Indiana Broadcast History Archive

Photo Courtesy of Indiana Broadcast Pioneers

Robert L. Hoover was a distinguished journalist and broadcaster whose career spanned over six decades. Best known for his tenure as chief police reporter at The Indianapolis News and his later work as a reporter for WIBC radio, Hoover covered some of the most notorious criminal cases of the 20th century, including the John Dillinger era. A founding member of the Indianapolis Press Club, he was inducted into both the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame and the Indiana Broadcast Hall of Fame earning recognition as Indiana’s "Newsman of the Year" in 1976. 

Born in 1898, Hoover began his journalism career in 1919 as a cub reporter for The Indianapolis News, where he worked for 30 years. He rose through the ranks to become the chief police reporter, covering major crimes, fires, and court cases while witnessing the turnover of 22 mayors and 27 police chiefs. In 1949, he left The Indianapolis News to become the publicity director for the State Department of Conservation and later served as editor of Outdoor Indiana magazine. 

In 1956, Hoover transitioned to radio, joining WIBC as a crime reporter. He became well known for his vivid storytelling, often using colorful crime clichés reminiscent of earlier eras. He made history as the first journalist to capture a confession on motion picture film while covering the 1954 “dresser drawer” murder case. Even in his seventies, he remained active in the field, continuing to chase stories well into the 1970s. 

Beyond journalism, Hoover had a brief musical career, playing drums in orchestras, including his own band, Holler’s Hoosier Harmonics. Hoosier Harmonics was the first ever to broadcast over the air in Indianapolis over The News – Ayres – Hamilton station. 

He remained on the WIBC staff until his death in 1981. 

March 2025

Katherine Maners

Indiana Broadcast Pioneers