Jim Bohannon, who for three decades was the master of ceremonies for the SPJ DC Pro Chapter’s annual Dateline Awards and Hall of Fame Dinner, died on Nov. 12, 2022, in Seneca, South Carolina. Jim was a loyal member of the DC Chapter and was himself in the DC Chapter Hall of Fame as well as the National Radio Hall of Fame (2003) and the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame (2022). His membership in SPJ was nearing the 50-year mark. He was best known for his late night talk program “The Jim Bohannon Show” and for “America in the Morning,” both heard on Mutual Radio and, later, Westwood One. Jim retired from broadcasting in October.
He had moved to South Carolina from the Washington area about six years ago, continuing his show from an in-home studio, but had been returning to Washington each June after that to emcee the annual dinner, the last time in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the chapter to put the dinner on hiatus in 2020 and 2021, but Jim appeared in the virtual gatherings those two years to read the names of finalists and winners of the annual Dateline Awards contest, which continued despite the lockdowns and restrictions that made in-person gathering either not possible or too much of a challenge to pull off. Perhaps no one involved was more disappointed about that in 2020 than Jim was – he already had his plans made, “and I wondered if I should keep my airline reservations, hotel room, and rental car,” he emailed in early May that year. The dinner and awards ceremonies returned to an in-person event in 2022. Jim had let us know some months beforehand that he would have to step back from his traditional role this year.
In late June/early July, the chapter began an email campaign to track chapter membership, at the urging of SPJ national headquarters staff, as it became apparent there that the software was causing some issues with renewal of local dues along with national dues. Chapter membership roster updates were thus also affected. Jim’s name was among those of many long-time members of the DC Chapter who were listed as not having paid local dues. This was upsetting to him – he’d contact the chapter regularly around income tax filing time to be able to relay to his accountant whether any portion of the dues he’d paid were considered donations, an indication he was very involved in all aspects of his membership. “Next June 14th I’ll have 50 years in the Society, but right now that doesn’t count for much,” he wrote to SPJ headquarters staff July 4 in an email copied to DC Pro Corresponding Secretary Amy Fickling. “Amy informs me that I’m considered lapsed as a local member … So, could we please unlapse me? Your move, I guess.”
At the chapter’s Membership Appreciation meeting Jan. 26, 2019, Bohannon was honored for his 45 years of SPJ membership, marked in 2018. Since he could not attend the meeting to receive his accolades in person, he sent an email in advance with a few remarks to be read aloud at the meeting. He highlighted some memorable experiences in his years of membership:
“By far my most significant memory is Freedom of Information Day. I’ve always done a lot of feature stories, and it was May 19, 1977, that I interviewed William ‘Bill the Dill’ Moore, president of Pickle Packers International. He sent me all kinds of material about International Pickle Week, even including 8 x 10 glossy photos of pickles (which I couldn’t quite work into my radio reports!). It occurred to me then that, if pickles get a whole week, then surely something as important as freedom of information deserved at least a day. I eventually took this idea to the 1979 SPJ national convention in New York City, and presented it to President Jean Otto and the national SPJ board. I suggested we declare a National Freedom of Information Day, and that it be each March 16, birthday of James Madison, father of the Constitution. It was so adopted, and has been observed each March 16 starting in 1980.
“In such an ephemeral business as radio, this may be one of my few enduring contributions to the profession. I’ve greatly appreciated my membership, the friendships, and the backing available whenever the First Amendment is challenged. We are a vital organization and should be proud of what we do.”
I … presented it to President Jean Otto and the national SPJ board. I suggested we declare a National Freedom of Information Day, and that it be each March 16, birthday of James Madison, father of the Constitution. It … has been observed each March 16 starting in 1980.
— Jim Bohannon
Jim also had a heart for helping the next generation. He was quick to volunteer to judge with other SPJ Region 2 volunteers another region’s student Mark of Excellence Contest entries, particularly in the radio categories. During the judging in February 2021, he noted that while the entries he judged were high quality, it was disappointing “that there wasn’t one radio newscast entry” among those submitted in the other region from the 2020 qualifying year.
Jim worked in radio starting in high school and college, according to the obituary posted by the funeral home handling the arrangements in South Carolina (also a place to post memories to the family). He had a tour of duty in Vietnam in 1967-68. He was stationed at Vint Hill Farms Station, Virginia, after returning to the U.S. and worked at radio stations WGAY, WTOP and WRC in the Washington market. He joined the Mutual Network in 1983, which later became Westwood One Radio. He began anchoring the “America in the Morning” news magazine, hosting the Saturday night “Jim Bohannon Show,” and filling in on the “Larry King Show.” In 1993, Larry King moved to CNN, and the radio show became the “Jim Bohannon Show,” which Jim hosted until his death – 29 years.
Other aspects of his life and career are detailed in other obituaries and appreciations, including:
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/james-bohannon-obituary?id=37339790
WTOP.com: https://wtop.com/local/2022/11/radio-host-and-former-wtop-anchor-jim-bohannon-dies-at-78/
WashingtonPost.com: Jim Bohannon, fixture of late-night radio, dies at 78
Jim was sharp and witty. He was feeling the painful and funny in April 2020 as the pandemic wore on. The following was copied to the DC Chapter newsletter editor when sent to an assistant to be posted on his radio show’s website:
The gross national creativity is certainly going viral.
Some examples:
Let’s face it. If Hollywood ever makes the Andrew Cuomo story, Al Pacino has to play the lead, and he won’t even need makeup.
I plan to become rich just as soon as I figure out how to make hand sanitizer from crude oil.
How serious are things getting? Strip clubs are offering fist-bump dances.
“Gee grandpa, what did you do in the coronavirus war back in 2020?” “Well, child, I had a very dangerous job, as a tail gunner on a Charmin delivery truck.”
Want a good rule for handwashing? Try the Texas rule: Wash your hands as if you’ve just sliced up some jalapeno peppers, and are now about to take out your contact lenses.
Bumper sticker waiting to happen: Better 6 feet apart than 6 feet under.
New line from McDonalds: Can you afford fries with that?
Remember that old suggestion to only use one square of toilet paper at a time? Who knew that Sheryl Crow had a crystal ball?
Avoiding human contact for digital contact. Buying everything online. Finding anything to do online just to keep occupied. I’m becoming a millennial.
Gas is cheap but I’m grounded–what am I? 16 again?
Corona-free man seeks corona-free woman with toilet paper. Send pictures of toilet paper.
As we continue the lockdown, remember that Osama Bin Laden spent 3 years stuck in a house with 5 wives. What do you bet he called the navy SEALS himself?
My wife and I have decided that we don’t want children. Tonight at dinner we’ll be telling them.
I roam the house all day looking for food. I get told, “No” if I get too close to people. And I get really excited about a car ride. I’m becoming a dog.
Drinking alone used to be a warning sign of addiction. Now it’s being socially responsible.
What’s Prince Charles doing quarantined in that Scottish castle–virtual jousting?
My housecleaner just called to tell me that she’ll be working from home, but will phone me with instructions on what to do.
Hope we don’t have to start hunting for food. I don’t even know where Doritos live.
My body has absorbed so much soap and disinfectant that when I pee, I clean the toilet.
Turns out I have 3 hobbies: Eating in restaurants, visiting non-essential businesses, and touching my face.
If schools are closed much longer, parents are going to invent a vaccine before the scientists do.
I used to spin the toilet paper like I was on Wheel of Fortune. Now it’s like I’m cracking a safe.
Good news about my car: I’m getting 3 weeks to the gallon.
And when this quarantine is over, let’s not tell some people.
The offbeat. I’m Jim Bohannon.