This past Friday, after 25 years, the great Tom Joyner signed off for the final time. Joyner heads into radio retirement where he’ll spend more time working on his foundation, which provides students from historically black universities with scholarships.
Everyone in radio knows about Joyner’s history, how he worked for eight years, commuting every day between Dallas and Chicago, which is how he earned his nicknames “The Fly Jock” and “The Hardest Working Man in Radio.” Joyner went into morning show syndication back in 1994.
Here’s what Joyner’s close friend and business partner, David Kantor shared with Radio
Ink. “At Tom’s peak he had over 1,000,000 treasured listeners during every minute of his show, was number one in over 60 major US cities, and 1 in 3 African American Adults listened to him daily. He super served his audience and his mission was always a party with a purpose. We started a company together, Reach Media, and were very fortunate to have great success. I have a lifetime of memories with him and I truly appreciate all the great trips, promotions and events we experienced together. We all are on this earth to give back, and all the things I’ve done with Tom are the career highlights I’m most proud of. He changed the world and touched so many lives positively with his show. Tom was responsible for getting a president elected, for people to be more healthy and also has raised over $60 million dollars for scholarships to HBCU students. There will never be another talent like him, as he is the most genuine person and truly loved his audience.”
Marty Raab is Sr Vice President, Marketing, Digital, Communications, and Events for Reach Media. “Tom may have be one of the most powerful communicators ever, in that he spoke and people responded with action – not just ratings and revenue, but changes in the community, new ways of working with sponsors and solidifying the concept that a morning show with music could be syndicated at the highest level. He dominated on-air, entertaining, informing… and then his empowerment had people take action after the show, supporting over 29,000 students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities getting up to vote to bring change, an emphasis on health and wellness, and he reinforced that radio/communications could be the start to a to a constructive conversation, all while making people feel good about themselves. He is an incredible leader- he truly changed radio that so many of us are continuing to benefit today.”
CNN covered Joyner’s final broadcast HERE and CBS42 in Alabama HERE.
GOAT. Proud to say by adding him to the Northeast Florida market on 92.7 it became the People’s Station his 3rd affliate. The number of people influenced by his professionalism and passion can not be measured. Tom has done more with his opportunity to speak to African Americans nationally than anyone could have ever imagined. Greatest of All Time.