Samuelson Marks 60 Years At WGN/Chicago
• Tomorrow, Sept. 26, 2020, legendary agribusiness broadcaster Orion Samuelson will celebrate his 60th anniversary with WGN Radio/Chicago! This week it was also announced that Samuelson will retire, effective Dec. 31.
Samuelson was 26 years old when he made his WGN debut on September 26, 1960 at “milking time” — 5am. Since then, he’s gone on to become one of the most recognizable voices and faces of agriculture in the country. “The Big O,” as he is affectionately known, presents daily agriculture and business reports on WGN, in addition to co-hosting The Morning Show on Saturdays with Max Armstrong. Over the course of his illustrious career, Samuelson has interviewed nine presidents, been involved in four official government trips, and broadcast from more than 40 countries.
Samuelson’s lifelong commitment to agriculture has earned him numerous accolades and awards, including an Honorary Degree from the University of Illinois and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Distinguished Service Award. In 2001, he was named a Laureate of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois and honored with the Lincoln Medal, the highest award bestowed by the state of Illinois, and in 2003, Samuelson was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame and presented his award by fellow Hall of Famer Paul Harvey. Orion Samuelson’s name adorns the Junior Livestock Building at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield and an honorary street sign on the southeast corner E. Illinois Street and N. Cityfront Plaza Drive in Chicago.
“Orion has been a uniquely comforting voice in both calm and tumultuous times. Generations of listeners have enjoyed his enduring presence whether or not they knew what a hog or soybean future was,” said Mary Sandberg Boyle, VP/GM of WGN Radio. “Orion’s loyalty to every person tuning in to WGN Radio made him a star. Not a Hollywood star, but a star that joined listeners daily in their cars, homes, offices, and on their farms. Orion Samuelson has been a constant for 60 years and we are fortunate WGN Radio was the platform for his wonderful journey.”
For a retrospective on Orion Samuelson’s 60-year career at WGN Radio — including audio of Samuelson reading a breaking news bulletin about John F. Kennedy’s assassination, photos and more, visit wgnradio.com/orion.
