafter began recording his own show on his WTTW Channel 11 from Chicago.
Sometimes, when Donahue was taping a show on CBS 2, a guest from his show would appear live on Channel 2 News on the same day.
Donahue moved the show to New York City in early 1985. Shortly before his departure, he spoke with CBS 2's Walter Jacobson. He asked about concerns that moving the show to New York would cause a backlash among Chicagoans.Left behind, perhaps people realized that he was “thinking” [himself] As a big enough guy to make it in New York.
“This is not a teddy bear city,” Donahue said of Chicago. He added that the show was already a success among New York viewers, even though it was still being recorded from Chicago, adding, “Maybe one of the reasons we're getting attention in New York is… I think it's because we're from Chicago.”
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“Donahue” ran until 1996, paving the way for “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and other talk shows. Donahue also briefly hosted a show on MSNBC.
Other recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Friday included Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Katie Ledecky and Academy Award-winning actress Michelle Yeoh.
