Biography of Sean Hannity

Sean Patrick Hannity was born on December 30, 1961 in New York City, USA. Born to Hugh J. and Lillian F. Hannity, he has three elder sisters. In 1980, he graduated from St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary high school, in Uniondale, New York. After dropping out of New York and Adelphi Universities, Hannity decided to pursue his career in radio.

Career

In 1989, Hannity began his radio career at the volunteer college station at UC Santa Barbara, KCSB-FM as a host in the talk radio show 'Terrible'. After working for less than a year, he advertised himself in most of the radio publications as 'the most talked about college radio host in America'. Soon after that he was hired by radio station WVNN in Athens, Alabama, as an afternoon talk show host. On September 10, 2001, Hannity's most popular radio show 'The Sean Hannity Show' started national association on over 500 stations across the country. In 2004, he signed a $25 million contract with ABC Radio to continue the show for next 5 years. In June 2007, ABC Radio was bought by Citadel Communication.

In 1996, Roger Ailes, co-founder of Fox News, hired Hannity along with Alan Colmes to host a television show named as 'Hannity and Colmes', an American television show based on politics. There he represented the reactionary point of view on different political issues along with Colmes. In January 2007, on Fox News, Hannity started a Sunday night television show called 'Hannity's America' and on January 9, 2009, after the final broadcast of 'Hannity and Colmes', he started his own new show 'Hannity', with a format similar to 'Hannity's America'.

Hannity has also written two books, Let Freedom Ring: Winning the War of Ideas in Politics, Media, and Life and Deliver Us from Evil: Defeating Terrorism, Despotism, and Liberalism. Both these books appeared in the nonfiction New York Times bestseller list.

Awards and Honors

Hannity was honored twice with the 'Marconi Award' (first in 2003 and second in 2007) as the 'Network Syndicated Personality of the Year' from the 'National Association of Broadcasters'. In 2005, he was awarded with an honorary degree by the Chancellor of Liberty University, Jerry Falwell. He was given the 'Freedom of Speech Award' in 2003 by the 'Talkers Magazine' and for three consecutive years he was honored with the 'National Talk Show Host of the Year Award' by the 'Radio and Records' magazine.

Trivia

• During his early years, he worked as a general contractor in Santa Barbara, California and even as a bartender for a period of time.
• Hannity married Jill Rhodes, a columnist for The Huntsville Times and the couple have two children.
• He hosts the freedom concert series for the welfare of children who have lost their parents in service since 9-11.
• In 2005, Hannity was included in the article '25 People We Envy Most (Lucky Hall of Fame Getting Paid to Mouth Off)'.
• He debuted in the movie The Siege in 1998 in a small role of a newscaster.

Hannity has hosted many charity based country music themed Freedom Concerts to help orphan children, by providing them with the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund. Also popular as an author and a conservative political commentator, Hannity has been described in the book Common Ground as 'a leader of the pack among broadcasting political polarizers'.