Chuck Schaden
Encyclopedia
Charles Leroy "Chuck" Schaden, born June 29, 1934, is a Chicago-area broadcaster and historian who hosted the program
Those Were the Days on local radio from 1970 to 2009. Schaden plays recordings of classic old-time radio
shows and reminisces with radio personalities about the early days of broadcasting
. The program first aired on WLTD in Evanston in 1970 and then moved to WNIB
, Classical 97 in Chicago from 1975 to 2001, and since 2001 it has been heard on WDCB
90.9 FM, a public radio station in Glen Ellyn, Illinois
.
Born in Chicago, Schaden is a former newspaper editor and marketing executive who turned his hobby of collecting radio shows into a vocation. For his efforts in preserving and documenting radio history he was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1993, the first radio fan to receive this honor. He has often served as a consultant on topics related to broadcasting history, and he is a founding member of the Board of Directors of Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications
.
He was the editor and publisher of the magazine Nostalgia Digest from its inception in the mid-1970s until his retirement in 2005. The magazine is now edited and published by Funny Valentine Press. He documented the history of Chicago's WBBM
in WBBM Radio: Yesterday and Today (2003), and he also wrote The Cinnamon Bear Book (1987) and Speaking of Radio: Chuck Schaden’s Conversations with the Stars of the Golden Age of Radio (1998).
On October 9, 2006, he became the new host of the nationally syndicated When Radio Was!
series, replacing Stan Freberg
(who had hosted the show since 1995). His first show for When Radio Was! was "A Salute to Stan Freberg." Chuck stepped down as host of this series in October 2007, with XM Satellite Radio's Greg Bell taking over the program beginning with the broadcast of October 8.
It was announced in early 2009 that Schaden will step down as host of "Those Were The Days" in June. When making the public announcement, Schaden explained that he wanted to spend more time with his family. Mr. Schaden currently resides in Morton Grove, Illinois
.
Radio programming
Radio programming is the Broadcast programming of a Radio format or content that is organized for Commercial broadcasting and Public broadcasting radio stations....
Those Were the Days on local radio from 1970 to 2009. Schaden plays recordings of classic old-time radio
Old-time radio
Old-Time Radio and the Golden Age of Radio refer to a period of radio programming in the United States lasting from the proliferation of radio broadcasting in the early 1920s until television's replacement of radio as the primary home entertainment medium in the 1950s...
shows and reminisces with radio personalities about the early days of broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
. The program first aired on WLTD in Evanston in 1970 and then moved to WNIB
WNIB
WNIB, 97.1 FM , was a classical music radio station that was begun in Chicago, Illinois on July 9, 1955. The frequency was assigned to William C. Florian who began operations and retained ownership until its sale in 2001. The call letters stood for Northern Illinois Broadcasting...
, Classical 97 in Chicago from 1975 to 2001, and since 2001 it has been heard on WDCB
WDCB
WDCB is a radio station broadcasting a public radio and jazz format. Licensed to Glen Ellyn, Illinois, USA, the station serves the Chicago area. The station is currently owned by College of DuPage, District 502 and features programing from AP Radio and Public Radio International...
90.9 FM, a public radio station in Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Glen Ellyn is an affluent village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the village population was 26,999.-Geography:...
.
Born in Chicago, Schaden is a former newspaper editor and marketing executive who turned his hobby of collecting radio shows into a vocation. For his efforts in preserving and documenting radio history he was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1993, the first radio fan to receive this honor. He has often served as a consultant on topics related to broadcasting history, and he is a founding member of the Board of Directors of Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications
Museum of Broadcast Communications
The Museum of Broadcast Communications is an American museum that currently exists exclusively on the Internet and not in any physical capacity. Its stated mission is "to collect, preserve, and present historic and contemporary radio and television content as well as educate, inform and entertain...
.
He was the editor and publisher of the magazine Nostalgia Digest from its inception in the mid-1970s until his retirement in 2005. The magazine is now edited and published by Funny Valentine Press. He documented the history of Chicago's WBBM
WBBM (AM)
WBBM is an all-news CBS radio station in Chicago, Illinois broadcasting on the AM dial at 780 kHz. It is owned by CBS along with WBBM-TV....
in WBBM Radio: Yesterday and Today (2003), and he also wrote The Cinnamon Bear Book (1987) and Speaking of Radio: Chuck Schaden’s Conversations with the Stars of the Golden Age of Radio (1998).
On October 9, 2006, he became the new host of the nationally syndicated When Radio Was!
When Radio Was
-History:The series began as a local program in Chicago, hosted by Carl Amari, who was the founder of Radio Spirits, Inc., which sells tapes and CDs of old time radio programs. Former CBS Radio executive Dick Brescia heard an in-flight version of the program, and soon mounted a nationally...
series, replacing Stan Freberg
Stan Freberg
Stanley Victor "Stan" Freberg is an American author, recording artist, animation voice actor, comedian, radio personality, puppeteer, and advertising creative director whose career began in 1944...
(who had hosted the show since 1995). His first show for When Radio Was! was "A Salute to Stan Freberg." Chuck stepped down as host of this series in October 2007, with XM Satellite Radio's Greg Bell taking over the program beginning with the broadcast of October 8.
It was announced in early 2009 that Schaden will step down as host of "Those Were The Days" in June. When making the public announcement, Schaden explained that he wanted to spend more time with his family. Mr. Schaden currently resides in Morton Grove, Illinois
Morton Grove, Illinois
Morton Grove is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 22,451 at the 2000 census.The Village President of Morton Grove since April 27, 2009, is Daniel J...
.