Talk Legend Jim Eason Passes Away

Longtime KGO Radio talk show host Jim Eason has died at the age of 89, according to family members.

The North Carolina native landed in the Bay Area after nine years in the Air Force, where he served as a meteorologist. While attending San Francisco State College, he made his local radio debut on KSFO’s late night “Records at Random”, which showcased SF State talent.

Eason would work briefly at a few Bay Area radio jobs, including a stint at KCBS, before joining KGO in 1968 in a weekend time slot. He took over the afternoon weekday talk show position in the early 70’s, beginning a phase of his career that dovetailed with KGO’s glory years atop Bay Area radio ratings. By 1974, KGO was named winner of the annual San Mateo Times poll as “Most Popular Radio Station” and Eason captured “Most Popular Radio Personality”, edging out KSFO star Jim Lange.

Eason’s on-air style was energetic but not combative. In a 1978 KGO biographical piece, Eason said, “The radio station is a public forum for all sides of an issue and we’re merely moderators or reactors and not superior wiseacres or ideologists. We don’t beat up people verbally.”  San Mateo Times TV-radio columnist Bob Foster noted in 1974 that Eason was “…either thoroughly liked or disliked (and he) has developed quite a following because of his outspokenness.”

In 1993, Eason moved back to his native North Carolina, continuing to do his KGO show from a home studio. Three years later, management moved Eason’s show to co-owned KSFO. In 2000, Eason announced his retirement.

Jim Eason was inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in 2007.