[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 17, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO JOEL WEISMAN

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today I want to say a few words about a 
Chicago icon--and one of the most admired journalists on television--
Joel Weisman. This Friday will be the 40th anniversary of WTTW-Channel 
11's longest running show, ``Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review,'' and 
it will be Joel's farewell broadcast.
  Since 1978, Joel has beamed into Chicago's living rooms to help us 
all digest the news of the week. Throughout the series' four decades, 
Joel was there every step of the way: Joel has been with WTTW since 
1973, starting as its political editor and commentator on ``The Public 
News Center.'' A lifelong Chicagoan and graduate of the University of 
Illinois and Chicago-Kent College of Law, Joel has dedicated his career 
to informing the people of Chicago.
  Every Friday night, Joel has welcomed fellow journalists to a 
roundtable discussion on the critical topics of the week. Oftentimes 
with humor, Joel has been Chicago's self-described ``reporter, editor, 
traffic cop, and referee.'' He just has one simple rule: The panelists 
have to be nonpartisan and diverse. Today, unfortunately, this is hard 
to find on television, but as he said in his retirement announcement, 
``No one in journalism has been given the trust and editorial control 
of a show for that length of time.'' There is a reason he has been in 
that chair for 40 years. Joel Weisman has class and is a man of 
integrity. He insists the show represents just that. Well, I am here 
today to say, it absolutely does. Joel Weisman is a true newsman.
  Joel Weisman has had an amazing career. Prior to joining WTTW, Joel 
worked for the Gary Post-Tribune, the former Chicago American, Chicago 
Sun-Times, and was a Midwest correspondent for the Washington Post. His 
work earned him Emmy, Peter Lisagor, Jacob Scher, and Associated Press 
awards. He has been inducted into the Silver Circle of the Chicago/
Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and 
Sciences. That is not all. Joel Weisman also has been nominated twice 
for the Pulitzer Prize for his investigative reporting. If you think 
there is nothing more Joel can fit into his incredibly busy schedule, 
you are wrong. In addition to being a fulltime journalist, he also runs 
a fulltime law practice that specializes in media talent 
representation.
  I want to congratulate Joel Weisman on his distinguished career and 
thank him on behalf of the city he loves for his outstanding work and 
service to the Chicagoland area. He loves Chicago, and Chicagoans love 
him. Although he is retiring, Joel is not staying out of the political 
conversation. He will continue his service to his community and work as 
an attorney, focusing on media law. I am heartened that Joel will 
remain a powerful voice in the community, and I wish him and his family 
all the best.

                          ____________________