Felicia Middlebrooks facts for kids
Felicia Middlebrooks, born on May 29, 1957, is a famous American radio news broadcaster. For many years, she was the main news anchor for the morning show at WBBM Newsradio in Chicago, Illinois. Her show with Pat Cassidy was very popular and ranked number one in the morning! Felicia decided to leave WBBM on May 29, 2020, to focus on her own company, Saltshaker Productions.
About Felicia Middlebrooks
Felicia Middlebrooks grew up in Gary, Indiana. She went to West Side High School and then to Purdue University Calumet. She earned a degree in Mass Communications in 1982 and later an MBA in 2014. She even teaches broadcast news there! To pay for her college, Felicia worked as a steelworker in northwest Indiana.
Before coming to Chicago, she worked at several other radio stations like WBAA, WJOB, WGVE, and WLTH. In 1984, Felicia made history! She became the first woman and the first African American person in the entire country to co-anchor morning news for CBS Radio. This was a huge step forward!
Felicia has won many awards for her amazing work in reporting and leadership. These include the Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in News and the Associated Press “Best Reporter Award.” She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sigma Delta Chi Society of Professional Journalists/Chicago Headline Club.
Today, Felicia is the head of Saltshaker Productions LLC, with offices in Chicago and Los Angeles. Her first documentary film, “Somebody’s Child: The Redemption of Rwanda,” won first place for “Best Documentary Short” in 2005 at the New York International Film & Video Festival. Felicia is also a published author. She started a non-profit group called "Hollywood Comes to Chicago." This group helps young people in the Midwest who want to become screenwriters. She also serves on the board of directors for three other non-profit groups: “Hands of Hope,” “WINGS: Women in Need Growing Stronger,” and “Children’s Home and Aid Society” (CHASI).
Morning Co-anchors
Here are the news co-anchors who worked with Felicia Middlebrooks during her time at WBBM, starting in 1984:
- 1984-1998 and 2008-2010: John Hultman
- 1998-2000: Ken Herrera
- 2000-2008 and 2010-2020: Pat Cassidy
