Radio HOF

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. 

Carole Carper – 2019

Carole Carper began her radio career while a student at Fisk University. In St. Louis she became the first Black female radio news director in the market, taking that position at KADI-AM/FM in the mid-70s. She had previously worked at WESL and later went to KKSS before moving to the Los Angeles market. Her work at KADI won her recognition for the best news feature by the Missouri RTNDA, beating out work by news powerhouses statewide. Carole was the first Black woman appointed to the national board of RTNDA in 1985.

Peter Maer – 2019

Peter Maer, who began his broadcast career at WGNU and WIBV on the East Side, spent nearly 35 years as a White House correspondent, working for the Mutual, NBC and CBS Networks. Before he left St. Louis at his career’s beginning, he also worked at WEW and KSHE. His national news reporting won numerous accolades including three Murrow Awards, the Scripps-Howard Award, the Walter Cronkite Faith and Freedom Award. He’s a member of the SPJ Hall of Fame and received the St. Louis Press Club Lifetime Achievement Award. Maer is a Mass Comm graduate of SIU-Edwardsville where he later served as commencement speaker and received an Honorary Doctorate Degree.

John Beck – 2016

John Beck was one of the market’s senior managers of a radio cluster, having served at the helm of Emmis Communications’ St. Louis properties for over 30 years, during which he oversaw station acquisitions, as well as format and personnel changes. The stations he oversaw consistently ranked in the market’s top ten. His community activities included service in over a dozen non-profits, and outside professional accomplishments included service as president of the Missouri Broadcasters’ Association, participation on several of the group’s boards, and work on several specialized efforts of the National Association of Broadcasters. His professional honors included being named one of the nation’s top ten radio market managers by Radio Ink Magazine.