{"id":25837,"date":"2020-06-12T06:00:18","date_gmt":"2020-06-12T11:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.robertfeder.com\/?p=25837"},"modified":"2020-06-12T17:11:46","modified_gmt":"2020-06-12T22:11:46","slug":"oprah-bring-pomp-circumstance-chicagos-virtual-graduation-sunday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/2020\/06\/12\/oprah-bring-pomp-circumstance-chicagos-virtual-graduation-sunday\/","title":{"rendered":"Oprah to bring pomp and circumstance to Chicago's virtual graduation Sunday"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/a> Oprah Winfrey<\/p><\/div>\n

Nine Chicago television stations are onboard to broadcast a star-studded virtual graduation ceremony for the city\u2019s 35,000 high school seniors. Airing at 1 p.m. Sunday, it's billed as \u201cGraduation 2020: For Chicago. By Chicago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hosted by Miguel Cervantes, star of the musical \u201cHamilton\u201d in Chicago, the live one-hour special will feature a commencement address by Oprah Winfrey and appearances by performing artists (including hip hop star Common and Katie Kadan of \u201cThe Voice\u201d), professional athletes and other celebrities.<\/p>\n

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Graduation 2020<\/p><\/div>\n

The unprecedented event is being produced by ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7<\/a> for the city of Chicago in partnership with Citadel, the financial services and investment company owned by billionaire Ken Griffin.<\/p>\n

In addition to ABC 7, the special will air on CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2, NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5, Nexstar Media Group WGN-Channel 9, Window to the World Communications WTTW-Channel 11, Weigel Broadcasting WCIU-Channel 26, Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32, Telemundo WSNS-Channel 44 and Univision WGBO-Channel 66. It also will air on Chicago Public Media WBEZ 91.5-FM among other radio stations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are honored to not only produce this historic event for the city of Chicago\u2019s graduating seniors, but we are pleased to be able to expand the virtual graduation past our broadcast on WLS and [digital platform] Localish, and offer it to all television and radio stations across the city of Chicago,\u201d said John Idler, president and general manager of ABC 7.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are living in an unprecedented time, but that didn\u2019t stop the class of 2020. WLS wants to ensure that we produce and deliver an exciting, heartfelt send-off that can be felt by all graduating seniors and their families wherever they are throughout the city, and one that will not be forgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n

In other special programming this weekend:<\/strong><\/p>\n