The Museum of Broadcast Communications is proud to announce the release of a new book authored by two of our archivists, Daniel Berger and Steve Jajkowski with a forward by the one and only, BOB SIROTT!

The history of television in Chicago begins with the birth of the medium and is defined by the city's pioneering stations. WBKB (now WLS-TV) was the principal innovator of the Chicago School of Television, an improvisational production style that combined small budgets, personable talent, and the creative use of scenery and props. WNBQ (now WMAQ-TV) expanded the innovative concept to a wider audience via the NBC network. WGN-TV scored with sports and kids. Strong personalities drove the success of WBBM-TV. A noncommercial educational station, WTTW, and the city's first UHF station, WCIU, added diversity and ethnic programming. The airwaves in Chicago have been home to a wealth of talented performers and iconic programs that have made the city one of the country's greatest television towns. Chicago Television, featuring photographs from the archives of the Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC) and the collections of local stations and historians, gives readers a front-row seat on a journey through the first 50 years of Chicago television, 1940-1990. The book features WGN TV's Ray Rayner, Harry Caray, Frazier Thomas, Jack Brickhouse, Tom Skilling and everyone's favorite clown, Bozo!

The book boasts more than 200 vintage photographs, including many from the collection of the Museum of Broadcast Communications, as well as private collectors and the collections of local stations and personalities. Chicago's role in revolutionizing how television programs were produced, referred to as the Chicago School of Television, is highlighted throughout the book. Available online, only at museum.tv.