NBC News and WMAQ Announce Major Commitment and Donation to The Museum of Broadcast Communications

NBC News and WMAQ Announce Major Commitment and Donation to The Museum of Broadcast Communications

CHICAGO, April 4 /PRNewswire/ -- NBC News and WMAQ NBC5 have announced a joint, multi-year commitment to the Museum of Broadcast Communications valued at $600,000.

"NBC News is proud to be associated with the new Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago," said NBC News President Steve Capus. "This important institution will tell the story of American radio and television, and the important place of news in that story, to generations of scholars and visitors."

"WMAQ is thrilled to partner with NBC News in standing behind the new MBC," said Larry Wert, President and General Manager of WMAQ. "As our industry continues to expand with the advent of new technologies, it has never been more important to preserve and celebrate the rich history of American television and radio and Chicago's special place in that history."

The NBC News / WMAQ commitment will include $200,000 in cash donations towards the final phase of the Museum's construction, as well as support for the TV News exhibit in the museum. The NBC News / WMAQ commitment is contingent on the successful completion of a complete fundraising and financing package by the MBC.

"The Museum of Broadcast Communications is proud to welcome NBC to our partnership team," said MBC Founder and President Bruce DuMont. "NBC set a standard of excellence in defining broadcast news and is also a leader in defining the new digital age of news gathering," DuMont added.

As part of its commitment, NBC News plans to contribute the historic, recently de-commissioned video switcher from TODAY'S Studio 1A as an exhibit on long-term loan to MBC. The switcher was the technical lynchpin of many historic broadcasts, including the 9/11 attacks, the invasion of Iraq, the death of Pope John Paul II and countless Presidential elections.

In addition, NBC and WMAQ will make available for the exhibit many other artifacts and a large collection of archival video, helping the Museum of Broadcast Communications tell the story of the nation's rich history of news broadcasting, and the prominent role of Chicago and WMAQ in that history.

NBC News will also produce a video presentation for the news exhibit at the new MBC, anchored by NBC Nightly News Anchor and Managing Editor Brian Williams. NBC and WMAQ will also provide ongoing support for the news exhibit as it is updated in the years ahead.

"We are eager to see visitors coming through the doors of the new MBC," said NBC News Vice President for Digital Media Mark Lukasiewicz, a member of MBC's board of directors.

The new Museum of Broadcast Communications, one of only three broadcast museums in the United States, is now under construction. The 70,000 square- foot home at State and Kinzie streets in downtown Chicago is expected to re-open in the spring of 2007, It will include interactive exhibit galleries, expanded archives, a media cafe, working radio and television studios, a gift shop and regularly scheduled public programs on historic and contemporary radio and television issues. For more information, please visit http://www.museum.tv/ .

Source: Museum of Broadcast Communications

CONTACT: Gina Doyle of MBC, +1-312-396-0103

Web site: http://www.museum.tv/

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