Prior to the June 12 anniversary date, the San Diego City Council presented a proclamation for \u201cMark Larson Day\u201d in San Diego.<\/p>\n
Eleven days after reaching the 50-year milestone, Larson lost his job as weekday talk-show host at KOGO 600-AM. He had been with KOGO and iHeartMedia in San Diego since March 2020.<\/p>\n
Larson was among an estimated 200 employees who were part of part of a nationwide layoff by iHeartMedia.<\/p>\n
The audio giant executed mass layoffs across dozens of U.S. markets as part of a companywide cost-cutting restructuring plan to reduce $50 million in programming labor expenses. In its first-quarter earnings report, iHeartMedia stated it intended to implement a cost savings program of $50 million in the second half of 2026, in addition to the $100 million of cost cutting already planned for this year.<\/p>\n
Larson said iHeart\u2019s decision eliminated local hosts with shows that aired after 6 p.m. Larson\u2019s show aired from 7 to 8 p.m. on KOGO AM-600, one of eight San Diego radio stations operated by iHeartMedia.\u00a0Leland Conway, lead-in to Larson, also lost his show. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t totally surprised when the local bosses told me my name was on their list, I could see it coming,\u201d Larson said. \u201cI understand that losing my job was based on a nationwide cutback, so it doesn\u2019t feel personal. It was a business decision that was out of my control.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdmittedly, the timing was rather awkward after celebrating my 50th anniversary on San Diego radio, as well as rising above the health battles and just recently moving into the new afternoon lineup on KOGO. I told the local managers that obviously I have my own opinions on what we should be doing, but I don\u2019t own the business so it\u2019s not my call.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
But, wait, there\u2019s more.<\/p>\n
Last month, in July, Larson was rehired by iHeart to serve as a talk-show host on iHeart stations across the country. Recent assignments have included stations in Sacramento, Phoenix and Tucson. Other markets will be in the mix, including San Diego, Larson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess they reexamined their layoffs and realized I could fill a need in another capacity,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m a big believer in finding ways to reinvent yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Also, beginning this fall, Larson is expected to do fill-in, guest host assignments on some of Premiere Radio Networks\u2019 national talk shows. A subsidiary of iHeart Media, Premiere is the nation\u2019s largest audio syndication service with more than 8,000 radio station affiliates.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s possible there will be days for early morning fill-ins on an East Coast station and late afternoons on a West Coast station, all on the same day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In addition to roles as a fill-in radio host, Larson will continue to offer political commentary at 6:30 a.m. on Sundays on KUSI Television\u2019s \u201cGood Morning San Diego\u201d program.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s also currently serving on the board of directors of the San Diego Air & Space Museum, now in his 15th term as chairman. He\u2019s also on the board of governors of the Young America Foundation\u2019s Reagan Ranch, based in the Santa Barbara area.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Also, Larson is planning to launch in September a twice-a-week podcast that he describes as \u201cindependent and unfiltered, featuring a wide variety of topics and special guests, including plenty of local impact.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA podcast is basically nothing more than radio on demand that people can listen to whenever it\u2019s convenient for them,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is great flexibility with a podcast. Your newsmaker guests can be scheduled at a time that works for them rather than fitting into a station\u2019s rigid programming schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n
Larson said his new schedule also will allow more time for writing his future book, as well as flexibility to enhance his marketing and consulting\u00a0business.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cAfter many years of talking about writing a book and putting it off, I finally realized that it\u2019s time to tell my story after health challenges and living through plenty of peaks and valleys in a way that can encourage other others, no matter what they\u2019re going through,\u201d he said. \u201cThere will be plenty of fun biographical stuff, radio and TV insider stories and archive photos. My goal is to create a book that will not just be a good read, but helpful in all walks of life.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure glad my book is not completed yet. Turns out I need to include several new chapters or two about unexpected events these past couple of years. Stay tuned.\u201d<\/p>\n
*\u00a0\u00a0*\u00a0\u00a0*<\/p>\n
Mindgruve receives two Microsoft advertising awards<\/p>\n
Mindgruve,<\/a> a San Diego marketing, commerce and data technology agency, announced it received two awards at the recent Microsoft Advertising Partner Celebration.<\/p>\n The two awards included the Global Emerging Partner of the Year, which recognizes agencies in the partner tier of the program for outstanding engagement, collaboration and revenue growth, and the Product Champion Award, which honors partners that champion new features to deliver client results. The awards were announced in July.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing named Global Emerging Partner of the Year means Microsoft Advertising looked at every partner tier agency in their partner network worldwide and chose Mindgruve,\u201d said Joey Bridges, VP of global search at Mindgruve. \u201cThat recognition reflects how our team operates, the measurement infrastructure we build and the platform depth we\u2019ve developed through our partnership with Microsoft.\u201d<\/p>\n Mindgruve said its Product Champion Award from Microsoft was for the closed-loop measurement it built for Canter Power Systems. Connecting Microsoft Advertising to the client\u2019s CRM and training the platform\u2019s AI on purchase signals delivered 434% lead growth and a 3,500% increase in closed sales in a single quarter, Mindgruve said.<\/p>\n \u201cWorking from the strategic direction our team set, Mindgruve executed a Microsoft Advertising program that connects directly to our sales outcomes,\u201d said German Llodrat, director of digital marketing at Canter Power Systems. \u201cWe defined the growth model and the benchmarks that mattered, they brought the depth and rigor to bring it to life. The results since launch have reset our expectations, and they\u2019ve proven to be a partner that can take a clear vision and run with it.\u201d<\/p>\n Mindgruve has more than 500 staff members across all offices, including New York, Denver, Nashville, Cincinnati, Charleston, Mexico City and S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil.<\/p>\n *\u00a0\u00a0*\u00a0\u00a0*<\/p>\n Scott Kaplan\u2019s podcast to honor the late Billy Ray Smith<\/p>\n San Diego media personality Scott Kaplan will host a two-hour podcast celebrating the life of Billy Ray Smith starting at 5 p.m., Monday, Aug. 10, at the American Legion Post 416, 210 W. \u201cF\u201d St., Encinitas.<\/p>\n Admission is free. The public is invited to attend the podcast or watch podcast on YouTube.<\/a> \u00a0Refreshments will be served, including free \u201cBR Burgers\u201d featuring jalapenos and BBQ sauce, one of Smith\u2019s favorite menu items.<\/p>\n Smith, a former San Diego Chargers player and radio and TV broadcaster passed away July 29 after a lengthy battle with dementia caused by chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). He was 64.<\/p>\n
![\"Cartoon](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott-and-BR-080926.png\")
<\/a>The logo for \u201cThe\u00a0Scott & BR Show,\u201d which aired on 1090-AM from 2001 to 2019. (Photo courtesy of Scott Kaplan)<\/p>\n