黑料门

Within months of graduating from 黑料门University Chicago with his degree in journalism, Tom Hush (BASC 鈥�16) was scooped up by WGN鈥攐ne of the biggest radio stations in the third-biggest market in the country鈥攁nd quickly found himself in the deep end of the pool. 鈥淭he first day was truly thrilling,鈥� says Hush. 鈥淭hey were still in the Tribune Tower then, which is a beautiful building, and I felt the weight of history as I walked through the halls.鈥�

He didn鈥檛 have much time to savor the moment. 鈥淚 was hired and trained for three days prior to Thanksgiving, and I was working a show Thanksgiving night. There was very much an expectation that you just figure it out and get with it. Luckily, I did.鈥�

Hush is currently the producer for the on WGN Radio, a popular overnight talk show, where he is responsible for the full panoply of show preparations and on-air operations. 鈥淚鈥檓 interested in the mechanics of how to put a show together, and I鈥檝e always been more interested in what鈥檚 going on behind the scenes,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 like making other people look good, and don鈥檛 mind that being my job.鈥�

Hush cut his teeth in radio as a program manager at WLUW-FM 88.7, Loyola鈥檚 student-run radio station. This year, he was one of about 30 alumni who returned to the boards as part of an alumni takeover of the station in honor of WLUW's 40th anniversary, taking a shift on the air along with sidekick Paul Quinn. 鈥淲e played some music and chatted things up, and I had some fun returning to my goofy college persona.鈥�

His experiences at 黑料门helped prepare Hush for WGN, where his jobs requires him to think on his feet. One memorable experience was the night Sen. John McCain died, which led to WGN immediately changing gears to cover the breaking news.

鈥淲e scrapped all of Sunday鈥檚 shows," Hush recalls. "I cold-called senators and people in Congress, and they were very generous with their time. I called Senator Dick Durbin and asked, 鈥楬ey, can you talk about John McCain for a bit?鈥� and he gave me half an hour. It was really amazing.鈥�

One of the things Hush appreciates about WGN is its community-oriented culture. 鈥淲GN has been like that since it went on the air in the 1920s," he says. "It鈥檚 a place were people listen, learn, and maybe get a new perspective.鈥�