The Philadelphia-born, Detroit-raised Doug Banks began his radio career as an on-air personality for his high school’s radio station. A local top 40 station took note of his talent and hired him for a temporary late-night weekend disc jockey spot. Even though he was the youngest DJ, he quickly earned a permanent position. After high school, Doug turned a six-week trial into a multi-year position at KDAY in Los Angeles.
His next LA stop was KFI, which was the stepping-stone to his first Morning show slot in Las Vegas at KLAV-AM. Next was KDIA-AM in San Francisco, followed by Chicago at WBMX (now V103), where he took the Morning show from a 1.8 share to a healthy 5.6, beating the competition. It didn’t take them long to hire him. Doug did nights for there for a year, then moved into mornings becoming a Chicago institution from 1987 to 1994. The next logical step: a syndicated radio show!
The Doug Banks Show aired in the Afternoon for two years before moving up to Mornings. Now firmly established in the hearts and minds of fans across the nation, Doug recently celebrated his 16th year as a syndicated radio host. Millions tune in each week and experience some of the most creative and innovative programming on the airwaves today. In 2008, Doug launched his new afternoon show on V103 and has been top-rated ever since.
The recipient of numerous radio awards, Doug was honored in November 2005 at the 12th Annual Living Legends Foundation Gala in New York City for his outstanding achievements and contributions as a trailblazer in the radio entertainment community. With his strong track record of assisting various grassroots organizations, Doug has also been successful in reaching out to and mobilizing the Urban community. In January 2006, in collaboration with Disney and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, he launched The Doug Banks Literacy & Scholarship Initiative. The program supports the development of a fully literate American population by raising awareness about illiteracy and getting the private sector actively involved in supporting literacy across the country.
