CHICAGO — He’s widely known as the individual who helped to create The Museum of Broadcast Communications and for various programs on WGN-AM. Now, many are pausing to remember the life and contributions of Bruce DuMont, who has died at the age of 81.
“Without Bruce’s perseverance in collecting and preserving Chicago’s television and radio history, there would be no institution like ours today,” the museum shared in a Facebook post announcing DuMont’s passing.
His career spanned decades and multiple platforms, as DuMont produced and appeared on programs such as “Noonbreak with Lee Phillip,” “Chicago Tonight,” and “Extension 720,” becoming a respected voice not only on the radio but on PBS Member WTTW-TV in Chicago.
Beyond Chicagoland, DuMont was also the creator and longtime host of “Beyond the Beltway” nationally syndicated political talk program that gave listeners across the country a unique, independent perspective on current affairs.
In 1982, DuMont launched launched the Museum of Broadcast Communications.
“Bruce DuMont’s dedication to preserving our broadcast heritage gave Chicago and the nation an invaluable cultural resource,” said David Plier, Chairman and Interim President & CEO of the museum. “We extend our condolences to his family and friends, and we honor his extraordinary contribution to media history.”
Bruce was nephew of TV pioneer Allen B. DuMont who established the DuMont television network. My father (Chris Witting Sr.) managed the DuMont network, early in his career. It included some key affiliates such as channel 5 in New York. Bruce and I often chatted about our family’s media connections.
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