THE MUSEUM OF BROADCAST COMMUNICATIONS & MeTV NETWORK TO HONOR RICH KOZ • CELEBRATING 40 YEARS AS ‘SVENGOOLIE’

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Betsy Shepherd 312-307-3958

CHICAGO (September 9, 2019) —The Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC) and the MeTV Network are proud to honor award-winning television personality Rich Koz as he celebrates 40 years as ‘Svengoolie’. An exclusive event will be held in his honor on Saturday, October 26th at 6PM at The Museum of Broadcast Communications. The evening will include a ‘meet and greet’ with Rich Koz, the unveiling of a 40th Anniversary ‘Svengoolie’ exhibit featuring his original coffin and artifacts from the original set, a Halloween Costume contest and more. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased online at www.museum.tv. A private VIP reception with Rich Koz before the event is available for $150. All proceeds benefit the museum.

“Rich is a true Chicago television icon,” said David Plier, Chairman of The Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago. “His ‘Svengoolie’ character has entertained us for decades, and I am thrilled to have our museum honor him and equally proud to display his original set, coffin and a flock of rubber chickens for all to enjoy once again.”

"We are so proud to be Rich's TV home for the past twenty-five years, not only because he's Svengoolie, the best horror host ever, but because he's Rich Koz’, said Neal Sabin, Vice Chairman of Weigel Broadcasting.

Rich Koz launched his career in broadcasting at WMTH-FM, a small low-powered non-commercial FM station operated by the students of Maine High School in Park Ridge, IL. Koz found his calling and later while still a student at Northwestern University, sent comedy material to Jerry G. Bishop, a popular WCFL-AM personality who began the character as ‘Svengoolie’ in the early 70’s at WFLD on "Screaming Yellow Theater." Bishop, impressed by Koz's work, hired him as a writer/voice-over talent. Bishop later brought Koz along to WMAQ as producer/writer and ”second banana” on his WMAQ- AM morning Show.

In 1979, with Bishop's blessings, Koz returned to WFLD as "Son Of Svengoolie" for nearly a decade. Over the years, Koz has also hosted shows on radio stations WCKG and WGN. In 1995, broadcast executive Neal Sabin invited Rich to return to the role at The U.

Koz now portrays ‘Svengoolie’ each Saturday night seen across the country on the MeTV Network, with his cast of “Doug Graves” the laid back musical sidekick, Tombstone the talking skull and the beloved Kerwyn. He continues to popularize rubber chickens and bad movies, in addition to the popular musical numbers and commercial parodies. Select movies feature a segment of the movie produced in “Svensurround” with added sound effects, dubbed-in dialogue and visuals. He currently has received countless regional Emmy Awards, and was inducted into the prestigious Chicago Television Academy’s 2004 “Silver Circle” for outstanding contributions to Chicago television. An entire chapter devoted to Koz’s career appears in the popular book- “Chicago TV Horror Movie Shows- from Shock Theatre to Svengoolie”. Svengoolie has also won many “Favorite Horror Host” ‘Rondo Awards’. In May 2011, Svengoolie joined the national MeTV Network.

WHAT: AN EVENING WITH RICH KOZ, CELEBRATING 40 YEARS AS ‘SVENGOOLIE’ Promotional sponsors include MeTV and MeTV FM.

TICKETS: General Admission is $50 and can be purchased online at www.museum.tv. Food and beverages will be served. Limited tickets available.

A Private Reception with Rich Koz is available from 5:30pm-7pm for $150, which includes admission to the event and a personalized photograph with each guest and Sven (printed immediately on site).

*All proceeds benefit The Museum of Broadcast Communications

WHERE: Museum of Broadcast Communications 360 North State Street, Chicago, IL

WHEN: Saturday, October 26, 2019 7:00-11:00 PM Doors Open at 6:30 PM for General Admission

ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF BROADCAST COMMUNICATIONS: The Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC) collects, preserves, and presents historic and contemporary radio and television content as well as educate, inform, and entertain the public through its archives, public programs, screenings, exhibits, publications and online access to its resources.

ABOUT WEIGEL BROADCASTING COMPANY: Weigel Broadcasting Co. is a family-owned media company based in Chicago, Illinois. The company owns and operates national television networks, as well as local broadcast stations throughout the country. Weigel is the leader in the multicast television network space with "MeTV," Memorable Entertainment Television, the number-one rated and distributed multicast network, as well as the "Movies!" Network in cooperation with the Fox Television Stations, the "DECADES" Network, the "H&I" Network and the “Start TV” Network in association with the CBS Television Stations. Weigel's local stations include CBS, ABC, The CW, MyNet and Telemundo network affiliates. Weigel and its affiliate companies broadcast network and independent television stations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, St. Louis, Cedar City- St. George (Utah), Milwaukee, South Bend and Rockford.