Lights, camera, action! UIC faculty member helps curate the Museum of Broadcast Communication

Communication faculty member Walter Podrazik sits at a replica of Johnny Carson's desk. (Photo Jenny Fontaine/UIC) Listen to story summary

When the Museum of Broadcast Communication reopened to the public in October 2025, visitors were welcomed into a rich exploration of radio, television and media history.

Guided by the Museum of Broadcast Communication's head, David Plier (chairman, president and CEO), the museum offers an immersive journey through media history, featuring iconic late-night television desks and sets used by Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon, the Johnny Carson Centennial exhibit, historic broadcasting equipment, beloved Chicago television characters, and a celebration of Chicago's legendary Loop Radio station.

Communication faculty member Walter Podrazik and the President of the Museum of Broadcast Communication, David Plier, pose in front of a replica of the Johnny Carson Tonight Show's stage. (Photo Jenny Fontaine/UIC)

Helping bring that story to life was Walter Podrazik, a University of Illinois Chicago faculty member and longtime television historian.

Podrazik, who teaches courses on the history of television, media and politics and is co-author with Harry Castleman of "Watching TV: American Television Season by Season (Fourth Edition)," played a key role in writing exhibit descriptions for the museum's new location, 440 W. Randolph St., in Chicago's West Loop. He has served as a consultant to the Museum of Broadcast Communication for many years through its various former homes across Chicago, including the Chicago Cultural Center.

As a member of the museum's exhibit team, Podrazik spent the summer and early fall of 2025 working closely with archivists to curate an extensive collection of artifacts documenting the evolution of broadcast communication, especially focused on late night TV.

Visitors to the museum encounter exhibits showcasing influential television personalities, talk show hosts and programs that have shaped American culture locally and nationally. Among the recognizable artifacts are characters from Chicago television history, including Garfield Goose and MacIntosh Mouse from "Bozo's Circus," the beloved WGN-TV children's program that aired from the 1960s through the early 2000s.

"The program was so popular that expectant parents who wanted free tickets for their child to attend one day would write in while the mom was pregnant to get a chance to be in the program," Podrazik said.

Bozo's Circus costumes, games and characters are displayed at the Museum of Broadcast Communication. (Photo Jenny Fontaine/UIC)

The museum also highlights more recent moments in broadcasting history. One of its newest acquisitions is Stephen Colbert's Late Show set and the desk he used during his Democratic National Convention special broadcast from Chicago's Auditorium Theatre in 2024.

The museum experience traces the development of media technology through displays of vintage radios, studio cameras and large tube televisions that once defined American living rooms.

One of Podrazik's favorite exhibits is the "Johnny Carson Centennial," an immersive tribute to the late-night television icon. The exhibit features replicas of Carson's midcentury-modern set furnishings, microphones and suits, along with photographs from some of his most memorable celebrity interviews. Together, the artifacts illustrate Carson's lasting influence on the late-night television format.

"The goal was to make an accessible, readable, engaging narrative of media history and television history," Podrazik said.

For Podrazik, understanding the history of broadcast media is essential for students preparing to enter the industry.

"It's important for new generations to learn the past of television media because they're the ones creating it today," he said. "They don't have to replicate everything that happened in the past, but understanding that history is helpful from both an artistic and business perspective. If you're going to leverage industry connections after graduation, you need to understand the field you're entering, its place in contemporary society and the organizations and employers that shape it."

Communication faculty member Walter Podrazik at the Evolution of Late Night exhibit at the Museum of Broadcast Communication (Photo Jenny Fontaine/UIC)

That connection between history and future careers became especially evident during the Museum of Broadcast Communication's Future in Media Career Fair in spring 2026. Students from UIC's Department of Communication and UIC Radio joined college and high school students from across the region to meet recruiters and media professionals from major broadcasters, including ABC, CBS, NBC, Telemundo, FOX, Audacy and Cumulus Media. Attendees participated in panel discussions with journalists and news producers and explored career opportunities throughout the media industry.

"One thing I learned was how many people and careers work behind the scenes to bring television, radio and digital media to life," said Sarai Hernandez, a junior and host of "Vinyl Diaries" on UIC Radio. "Hearing directly from industry professionals during the panel discussions gave me a better understanding of how the media world is changing and how important it is to adapt to new technologies while continuing to connect with audiences in different ways."

For many students, the event was more than a networking opportunity. It offered an immersive look at the history and future of broadcasting. Visitors could sit behind Stephen Colbert's desk, come face to face with Conan O'Brien's beloved sidekick Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and imagine themselves one day hosting their own television or radio program.

Through the contributions of educators like Podrazik and the museum's dedication to preserving media history, the Museum of Broadcast Communication continues to connect generations of storytellers while inspiring the next wave of broadcasting professionals.