Long-time Lebanon broadcast legend announces retirement

Veteran broadcaster and Lebanon native Jim Bohannon is stepping down from his national nightly radio show after nearly 30 years. Westwood One announced this week that Bohannon was retiring due to health reasons on October 14, 2022. Bohannon’s final show was to include special guests and the opportunity for listeners to call in and offer their thanks and best wishes. Bohannon spent more than 31 years as host of the early morning weekday news magazine “America in the Morning” and also previously hosted the weekend news magazine “America This Week.”
Bohannon began his career in 1960 at his hometown station, KLWT-AM, Lebanon. After college at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield and service in the U.S. Army, he moved to Washington where he worked at Easy Listening WGAY-FM and News-Talkers WTOP-AM and WWRC-AM. He later moved to Chicago in 1980, where he worked as a morning anchor at WCFL-FM Radio and as a freelance reporter for Cable News Network. He joined Westwood One in 1983 and has anchored newscasts, political conventions and election night coverage in addition to his weekday programs.
Bohannon hosted his own Saturday night phone-in program and served as the principal back-up for Larry King on The Larry King Show. Bohannon took over the nightly program from King in 1993.
“It’s been a great 40 years with Westwood One, with the last 30 as host of the ‘Jim Bohannon Show.’ I’ve enjoyed every minute of our daily nighttime town hall with my guests, callers, and all of America,” said Bohannon in a press release.
In 2018, he told the Record that “there’s never a dull day” hosting a radio show.
“You never know if you’re going to get a nasty call, a funny call, a tough call, you just don’t know and it’s exciting,” he said.

Bohannon’s honors include being a member of the National Radio hall of Fame and the Missouri Broadcasters Hall of Fame. His portrait was placed on the Lebanon Wall of Honor at the Cowan Civic Center in 2003.
“I’ve always been very proud of Lebanon,” he said in 2018. “Lebanon gave me my start, the schools, the role models were all wonderful people. Most of the things good that I am are to Lebanon’s credit.”
Westwood One said Bohannon was a legend in the radio industry.
“We celebrate Jim’s long radio history and all his achievements, including his induction into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame, the First Amendment Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association, the Lifetime Achievement Award from Talkers Magazine, and his inductions into the National Radio Hall of Fame and the Missouri Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. Jim has been an invaluable member of our Westwood One family over these many years. He is truly an industry legend,” said Suzanne Grimes, Executive Vice President Corporate Marketing, Cumulus Media and President, Westwood One in a statement.
New York-area talk show host and Westwood One producer Rich Valdes will guest host “The Jim Bohannon Show” beginning Monday, October 17.
The show was carried locally on KWTO AM 560 and FM 93.3.