I am deeply saddened over the death of Electronic Journalist and Talk Show host Phil Donahue, who had undoubtedly paved the way for Oprah Winfrey, her protégé Dr. Phil McGraw, and their Talk Shows; and also for the likes of Sally Jessy Raphael, Montel Williams, Maury Povich, Jenny Jones, and Ricki Lake; and their (sometimes Trash) Talk Shows.
Phil Donahue, at one time; had worked for Crosley/Avco Broadcasting, and WLWT-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio; before moving to fellow Crosley/Avco-owned Television Station in Dayton, Ohio; WLWD-TV (now WDTN-TV), where his Talk Show would originate from as a locally produced, in-house production of WLWD-TV starting in 1967; before becoming nationally syndicated starting in 1970, and eventually moving the production of his Talk Show to Chicago, and ultimately; to New York City until it’s ending in 1996.
Phil Donahue, for a time; had also worked at WHIO-AM-FM-TV; prior to working at a couple of the Crosley/Avco Television Stations, and ultimately, launching his local, and later nationally syndicated Talk Show.
WHIO-AM was the very first Radio Station to be owned by what is now the Cox Media Group, as the Founder of the Cox Conglomerate; one-time Governor of the U.S State of Ohio by the name of James Monroe-Middleton Cox, had put WHIO-AM on the air in 1935 as an offshoot of one of Cox’s Newspapers, the Dayton Daily News.
A few years later, in 1939; Cox would purchase the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Newspaper and their Radio Station; WSB-AM. Over time, Cox would put WHIO FM and TV, WCON-FM, and WSB-FM and TV on the air.
Well into the present day, Cox retains ownership of The Dayton Daily News Newspaper, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Newspaper, the WHIO Stations; and the WSB Stations.
Interview performed on Phil Donahue a number of years ago by the Academy of American Television:
Matthew Parij 
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