Phil Donahue

On November 6, 1967, The Phil Donahue Show launched at the WLWD, now WDTN, studios in Moraine. Donahue’s show immediately caught on, thanks to the wide variety of guests, and a live studio audience that could ask questions. The show was groundbreaking because it was the first popular talk show to feature a format that included audience participation.

Donahue’s show was more than entertainment, it redefined television by tackling controversial issues of the time, like civil rights, consumer protections and children’s health.  The show became a platform for candid conversations paving the way for modern talk shows.

After airing only in the Dayton market for three years, the show entered syndication, airing nationwide beginning in 1970. Donahue’s show left Moraine in 1974, moving to Chicago, and later to New York. After more than 7,000 shows, Donahue’s show ended on September 13, 1996.

Donahue is a member of the Dayton Broadcasters Hall of Fame. In 2024, President Joe Biden awarded Donahue the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Phil Donahue died August 18, 2024, at the age of 88, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and daytime TV excellence that started right here in Moraine.