WGN’s Bertrand Achieves Lifetime Achievement
• WGN Radio/Chicago is proud to announce that the RTDNA Foundation and their 2026 First Amendment Awards has honored Steve Bertrand with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The foundation’s awards celebrate the efforts to promote responsible journalism and preserve the constitutionally guaranteed rights to do so. Past honorees include local reporters, network anchors, members of the U.S. House of Representatives and multiple U.S. Senators.
A cornerstone of the airwaves for four decades, Bertrand retired from WGN Radio in November 2025. His tenure with the station began as an intern in the ’80s, eventually transitioning to anchoring the news in 1992. Over the years, Bertrand has hosted various programs and anchored news across every daypart.
Bertrand stands among a select group of industry leaders recognized this year, including JuJu Chang, ABC News • Vladimir Duthiers, CBS News • Kevin Goldberg, Freedom Forum • Jennifer Griffin, Fox News • Tom Llamas, NBC News • NPR and PBS • Bill Owens, (former) 60 Minutes • Manu Raju, CNN.
Steve Bertrand may be retired, but his insights aren’t going anywhere — you can still catch him as a regular at the roundtable on WGN Radio’s Mincing Rascals podcast.
• The RTDNA Foundation, the 501(c)(3) educational arm of the Radio Television Digital News Association, is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of ethical journalism and fostering leadership in the newsroom.
