Michael Savage inducted into radio hall of fame

Michael Savage, the host of the nationally syndicated "The Savage Nation," will be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame at a ceremony Thursday night in Chicago.

Savage won induction in the category of Spoken Word On-Air Personality in a polling of radio listeners among finalists Sean Hannity, Diane Rehm and Mike Francesca.

Michael Savage

"Radio is king," Savage told WND as he reflected on the award, noting the role his medium had in electing Donald Trump to the White House.

Savage was dubbed "the Godfather of Trumpmania" in a profile earlier this year by Salon magazine. His message of borders, language and culture was a fixture in the campaign of the real estate billionaire, who was a frequent guest on Savage's show. Savage has described his latest book, "Scorched Earth: Restoring the Country After Obama," as "an architectural plan for Trump."

"This award represents a lifetime of achievement to me," Savage said. "I'm honored to be in the company of greats such as Walter Winchell and Orson Welles.

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He recalled the impact of radio on his youth.

"I grew up listening to radio in the 1940s," he said. "As my father smoked his Philip Morrises, I would lie on his lap listening to 'The Green Hornet' and the 'The Lone Ranger.' Later on, my mother took me to Radio City Music Hall, and I was awestruck to learn there was no thunder, and it was a man hitting metal to make the sound. Likewise, I was shocked to find out there were no horses in the studio.

He said that even in the talk format, radio is "a theater of the mind."

"I try to bring these elements to a medium that has become all too cut and dried, nothing but a sounding board for brittle politics," he told WND. "Now that the election is over, I hope to continue to do what I do best, which is to bring the art of storytelling and the magic of the mind to my listeners.

"It was loyal listeners who voted for me to win this honor," he noted.

In an interview with WND in September, Savage vowed to hold Donald Trump accountable to his promise to reform Washington. Earlier this week, he criticized the appointment of Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus as White House chief of staff, saying, “We’ve gone from RINOs to Rinso in one election."

Michael Savage

"The Savage Nation" is syndicated across the U.S. by Cumulus Media in more than 200 markets. He signed a new multiyear contract with Westwood One in August.

Savage is also the author of more than 30 books, including New York Times best-sellers. In 2007, he earned the coveted "Freedom of Speech Award" from Talkers Magazine, where he is consistently listed as one of the top talk shows in the nation.

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He holds a master’s degree in medical botany and a second in medical anthropology. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in epidemiology and nutrition sciences.

When the hall of fame award was announced in July, National Radio Hall of Fame Chairman Kraig T. Kitchin said "this year’s class of inductees represents the diversity that makes radio so personal, entertaining and impactful."

"We all very much appreciate everyone who participated in this process as we welcome the very best in our business into the National Radio Hall of Fame," he said.

Savage's bestselling books include "Government Zero: No Borders, No Language, No Culture," "Trickle Down Tyranny: Crushing Obama's Dream of the Socialist States of America," "Trickle Up Poverty: Stopping Obama's Attack on Our Borders, Economy, and Security," "The Savage Nation," "The Enemy Within," "Liberalism is a Mental Disorder," "Political Zoo," "Psychological Nudity: Savage Radio Stories" and "Banned in Britain."