Ronn Owens
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Ronn Owens (born Ronald Lowenstein on October 17, 1945 in New York City), is an American talk radio host. Owens is the top-rated talk radio host on KGO in San Francisco[1]
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[edit] Career
Owens began his career in broadcasting in 1968 after graduating from Temple University. He hosted radio programs in Atlanta, Miami, Cleveland and Philadelphia before moving to KGO Radio of San Francisco in 1975. In 2004, the Disney/ABC-owned station signed Owens to an eight-year guaranteed contract to continue hosting The Ronn Owens Program. The Ronn Owens Program is the No. 1-rated show on KGO, with over 500,000 regular listeners. Ronn competes directly against Rush Limbaugh, and is the only talk show host in the country who consistently beats Limbaugh in the San Francisco markets.[citation needed]
Owens was off the KGO airwaves during an 88-day contract dispute that ended in February 1995. Reportedly, the dispute involved a difference of opinion over whether to allow national syndication of Owens' show.[2]
Between 1997 and 1998, Owens' show was simulcast in Los Angeles on KABC, also owned by Disney. Owens took the time slot held by Michael Jackson, whose ratings were faltering. Despite signing a five-year contract to do the simulcast, after one year Owens himself vacated the time slot at KABC. His show, too, failed to generate adequate ratings in Los Angeles. Owens reportedly blamed both Jackson, for "taking shots" at Owens "on the air and off the air," and KABC, for failing to promote Owens' show. Disney reportedly bought out the remainder of Owens' simulcast contract.[3]
Ronn Owens left his broadcast two hours early on Monday, September 17, 2007 after spending his first hour sounding very lethargic. Ronn returned to the air on September 24, 2007 explaining that he had been diagnosed with transient global amnesia (TGA), which is a type of amnesia involving the sudden, temporary disturbance in an otherwise healthy person's memory.
[edit] Highlights and Accomplishments
In 2002, Talkers magazine named Owens one of its 25 Greatest Radio Talk Show Hosts of All Time. He was ranked 13th, making him the top local personality in the country. [4]
In 2003, Owens won the Marconi Award for Major Market Personality of the Year by the National Association of Broadcasters. [5]
In 2005 and 2007, Ronn was nominated for the Radio Hall of Fame, but was not inducted.[6] He is again nominated in 2008.
In 2006, he was named 2006 Talk Show Personality of the Year by Radio and Records [7].
In 2007, Ronn was inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame.[8]
His first book, Voice of Reason : Why the Left and Right Are Wrong, was published in 2004.
[edit] Personal
Owens is married to former KCBS anchor Jan Black. They have two daughters, Sarah and Laura.
[edit] Bibliography
- Voice of Reason : Why the Left and Right Are Wrong, 2004 (ISBN 0-471-48282-X)
[edit] External links
- Ronn Owens's official website
- KGO biography
- Talkers profile
- It's Ronn Owens' World, We Just Live In It
- In a world of demagogues and dittoheads, centrist Ronn Owens celebrates 30 years, San Francisco Chronicle, October 27, 2005
- Owens Marks 30 Years Of Talk At KGO, San Jose Mercury News, October 27, 2005
