13-Jun-12 – Chicago was on its own for local news and entertainment Tuesday evening as the city’s broadcasting elite gathered at the Museum of Broadcast Communications on North State Street to celebrate the museum’s 25th anniversary.

On June 12, 1987, the museum first opened at River City in the west Loop. It was at the Chicago Cultural Center for eleven years but outgrew the space in 2003. Since then, it has been, as MBC president Bruce DuMont describes, a “bumpy ride.” But in 2010, with funding smoothing out the ride, construction resumed on the four-story building in River North at the corner of State and Kinzie Streets.

“We’ve been through a long road,” DuMont told a packed penthouse ballroom. “The last ten years has been virtually all uphill. But tonight we are at the mountaintop. And I cannot thank you enough for being here to share this joyous night in the life of this museum.”

Reflecting on their years in the spotlight were long-time broadcaster Hugh Downs, actor John Mahoney, and actress Betty White. “Oh boy, have I got you fooled,” joked White (left) after a 54-second standing, cheering ovation. The 90-year-old actress recalled meeting DuMont for the first time in Los Angeles to discuss the museum. “This building, this whole thing we’re celebrating tonight, means that television has not just become another baby, it has grown up. It has become something that will influence the world from here on out.”

In his closing comments, DuMont thanked a long list of Chicago media people who supported the museum and attended the event, including Carol Marin, LeAnn Trotter, Matt Walsh, Tom Dreesen, “Mancow” Muller, Dean Richards, Terry Hemmert, Rich Koz, Roy Leonard, Kathy Brock, Alan Krashesky, Roe Conn, Tom Weinberg, Bill Kurtis, Walter Jacobson, and Marshall “Wizzo” Brodein.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will officially open the museum to the public on Wednesday at 10 a.m. in front of the main entrance at 360 North State Street.