Radio

George Noory – 2017

George Noory turned his hosting job on an overnight talk show on KTRS into a springboard to national prominence when he became host of Premier Network’s “Coast To Coast AM.” Known here as “The Nighthawk,” Noory succeeded Art Bell on the national broadcast in 2003, reaching the overnight audience over some 600 radio stations. Much of the program’s focus centered on discussions of paranormal, alien abduction, time travel and unexplained phenomena. Noory authored three books and often conducted his broadcasts from his home in St. Louis.

George Rueppel – 2017

Brother George Rueppel, S.J., took the experimental wireless station at Saint Louis University, 9YK, and turned it into radio station WEW. 9YK had been broadcasting weather information by Morse Code since 1912, and Brother Rueppel was working as director of SLU’s meteorology department. When WEW was licensed for voice transmission in 1922, Rueppel headed the operation and did most of the initial announcing. He brought a Victrola into his makeshift studio and played music into the microphone to fill the time. His work will forever establish him as one of the founders of radio in St. Louis

Gene Roberts – 2018

Gene Roberts is remembered as the voice of bluegrass music in the St. Louis area, a position he carried out for many years as a bluegrass disc jockey on WGNU and on non-commercial radio stations KDHX and KCLC, incorporating many records from his personal collection into the shows. He got his start in broadcasting in 1947 at Armed Forces Radio in Okinawa. In 2003 Gene was named to the Who’s Who list of country DJs in St. Louis, and he was a charter member of the International Bluegrass Music Association and received the Pioneer of Missouri Bluegrass Award.

Bill Wilkerson – 2018

Bill Wilkerson achieved many firsts in his radio career, but it was his hosting of KMOX “Total Information AM” with Bob Hardy and Wendy Wiese that endeared him to the masses. The program had huge ratings – the largest listenership in St. Louis radio. He began his KMOX career in 1969 as a news reporter and then sports reporter, did St. Louis Football Cardinals and Mizzou football play-by-play and even professional basketball with Bob Costas and hockey with Dan Kelly. It is believed he was the first African-American NFL radio announcer and NHL color man. Bill’s wry humor was always evident in his broadcasts, especially those KMOX mornings. He also worked at WIBV and KTRS before retiring from radio in 2006.

Fr. Boniface Wittenbrink OMI – 2018

Fr. Boniface Wittenbrink, OMI, used the technical aspects of the radio industry to provide informational services to the blind. As the founder of the “Talking Book” program at radio station WMRY in Belleville, he procured funding to purchase special radio receivers, acquired studio equipment and space and recruited volunteer readers. The service provided an audio stream for blind listeners, consisting of news and features from the day’s papers, as well as books and magazines. He went on to establish the same service in 10 Illinois cities, Texas, Canada and the Philippines. The local operation grew to more than 200 volunteers serving over 14,000 people.