It's not a Hollywood Star, but The Illinois Broadcasters Association plans to honor the Queen of Media on Tuesday with a big nod.
Oprah Winfrey will be inducted into the association's Hall of Fame for her broadcasting career, which includes 25 years of "The Oprah Winfrey Show."
Winfrey, who Association president Dennis Lyle called "the epitome of broadcasting excellence," gets inducted during a Tuesday luncheon and joins past inductees Paul Harvey, Hugh Downs, Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel in the Hall of Fame.
Winfrey hosted "A.M. Chicago" in 1984 and transformed it into her own daytime talk show. In 2009, Winfrey said she would be ending the top-rated show. She has since launched the "Oprah Winfrey Network" and announced the last episode of the show will air May 25.
Surprises planned for the finale are under wraps, but Harpo Productions said last week a free show will be taped May 17 at the United Center. The taping is scheduled to air May 23 and 24 and is expected to include "some of the biggest names in movies, music and television in a one-time-only gathering to celebrate the 25-year legacy [of the show]," Harpo execs said. There's one catch: Producers are keeping the guest lineup a secret from Winfrey.
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama stopped by Harpo Studios last week to tape a segment that aired Monday.
