**“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” Adds Chicago Countdown for Central Time Zone for the First Time**
For the first time in its more than 50-year history, “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” will feature a live countdown segment for the Central time zone. The historic broadcast, which airs live on ABC, will now include a countdown originating from Chicago, joining the traditional midnight segment from New York and the Spanish-language countdown from Puerto Rico.
According to Dick Clark Productions, the Chicago segment will include a new host, special live performances, and on-the-ground updates and reporting throughout the evening.
“We are proud to announce that ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’ is coming to the greatest city in the world,” said Brandon Johnson, mayor of Chicago. “This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the beauty and dynamism of our city and its people for the world to see. We could not be more excited to welcome in the new year with fireworks, music, and Chicago pride.”
John Idler, general manager of ABC O&O WLS-TV, echoed the mayor’s excitement: “The Windy City is ‘Chicago Proud’ to have the opportunity to showcase the amazing city of Chicago on ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.’ We look forward to bringing viewers a spectacular fireworks display centered on the iconic bridges that cross the Chicago River and cascade over the city’s world-class architecture.”
Chicago is also the hometown of longtime “Rockin’ Eve” executive producer Barry Adelman, who serves as executive vice president of television for Dick Clark Productions. “For more than five decades, ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’ has served as America’s premier destination for live New Year’s Eve entertainment, bringing people together from coast to coast to celebrate the start of a new year,” said Adelman. “The addition of a live Central time zone countdown from Chicago marks an exciting new chapter for the show and lets us share this iconic American city’s incredible energy, culture, and spirit with millions of viewers across the country.”
“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026” will air Wednesday, Dec. 31, live on ABC starting at 8 p.m. ET. The program is consistently the top-rated New Year’s Eve telecast and one of the most-watched entertainment specials of the year—the 2024-25 countdown attracted about 29 million viewers in the midnight hour.
https://variety.com/2025/biz/news/dick-clarks-new-years-rockin-eve-central-chicago-countdown-1236575361/
