Veteran 980 CKNW Vancouver talk show host Jon McComb has announced he’ll hang up his headphones next month, capping a 50-year career in broadcasting.
“Because I’m old and tired,” joked McComb as he made the announcement at 8:15 a.m. Monday morning. “I will still be involved with CKNW. I just will not be hosting the morning show anymore.”
“All of this is completely my decision…I’m not being hinted out the door or anything,” asserted McComb. “This is all the result of a decision I made last month after…having an episode after working out at the gym. I felt just exhausted. I’ve never felt that exhausted. I went to the doctor, did a million tests, ran the treadmill at the heart place…everything was fine. It struck me that time was catching up with me and in October, I was having a hard time just getting ahead on my sleep.”
“I’ve seen this movie before,” said McComb, 66, who took time off about 15 years ago after suffering burnout. “My body is telling me, my mind is telling me, even though my ego is telling me ‘no man, we can grind this out, we can do this some more.'”
McComb told listeners that after a long chat with his family and his doctor, he made the decision to retire, effective Dec. 13.
“I love the symbolism of retiring on Friday the 13th, so you’ll have another four weeks of me and then I’ll be done.”
McComb has been with CKNW since 1983, after working in Portland, Arizona, and CFCF and CJAD Montreal. He’s held positions at CKNW from anchor and reporter to assignment editor and tape splicer. McComb was the first reporter to become a full-time talk show host at the station, spending 20 years as host and co-host of afternoon show The World Today, alongside Philip Till for the first 10 years. In 2014, he moved into the morning time slot as host of The Jon McComb Show.
“Jon is an award winning newsman, commentator and personality. His success isn’t only in longevity but in his ability to reinvent and perform in any role or time slot,” said Larry Gifford, National Director, AM Radio, Corus Entertainment, in a release. “Jon leaves CKNW as top dog, the most listened to radio host in Vancouver today, and is credited with helping build a legacy that we all know and love. He’s also a dear friend and is welcome to visit whenever he gets an itch to get behind the mic again.”
CKNW will pay tribute to McComb over the next four weeks with an announcement to come on who’ll succeed him as morning show host.
Subscribe Now – Free!
Broadcast Dialogue has been required reading in the Canadian broadcast media for 25 years. When you subscribe, you join a community of connected professionals from media and broadcast related sectors from across the country.
The Weekly Briefing from Broadcast Dialogue is delivered exclusively to subscribers by email every Thursday. It’s your link to critical industry news, timely people moves, and excellent career advancement opportunities.
Let’s get started right now.
