His recent birthday on Aug. 6 was celebrated with “serious reflection,” as Mark Larson described it.
Larson, a longtime San Diego radio talk-show host, TV personality and popular emcee, admitted his previous year was notable for a variety of reasons.
“This time last year, I wasn’t sure if I would see this year‘s birthday,” Larson told Times of San Diego. “It’s been a year of serious reflection when I’ve been reminded to trust God, deal with the ups and downs of life, be grateful for modern medicine and get the most out of every day, no matter what, because every day is a gift.”
On his birthday a year ago, Larson was declared cancer-free by his doctor, four months after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma; that was followed by a series of chemotherapy treatments that meant a loss of hair, eyebrows and eye lashes as well as reduced stamina. Regular screenings over the past year have confirmed Larson as cancer-free.
On Friday June 12 of this year, Larson officially claimed San Diego’s longevity record for 50 years of continuous on-air radio and TV presence on the local airwaves. In June 1976, Mark and his wife arrived as newlyweds in San Diego from Rockford, Ill. to work at KFMB 760-AM.
Prior to the June 12 anniversary date, the San Diego City Council presented a proclamation for “Mark Larson Day” in San Diego.
Eleven days after reaching the 50-year milestone, Larson lost his job as weekday talk-show host at KOGO 600-AM. He had been with KOGO and iHeartMedia in San Diego since March 2020.
Larson was among an estimated 200 employees who were part of part of a nationwide layoff by iHeartMedia.
The audio giant executed mass layoffs across dozens of U.S. markets as part of a companywide cost-cutting restructuring plan to reduce $50 million in programming labor expenses. In its first-quarter earnings report, iHeartMedia stated it intended to implement a cost savings program of $50 million in the second half of 2026, in addition to the $100 million of cost cutting already planned for this year.
Larson said iHeart’s decision eliminated local hosts with shows that aired after 6 p.m. Larson’s show aired from 7 to 8 p.m. on KOGO AM-600, one of eight San Diego radio stations operated by iHeartMedia. Leland Conway, lead-in to Larson, also lost his show.
“I wasn’t totally surprised when the local bosses told me my name was on their list, I could see it coming,” Larson said. “I understand that losing my job was based on a nationwide cutback, so it doesn’t feel personal. It was a business decision that was out of my control.
“Admittedly, the timing was rather awkward after celebrating my 50th anniversary on San Diego radio, as well as rising above the health battles and just recently moving into the new afternoon lineup on KOGO. I told the local managers that obviously I have my own opinions on what we should be doing, but I don’t own the business so it’s not my call.”
But, wait, there’s more.
Last month, in July, Larson was rehired by iHeart to serve as a talk-show host on iHeart stations across the country. Recent assignments have included stations in Sacramento, Phoenix and Tucson. Other markets will be in the mix, including San Diego, Larson said.
“I guess they reexamined their layoffs and realized I could fill a need in another capacity,” he said. “I’m a big believer in finding ways to reinvent yourself.”
Also, beginning this fall, Larson is expected to do fill-in, guest host assignments on some of Premiere Radio Networks’ national talk shows. A subsidiary of iHeart Media, Premiere is the nation’s largest audio syndication service with more than 8,000 radio station affiliates.
“It’s possible there will be days for early morning fill-ins on an East Coast station and late afternoons on a West Coast station, all on the same day,” he said.
In addition to roles as a fill-in radio host, Larson will continue to offer political commentary at 6:30 a.m. on Sundays on KUSI Television’s “Good Morning San Diego” program.
He’s also currently serving on the board of directors of the San Diego Air & Space Museum, now in his 15th term as chairman. He’s also on the board of governors of the Young America Foundation’s Reagan Ranch, based in the Santa Barbara area.
Also, Larson is planning to launch in September a twice-a-week podcast that he describes as “independent and unfiltered, featuring a wide variety of topics and special guests, including plenty of local impact.”
“A podcast is basically nothing more than radio on demand that people can listen to whenever it’s convenient for them,” he said. “There is great flexibility with a podcast. Your newsmaker guests can be scheduled at a time that works for them rather than fitting into a station’s rigid programming schedule.”
Larson said his new schedule also will allow more time for writing his future book, as well as flexibility to enhance his marketing and consulting business.
“After many years of talking about writing a book and putting it off, I finally realized that it’s time to tell my story after health challenges and living through plenty of peaks and valleys in a way that can encourage other others, no matter what they’re going through,” he said. “There will be plenty of fun biographical stuff, radio and TV insider stories and archive photos. My goal is to create a book that will not just be a good read, but helpful in all walks of life.
“I’m sure glad my book is not completed yet. Turns out I need to include several new chapters or two about unexpected events these past couple of years. Stay tuned.”
* * *
Mindgruve receives two Microsoft advertising awards
Mindgruve, a San Diego marketing, commerce and data technology agency, announced it received two awards at the recent Microsoft Advertising Partner Celebration.
The two awards included the Global Emerging Partner of the Year, which recognizes agencies in the partner tier of the program for outstanding engagement, collaboration and revenue growth, and the Product Champion Award, which honors partners that champion new features to deliver client results. The awards were announced in July.
“Being named Global Emerging Partner of the Year means Microsoft Advertising looked at every partner tier agency in their partner network worldwide and chose Mindgruve,” said Joey Bridges, VP of global search at Mindgruve. “That recognition reflects how our team operates, the measurement infrastructure we build and the platform depth we’ve developed through our partnership with Microsoft.”
Mindgruve said its Product Champion Award from Microsoft was for the closed-loop measurement it built for Canter Power Systems. Connecting Microsoft Advertising to the client’s CRM and training the platform’s AI on purchase signals delivered 434% lead growth and a 3,500% increase in closed sales in a single quarter, Mindgruve said.
“Working from the strategic direction our team set, Mindgruve executed a Microsoft Advertising program that connects directly to our sales outcomes,” said German Llodrat, director of digital marketing at Canter Power Systems. “We defined the growth model and the benchmarks that mattered, they brought the depth and rigor to bring it to life. The results since launch have reset our expectations, and they’ve proven to be a partner that can take a clear vision and run with it.”
Mindgruve has more than 500 staff members across all offices, including New York, Denver, Nashville, Cincinnati, Charleston, Mexico City and São Paulo, Brazil.
* * *
Scott Kaplan’s podcast to honor the late Billy Ray Smith
San Diego media personality Scott Kaplan will host a two-hour podcast celebrating the life of Billy Ray Smith starting at 5 p.m., Monday, Aug. 10, at the American Legion Post 416, 210 W. “F” St., Encinitas.
Admission is free. The public is invited to attend the podcast or watch podcast on YouTube. Refreshments will be served, including free “BR Burgers” featuring jalapenos and BBQ sauce, one of Smith’s favorite menu items.
Smith, a former San Diego Chargers player and radio and TV broadcaster passed away July 29 after a lengthy battle with dementia caused by chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). He was 64.
The logo for “The Scott & BR Show,” which aired on 1090-AM from 2001 to 2019. (Photo courtesy of Scott Kaplan)Kaplan and Smith hosted a sports-talk radio show, “The Scott & BR Show,” for about 18 years (2001–2019) on the same 1090-AM signal, a San Diego radio station branded at different times as XX Sports Radio and then Mighty 1090 with roughly a 10-month hiatus in 2012.
A fifth-round overall pick and first-round pick of the Chargers in the 1983 NFL Draft, Smith played linebacker in 126 games during a career that spanned 10 seasons (1983-1992, all with the Chargers. Smith was named the team’s top defensive player in 1985 and 1986, and the team MVP in 1987.
A two-time All-American, Smith played college football at the University of Arkansas (1979-1982) and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000. He also starred at Texas state champion Plano Senior High School in Texas.
In 1983, after retiring from football, Smith worked at KGTV-TV as a sportscaster and sports director and where his wife, longtime Channel 10 news anchor Kimberly Hunt, is still employed.
Kaplan’s podcast will be held on the day when Smith would have celebrated his 65th birthday. Scheduled podcast guests will include former football teams and radio colleagues, including Linda Welby, John Browner and Alex Padilla.
Monday’s podcast also include fundraising for The San Diego Nice Guys nonprofit. Smith and Hunt were recently named recipients of the Nice Guy of the Year Award, which will be presented at the 46th Annual Nice Guy of the Year Gala at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina on Saturday, Oct. 10.
A celebration of life service will be held starting at 2 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 22, at The Rock Church at Liberty Station, 2277 Rosecrans St., Point Loma. A statement said the public is invited to attend as family, friends and the community gather to celebrate Billy Ray’s life, legacy and lasting impact on San Diego.
Hence then, the article about marketink after 50 years on the radio mark larson lost his job only to find new opportunities was published today ( ) and is available on Times of San Diego ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( MarketInk: After 50 years on the radio, Mark Larson lost his job — only to find new opportunities )
Also on site :
- Walmart Is Selling $19 Crocs Flip Flops That Are So 'Comfortable,' You Can Feel Them 'Massaging Your Feet'
- 1963 Rock Song With 19-Year-Old Singer, Covered by The Rolling Stones, Is Still a Powerful Hit 63 Years Later
- Beasley Broadcast Group Announces Postponement of Reporting of Q2 2026 Financial Results and Date of Conference Call and Webcast