Host Catching Heat For Cancer Comments

12-18-14

Here's another on-air situation that keeps a manager up at night wondring how bad the bad publicity will get. Philadelphia talker Chris Stigall is getting some national publicity but for all the wrong reasons. The WPHT morning show host is being called out (see the New York Post HERE) for saying something about a Philadelphia Phillies fan who has cancer. Julie Kramer was bombarded with love and affection from Phillies second baseman Chase Utley on The Ellen Show; the 23-year-old Kramer is battling a rare tissue cancer. Utley invited Kramer to as many Phillies games as she wanted to attend. That's when Stigall stepped in it.
According to The New York Post, Stigall said, "You know Chase Utley's not going to be around to take the cancer patient to the games. It's a nice invite, but he won't even be there. Plus, it's probably terminal what that woman has. You think she's going to live through an entire season?"

According to Philly.com, Stigall offered an "awkward" apology a day after his original comments. "I know my heart and intent was something very different than my words, but that doesn't matter. It is my prayer that Mrs. Kramer was successful in her battle," Stigall said. "And my thoughtless attempt at a joke about our show conveyed a sentiment that came off as much different. And for that, I am sincerely sorry."

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Clear Channel Raises $3 Million To Fight Cancer

3-9-14

At the end of February, during a two-day event, listeners in 31 cities, including Chattanooga, Tenn. (WUSY/Country), Waco, Texas (WACO/Country), Montgomery, Ala. (WHLW/Gospel), and Las Vegas (KWNR/Country), tuned in to pledge their support to St. Jude by making a donation of $20 per month. In all $3 million was raised for St. Judes Research Hospital during the Country Cares radio event.

Bobby Bones Show aired in 14 of markets where the event took place and said, ?Having had the chance to visit St. Jude, I got to see firsthand the incredible work they are doing. Knowing where these funds go, we can?t thank our listeners enough for their support of this great cause.?

Clear Channel's EVP/GM National Programming Platforms Clay Hunnicut said, ?For the past 25 years Clear Channel?s Country stations have rallied together to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for St. Jude through the Country Cares program. Our local programming, promotions, and on-air staff, work together to effectively convey to listeners the impact the hospital has in communities around the globe."

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Kraddick Kept His Cancer A Secret For Years

12-31-13

In a lengthy and detailed piece about the sudden death of Kidd Kraddick, D magazine writer Jamie Thompson writes in the magazine's January issue that Kidd Kraddick?s best friend, attorney Toby Wilson, was the only person who knew Kraddick had lymphoma. Kraddick told Wilson back in 2009 during a golf outing and, by then, he had already begun an aggressive course of chemotherapy. The article includes details about Kraddick's strained relationship with his daughter, how he would get sick from chemo while attending events for his charity for kids, and his friendship with Dr. Phil. Over time, Thompson writes, Kraddick?s treatments seemed to work. "Doctors declared him cancer-free and his prognosis, they said, was good. Even so, they warned of serious side effects, including organ damage, that could shorten his life."

Thompson writes that Wilson wanted Kraddick to tell close friends. "Some had begun to wonder whether he had developed a drug problem. The speculation angered Wilson, but given how Kraddick looked, it made sense. Wilson argued that Kraddick should at least tell his daughter, Caroline. But the last few years had been difficult for Kraddick and his daughter. He had divorced her mother in 2008, after 21 years of marriage, and Kraddick didn?t want to put any additional strain on their relationship," Thompson writes. Wilson believes Kraddick did not want anyone to know because he did not want to be pitied.

Thompson also describes in detail exactly who was with Kraddick when he died and how it happened in late July of this year. "Kraddick stepped onto the bus with his friend and company CEO, George Laughlin. He took a sip of water, then dropped the bottle. Kraddick collapsed on the floor as Laughlin rushed toward him. He began performing CPR. The bus driver raced to a hospital several miles away, thinking it would be quicker than waiting for an ambulance." Kidd Kraddick was dead at the age of 53.

Read the entire piece on Kidd Kraddick in D Magazine HERE

(12/31/2013 2:31:51 PM)
"Though my depression has passed, I am concerned that we as an industry are not breaking our chains from the past."

Eric was never depressed. This is nothing but another fucking shill for Bob Struble. Eric doesn't give a shit about radio - all he cares about is his investment in iNiquity!

(12/31/2013 2:16:59 PM)
Where's RTR's comment? A 1960's hippie wannabe!
(12/31/2013 2:15:40 PM)
"He took a sip of water, then dropped the bottle. Kraddick collapsed on the floor as Laughlin rushed toward him."

LMFAO!!!

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Quivers Has Been Battling Cancer

9-9-13

Howard Stern sidekick Robin Quivers told Stern's audience Monday why she's been doing the show from home. The 61-year-old was being treated for cancer in her pelvis. Quivers said she underwent treatment, including radiation and chemotherapy, for cancer that started in the endometrial tissue of her uterus. She said doctors told her three months ago she is ?cured.? Quivers endured two surgeries and months of radiation and chemotherapy and only missed two days on the air. She said, ?It never occurred to me not to be on the air. When I was on the air, I was pain-free.?

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NPR Executive Producer Dies Of Cancer

8-17-13

Award-winning executive producer of NPR?s Tell Me More, Teshima Walker, died Friday at the age of 44 after a two-year battle with colon cancer. Walker first joined All Things Considered as a journalism fellow in 2000. Later, she spent three years as a producer for The Tavis Smiley Show, and then for News and Notes. In 2007, Walker signed on as senior supervising producer of Tell Me More. Walker first came to NPR by way of WBEZ, where she was a senior producer for morning news magazine Eight Forty-Eight.

?Teshima was a terrific journalist who worked tirelessly to bring new and diverse voices to air,? says Ellen McDonnell, executive editor for NPR News Programming. ?She was a phenomenal advocate for the show, the staff and the audience. Tell Me More ? and everyone who was lucky enough to work with Teshima ? thrived under her leadership.?

READ RAY SALAZAR'S CHICAGO NOW BLOG ON TESHIMA

?Teshima made us all want to dig a little deeper, think harder, and be better,? shares Tell Me More host Michel Martin. ?She was everything you could want in a manager and friend: kind and open-hearted when you needed her to be, and tough, but fair, when you needed her to be. While I already miss her amazing laugh and her incredible off-key rendition of the 'Happy Birthday' song, I know I am better for having heard them both. We are all very grateful for the time we had with her, and thank her husband, parents, and sister for sharing these precious last days with us.?

Walker is survived by her husband, writer Jimi Izrael, her parents William and Vonceal Walker, and her sister Eureva Walker.

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Toledo Morning Host Told She has Cancer

11-14-2012

Kirk Baird at the Toledo Blade reports that WRVF-FM morning host Mary Beth Zolik has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Zolik (pictured) told Baird she has no symptoms right now and she felt like she was sucker punched. The 58-year old received the cancer diagnosis on Wednesday. Zolik begins 18 weeks of chemotherapy today. She'll get treatment every three weeks. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma is an aggressive cancer, but also curable.

Zolik writes on her blog, "I hope to keep working if I can. And I hope to share my journey with everyone. So keep checking back at our blogsite for updates as I go along. Yes, some of it has been terrifying...but it also been hilariously funny at times. And I plan to share it all."

Read the entire Toledo Blade story HERE

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Radio Raises $450K For Kids With Cancer

10-10-2012

Listeners to radio stations across the country participated in the fifth annual Promesa y Esperanza? (Promise and Hope) radio event on October 4-5, raising over $450,000 to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. During the two-day broadcast event, listeners in cities like Philadelphia, Charlotte, Boston, Providence, Minneapolis, and Kansas City, supported the fight against childhood cancer and other deadly diseases by making a donation.

The Davidson Media Group affiliate and participating independent stations transmitted approximately 30 hours of programming to raise funds so that no patient family ever pays St. Jude for anything.  The donations will help cover the cost of treatment, travel, lodging, food and services such as schooling and rehabilitation to help improve the quality of life for patients and their families at St. Jude.

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KFEZ Host Reveals He Has Stage 3 Breast Cancer

8-28-2012

Jim Berry (pictured) from the ?Berry For Breakfast? morning show on KFEZ in Colorado Springs, announced on the air this morning that he has stage 3 breast cancer. Berry had a mastectomy last week and will start chemotherapy this week. On the air, Berry said men need to understand that this type of cancer, that normally affects women, also attacks many men and they need to check for lumps and bumps and see a doctor right away.

Male breast cancer accounts for about 1 percent of all breast cancers. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2010, about 1,970 new cases of breast cancer in men would be diagnosed and that breast cancer would cause approximately 390 deaths in men (in comparison, almost 40,000 women die of breast cancer each year).

Reach out to Berry at jim@socoradio.com

(8/29/2012 5:39:54 AM)
Sorry to learn of this. My wife has had stage 4 breast cancer since 2002, so I can relate. I hope and pray that you do well with your treatments and have a remission. CANCER SUCKS!!!

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Loved Pittsburgh DJ Ted Atkins Dies of Cancer

7-20-2012

Charlie Kendall told Radio Ink last night, "Ted Atkins was the finest Program Director I've ever known. He is the biggest influence on how I tried to program later in my career. He was a coach, friend, motivator and mentor. My professional and personal life are richer for having been blessed to work with him for so many years. I am happy that he is free of pain. And I'm trying to get over my pain at his loss. I am one of the lucky ones who worked closely with Captain Showbiz. It is a unique and wonderful experience. God bless Ted and thank you, God, for letting me share so much time with this remarkable man.

Atkins began his radio career at KLAK in Denver in 1957. He had stops in Kansas City, Denver, Detroit's legendary CKLW, KFRC San Francisco and KHJ Los Angeles working for Bill Drake.

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Athletes Come Together For Cancer Research

7-11-2012

ESPN is in the middle of its annual fundraising for the "V Foundation". Yesterday it was announced that the 12th annual ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic raised $1 Million for the foundation, which specializes in cancer research. Pictured here are (L to R): ESPN's Mike Greenberg, Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, ESPN Executive Chairman George Bodenheimer, ESPN's Mike Golic, Olympic Skiing Gold Medalist Lindsey Vonn, actor Joe Mantegna and ESPN's Stuart Scott.

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Dothan Alabama Morning Man Dies of Cancer

7-5-2012

According to http://www.dothaneagle.com/ 65 year old Ken ?K.C.? Carlile, one half of the popular Pollard and K.C. radio team that hosted morning shows in Dothan for 10 years, passed away Tuesday after a long battle with brain cancer. A radio veteran for 40 years, Carlile began working with Pollard before they became a duo more than a decade ago. Carlile is survived by two sons. Funeral services will be held Friday at 2 p.m. Eastern at McMullen Funeral Home in Columbus, Ga.

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WBAL's Ron Smith Says He Has Pancreatic Cancer.

It's something a patient never wants to hear from his doctor. "You have grade four pancreatic cancer that's metastasized to your liver, your abdominal cavity, the lungs and so on." That's what 69-year old Ron Smith was told when he went in for a checkup recently and that's what he told his audience Monday morning. He said he had no idea anything was wrong with him until he started feeling "unwell" a few weeks ago.

Ron Smith has been at WBAL since 1984. He hosts the 9AM to Noon slot on WBAL-AM in Maryland which is owned by Hearst. Smith told his listeners, "going forward, I'm going to fight this and see what happens -- how the cancer responds to the treatment, how my body responds to the treatment. There is no way to be sure of anything about this other than I will be undergoing chemotherapy for the rest of whatever time I have. There are going to be some changes here. I'm still going to do the show, but not all the time. This is not going to be a pity party. We're going to do a Ron Smith radio show every day that I'm here... Obviously, people are going to upset, but just understand that I'm OK."

Listen to Smiths full announcement HERE
Reach out to Ron here rsmith@wbal.com

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