Join host Bobby Bones as radio's biggest names gather at Chicago's Fairmont Hotel to welcome the newest members into a club nearly four decades in the making. The Radio Hall of Fame, housed within the Museum of Broadcast Communications, will hold its 2026 Induction Ceremony on Thursday, October 8th. 

This year's class covers both legendary voices and visionary leaders. "Each of these inductees has performed at the highest levels for a sustained period of time to make our industry that much more impactful to listeners and advertisers as a result," said Radio Hall of Fame Co-Chair Kraig Kitchin in announcing the class.

The 2026 Hall of Fame Class:

• Boomer Esiason, WFAN, New York City
• Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO, iHeartMedia
• Dennis Green, COO, Sun & Fun Media/Key Networks
• Rickey Smiley, Urban One/Reach Media
• Charlie Van Dyke, Radio personality and programming legend
• "Shotgun Tom" Kelly, SiriusXM's "60s on 6"
• Helen Little, WLTW, New York City
• Fred Winston, WLS, Chicago

Alongside the living inductees, the Radio Hall of Fame separately announced nine Legends, a posthumous category recognizing individuals who shaped the industry and have since passed away.

The 2026 Legends Class:

• Lin Brehmer, On-air personality
• Vivian Carter, On-air personality and record company executive
• Dale Dorman, On-air personality
• Gary Krantz, Network radio and syndication executive
• Wink Martindale, On-air personality, game show host, & producer
• B. Mitchell Reed, On-air personality
• Pierre Robert, On-air personality
• Polito Vega, On-air personality
• D.E. "Duke" Wright, Radio station owner and executive

"The Radio Hall of Fame is proud to honor this year's Legends inductees, whose extraordinary careers have helped define the history and enduring impact of radio," said Hall of Fame co-chair Dennis Green in TALKERS. "From iconic on-air personalities to visionary executives, each has left an indelible mark on our industry."

Tickets for the induction ceremony are on sale now through the Radio Hall of Fame's website, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Museum of Broadcast Communications.

Born in New York, Andre "Doctor Dre" Brown is a rapper, radio personality, and actor. He's best known for co-hosting MTV's groundbreaking "Yo! MTV Raps" with Ed Lover, which brought hip-hop videos, artist interviews, and culture into American living rooms.

But Dre got his start on the radio. First, on WBAU, Adelphi University's student station, where he began building the connections and instincts that would define his career. Then, in the early 1990s, he teamed up again with Lover to co-host a morning radio show during the relaunch of New York's Hot 97 (WQHT). Dre's decades on the air, bridging hip-hop's rise from campus radio to major-market airwaves, make him a broadcasting legend.

Unfortunately, Dre has faced health struggles in recent years, including complications from diabetes that led to blindness and a leg amputation. Finding himself in critical need, Dre reached out to the BFOA for support. The BFOA’s Monthly Grant Program gives industry veterans a measure of financial stability when a long-term health crisis makes it impossible to keep working. It's a reminder that the safety net BFOA provides isn't abstract. It is here for the people who helped create radio history, both on-air and behind-the-boards.

We thank Dre for sharing his story of perseverance. Find more grantee stories at www.broadcastersfoundation.org/ourstories.