Eric Ferguson and Kathy Hart, who may well be the most popular and successful morning team in Chicago radio history, are headed for the National Radio Hall of Fame.
The duo known as Eric & Kathy, stars of Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary WTMX FM 101.9 for two decades, will be on the list when official announcement of this year’s inductees is released Monday, multiple sources have confirmed.
Sources said the two were chosen along with winners in four other categories by a panel of 400 industry professionals, including radio executives, programmers, past inductees, executive directors of state broadcast associations, and members of the trade media. Two other categories were chosen by public voting.
This was the second consecutive year on the Radio Hall of Fame ballot for Ferguson and Hart, whose industry honors include multiple citations as Major Market Personalities of the Year in the National Association of Broadcasters’ Marconi Awards. “The Eric & Kathy Morning Show" has been a gold mine for The Mix since its debut in September 1996.
In the latest Nielsen Audio survey, their show ranks No. 1 among listeners in three key adult demographics — from 18 to 49, 25 to 54, and 35 to 64.
Ferguson and Hart will be the first active Chicago personalities to enter the Radio Hall of Fame since Steve Dahl and Garry Meier in 2013. Among other Chicagoans previously inducted are Dick Biondi, Jack Brickhouse, Harry Caray, Bob Collins, Yvonne Daniels. Paul Harvey, Terri Hemmert, Tom Joyner, Herb Kent, Larry Lujack, Dick Orkin, Wally Phillips, Orion Samuelson, Chuck Schaden and Studs Terkel.
This year’s induction ceremonies will be November 17 at the Museum of Broadcast Communications, 360 North State Street, home of the National Radio Hall of Fame.