The End of an Era
I’m continuing today with thoughts on the departure of hall of fame broadcaster Jim Bohannon, whose last national radio show airs tomorrow. You can hear it in its entirety Saturday night from 9 until midnight.
I mentioned yesterday that I’ve been acquainted with Mr. Bohannon for 21 years…he has had me as a guest on his program to talk about topics ranging from Ronald Reagan’s Iowa radio career, the 2008 Cedar River flooding and the Iowa caucuses. He’s also shared portions of these commentaries with his audience at times.He’s also come to Iowa at my request four times to talk to journalism groups…never charging a fee, always with an interest toward promoting good journalism.
Each March 16, national Freedom of Information Day is celebrated…thanks to Jim Bohannon. More than 40 years ago now, he received a media kit from the National Pickle Growers Association or something like that. They wanted to promote National Pickle Week, complete with a lapel button reading “Ask Me About Pickles” or something similar. It occurred to him that if pickles got a whole week, surely the First Amendment should get at least a single day. So he proposed it at a convention of the Society of Professional Journalists, and the rest is literally history. It’s held on James Madison’s birthday, Madison being the chief architect of the First Amendment. But the recognition is solely because Jim Bohannon came up with the idea. He often wore that lapel button to events…because when someone then asked about pickles, he’d take the opportunity to promote the First Amendment right to free speech.
On one of his trips to Iowa, I was surprised by receiving the Jack Shelley Award, for recognition in Iowa broadcast journalism. He was in on it all, of course, and delighted in keeping the secret since I was supposedly running the organization presenting the award. When I thanked him for being there, he replied that it was his pleasure…although he thought it was the Shelley Winters Award, and he always liked her work in films. To this day, I cannot see that plaque on the wall without thinking of that line.
These days, shows start with a self-promoting host delivering a grand monologue telling you what he or she thinks. Not the Bohannon program, hosted by a “militant moderate” as he calls himself. His philosophy has been to bring all voices to the conversation–treating them with respect, but holding them accountable when needed—presuming that the audience is smart enough to draw its own conclusions after hearing all sides.
If that sounds familiar, it’s the same attitude we take with regard to local programming here on KXEL…we call it the Bohannon Method, and that’s no coincidence.
We will all miss his calm voice guiding us through the late night hours. I will miss a true gentleman and professional friend. As he leaves the air tomorrow, I trust he will know what good he has put upon the Earth through that radio microphone…and that that knowledge and the prayers of millions of listeners will bring him strength and peace.
