{"id":492996,"date":"2026-01-05T01:21:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T01:21:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/492996\/"},"modified":"2026-01-05T01:21:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T01:21:15","slug":"san-diego-media-personalities-say-theyre-forever-changed-by-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/492996\/","title":{"rendered":"San Diego media personalities say they’re forever changed by cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Mark Larson. (Photo courtesy Rick Griffin\/Marketink)<\/p>\n

Cancer survivors in remission often share common sentiments about a different and renewed perspective on life.<\/p>\n

They say the sky seems bluer, flowers are more vibrant in color. Family and friends are cherished on a greater level. A deeper appreciation for ordinary moments. Small annoyances lose their power. A heightened sense of gratitude permeates everything. Priorities shift, previous obligations take a back seat.<\/p>\n

\"MarketInk<\/a><\/p>\n

Two prominent members of San Diego\u2019s news media admit they are changed people entering 2026 after their journey with cancer last year.<\/p>\n

Monica Dean, TV news anchor with KNSD-TV NBC7 San Diego, was told she had colorectal cancer the day before Thanksgiving 2024. \u201cAm I going to die from this?\u201d she asked her doctor. <\/p>\n

\u201cOur doctor told us no, from everything we know right now, this looks treatable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last year, Dean joyfully received the news that she was cancer-free. She returned to the anchor desk in the summer. She said she remains on a surveillance program at the University of California San Diego\u2019s Rebecca and John Moores Cancer Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt this time last year, I was preparing for a January 10th surgery,\u201d Dean told Times of San Diego. \u201cEven then, in the midst of the fear and the uncertainty, I believed that somehow this diagnosis would be a gift and that I would see good things come from adverse circumstances.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow a year later, this holiday season has been filled with reflections, emotions, gratitude and reminders of where I\u2019ve been and how far I\u2019ve come.\u00a0I have reflected on the healing that has taken place and still is taking place, as well as the miraculous moments I have cherished along the way.\u00a0Indeed, sometimes blessings come wrapped in life\u2019s most difficult challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dean agrees she is beginning 2026 with new perspectives.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels as though I\u2019ve been given a new set of what I like to call \u2018survivor glasses\u2019 that allow me to see life differently,\u201d she said. \u201cYou begin to notice things you once overlooked \u2014 moments, people, beauty, meaning and truth.\u00a0Your view of relationships, family, time, work and what really matters comes into focus in a new way.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have learned so much from the valley I walked through in 2025, and I am humbly grateful for the treasures I have found there. Now, I am stepping into 2026 with a stronger faith, a more tender heart and a deeper appreciation and empathy for the silent battles so many people are facing.\u00a0I have felt many things over this past year, but I have never felt alone.\u00a0I believe we experience God\u2019s nearness to a greater degree through seasons of suffering.\u00a0I certainly have.\u00a0It is a remarkable gift.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dean admits her cancer battle has made her less afraid.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the past year, I have learned that fear is a thief and a liar,\u201d she said. \u201cIt is a bully that wants to keep you in a scary, dark place and rob you of your peace.\u00a0That is why I choose faith over fear.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark Larson, longtime San Diego radio talk-show host, TV personality and popular emcee, checked himself into the Sharp Grossmont Hospital emergency room to see a doctor in April 2025. The bloating in his lower left abdomen was diagnosed as non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He began chemotherapy treatments, which ended in August, when doctors said there was no sign of cancer.<\/p>\n

\u201cA funny thing happened on my way through lymphoma in 2025. I realized it wasn\u2019t a curse, but a blessing,\u201d Larson told Times of San Diego.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the midst of the lowest valleys, I would remind myself that the biblical character Job had it a lot worse, and I knew that some friends of mine were going through bigger medical challenges,\u201d he said. \u201cDuring the chemo, the days felt so long and so did the nights. I had to find moments of joy in the midst of all the crap. It was time to stop whining about myself and find happiness where I could.\u201d<\/p>\n

Larson said he starting writing a journal and immersed himself in art through sketching and painting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never want to go through the treatment again, but I\u2019ve had so many new friends come through the process, including the awesome nurses at the Grossmont Hospital Infusion Center,\u201d he said. \u201cI go by to visit them every few weeks to encourage them and other patients. Also, very thankful for the oncology team.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cNow every day, the colors seem brighter, everything\u00a0in nature is more beautiful and the birds sing happier. During the summer and fall, in my lowest moments, I never saw so many beautifully colored species of butterflies. They were probably always there. I was just always too busy to pay attention. Every day it seemed like they were doing a show just for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Larson currently holds the current, active longevity record for on-the-air radio and TV broadcast presence in the San Diego broadcasting market. He has worked at a half-dozen San Diego radio stations during his career, primarily KFMB, KCBQ and KOGO.<\/p>\n

He is continuing his regular work schedule of co-hosting with Leland Conway a weekday talk show from 6 to 8 p.m. on News Radio 600 KOGO-AM, as well as Sunday morning appearances to talk politics on KUSI-TV.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always been good advice to live each day as if it\u2019s your last,\u201d he said. \u201cGet the most out of every moment, but that principle is embedded in my heart and soul now. Ready to move into 2026 with fresh energy and hope.\u00a0It will be a great day when the doctors tell me I\u2019m officially in remission. The lesson for everyone is to get the most out of every day and cherish the happiest moments, even in the midst of pain and challenges and irritation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Triton basketball comes to 97.3 The Fan<\/strong><\/p>\n

The University of California, San Diego will partner with San Diego radio station KWFN-FM 97.3 The Fan to broadcast more than a dozen Triton men\u2019s and women\u2019s basketball games for the remainder of the 2025-2026 season.<\/p>\n

\"UCSD<\/a>UCSD Triton. (Photo courtesy Rick Griffin\/MarketInk)<\/p>\n

The multi-year agreement designates KWFN-FM 97.3 The Fan as the exclusive over-the-air home of UCSD basketball. KWFN is one of six San Diego radio stations operated by Philadelphia-based Audacy, Inc.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are thrilled to partner with Audacy and 97.3 The Fan to air Tritons basketball games throughout San Diego for the remainder of the season and beyond,\u201d said Andy Fee, UCSD athletics director. \u201cOur teams play a fun brand of basketball the entire San Diego community can get behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Play-by-play veterans Steve Quis and Ted Mendenhall will call the action, with UCSD grad Madison Baxter providing analysis for the women\u2019s basketball games.<\/p>\n

The broadcast schedule includes coverage of all remaining Big West Conference men\u2019s road games, as well as a pair of UCSD regular season women\u2019s home games. KWFN also will air live coverage of both teams\u2019 title defense from the Big West championship in March in Henderson, Nevada.<\/p>\n

Last season, UCSD became the first program in NCAA Division 1 history to win conference titles and compete in the NCAA Tournament in its first year of postseason eligibility.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are proud to establish this landmark partnership with UC San Diego, marking the first time 97.3 The Fan will serve as the exclusive broadcast home for Tritons basketball,\u201d said Adam Klug, brand manager, 97.3 The Fan. \u201cThe program\u2019s seamless transition to Division I and its continued dominance on the court is a story San Diego fans want to hear. This collaboration reinforces our unwavering commitment to being the city\u2019s premier destination for live and local sports.\u201d<\/p>\n

KWFN-FM also airs San Diego Padres games.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe partnership expands the Tritons\u2019 reach across the San Diego market,\u201d Barrett Sports Media<\/a>, a sports broadcast industry publication, said. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe basketball program has continued to gain momentum following a historic transition to Division I competition. That success helped elevate the program\u2019s profile locally and nationally, creating new opportunities for expanded media coverage.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to KWFN-FM 97.3 The Fan, the other San Diego radio stations operated by Audacy include, KBZT-FM ALT 94.9, KYXY-FM 96.5, KXSN-FM Sunny 98.1-FM, KSON-FM 103.7 and KXSN-HD3 Channel Q.<\/p>\n

More media jobs keep vanishing as AI surges, reshapes workforce<\/strong><\/p>\n

The media industry continued reshaping its workforce in 2025.<\/p>\n

Entertainment and media companies, including radio and TV news, film and streaming services, cut more than 17,000 jobs last year, an 18% increase from 2024, as the industry continued to grapple with consolidation, restructuring and the growing impact of artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n

According to Challenger, Gray & Christmas<\/a>, a Chicago-based outplacement and career transition services firm, the job cuts extended a multiyear trend of workforce reductions tied to mergers, shifting consumer habits and technological changes.<\/p>\n

News organizations accounted for 2,254 of the job losses, including broadcast, digital and print outlets. Restructuring and consolidation were the most frequently cited reasons for layoffs, Challenger reported.<\/p>\n

From 2010 to 2017, Challenger said the media industry lost an average of 7,305 jobs annually. Since 2018, the average has risen to 14,298 job cuts per year.<\/p>\n

As reported by industry news outlet Inside Radio<\/a>, AI played a growing role in job losses. A World Economic Forum survey found that 41% of companies worldwide expect to reduce staffing levels over the next five years because of AI, as generative AI has enabled companies to automate more complex tasks.<\/p>\n

Media organizations have increasingly turned to AI as audiences fragment and attention spans shorten, said Inside Radio. Challenger data shows AI-related layoffs accounted for nearly 55,000 job cuts in 2025 across all industries. New York became the first state in 2025 to require employers to disclose when AI is the reason for layoffs.<\/p>\n

Rick Griffin<\/a>\u00a0is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.<\/p>\n

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