Clayborn Benson
The Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences inducted five recipients from Milwaukee broadcasting into the Academy’s prestigious Silver Circle. The induction ceremony took place at a luncheon at the Kleibhan Conference Center at Cardinal Stritch University on Sat., Oct. 2, 2010.
The 2010 inductees include: Jack Abrams, producer and director, WMVS Milwaukee Public TV, Clayborn Benson, retired WTMJ-TV photojournalist & founder of the Wisconsin Black Historical Society Museum, Ed Hinshaw, retired vice president of Human Resources, Journal Broadcast Group and former anchor reporter and editorial director for WTMJ-TV, Tom Hooper, former anchor & Contact 6 consumer reporter, WITI-TV and Bunny Raasch-Hooten, former WTMJ-TV anchor/reporter, and former reporter, anchor, assistant news director & news director, WISN-TV.
The Television Academy established the Silver Circle to honor outstanding individuals who have devoted 25 years or more to the television industry, and who have made significant contributions to their local television market. Previous Milwaukee Silver Circle inductees include: WISN’s Mike Anderson and Kathy Mykleby, WITI’s Vince Condella, Joanne Williams, Melodie Wilson, and Carl Zimmermann, WTMJ’s Mike Jacobs and Paul Joseph, WMVS’ Dan Jones and Bill Werner, and The Poynter Institute’s Jill Geisler, formerly with WITI. Representatives from the 2008 and 2009 classes of the Silver Circle served as the TV Academy’s Selection Committee for the 2010 Milwaukee Silver Circle Honors.
Benson also worked for The Milwaukee Courier Newspaper in 1968 under the late Walter Jones who was the editor of the newspaper at the time.