John Lynch (radio)
Encyclopedia
John Lynch is the president and CEO of the Broadcast Company of the Americas
. He is also the father of John Lynch, Jr.
, former football
player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
.
in an Irish-Catholic family; his grandparents were Irish immigrants. His grandparents named their son (Lynch's father) John Pershing Lynch, after the World War I general of the same name
. Lynch graduated from Benet Academy
in 1960, and went on to major in broadcasting at Drake University
, where he also played football
as linebacker
and tight end
. He was drafted right out of college to play linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers
in 1969. A knee injury in the first few weeks of the season immediately ended his football career after one season, however.
and later WIND (AM)
, then owned by Westinghouse Radio
. In 1972, he convinced his boss at Westinghouse to relocate him to San Diego and make him sales manager at KFMB AM
/FM
, owned by Midwest Radio and Television
. He moved with his wife Cathy, whom he met in high school, and their two toddlers. The KFMB stations were struggling when Lynch began his work there, but within five years they achieved the highest ratings in the market.
In 1978, Ed Noble offered Lynch a five-percent ownership of the Noble Broadcast Group, based in San Diego. The company bought XTRA AM/FM, and the AM station became the first all-sports talk show in the US. The FM station did not do too well with its album-oriented rock
programming, so Lynch switched to alternative rock
instead and created 91X. Upon Noble's death in 1985, Lynch took over the company and over the following decade expanded into 20 stations throughout the nation. In 1996 he sold the company to Jacor Communications for $152 million, which was bought by Clear Channel Communications
soon after. Over the next five years, a noncompete agreement barred Lynch from the radio industry, so during that time he presided over the San Diego International Sports Council and helped bring the 2008 U.S. Open Golf Championship
to San Diego.
In 2003, Lynch learned from his daughter Kara Guthrie, who headed sports sales for Clear Channel, that her company decided to move XTRA Sports to Los Angeles
. As XTRA Sports was the only local sports talk show in San Diego, the void and laid-off staff essentially gave Lynch a "ready-made radio station" to pick up. He and a partner from Noble established the Broadcast Company of the Americas
and started Mighty 1090.
Broadcast Company of the Americas
The Broadcast Company of the Americas, also known as BCA Radio is a broadcasting company based in the San Diego, California area.BCA Radio operates the following radio stations:...
. He is also the father of John Lynch, Jr.
John Lynch (American football)
John Terrence Lynch, Jr. is a former National Football League strong safety and current NFL on Fox color commentator. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Stanford.A nine-time Pro Bowl selection, Lynch earned a Super...
, former football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
.
Early life
John Lynch grew up in suburban ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in an Irish-Catholic family; his grandparents were Irish immigrants. His grandparents named their son (Lynch's father) John Pershing Lynch, after the World War I general of the same name
John J. Pershing
John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, GCB , was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I...
. Lynch graduated from Benet Academy
Benet Academy
Benet Academy is a co-educational, college-preparatory, Benedictine high school in Lisle, Illinois, United States, overseen by the Diocese of Joliet. Founded in 1887, the school was initially established in Chicago as the all-boys St. Procopius College and Academy by Benedictine monks, who also...
in 1960, and went on to major in broadcasting at Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
, where he also played football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
as linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
and tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
. He was drafted right out of college to play linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in 1969. A knee injury in the first few weeks of the season immediately ended his football career after one season, however.
Broadcasting career
Following the end of his football career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Lynch sold advertising for the Chicago TribuneChicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
and later WIND (AM)
WIND (AM)
WIND "AM 560" is a radio station based in Chicago, Illinois, broadcasting its talk radio format on 560 kHz.Its current owner is Salem Media, a company specializing primarily in Christian radio...
, then owned by Westinghouse Radio
Westinghouse Electric (1886)
Westinghouse Electric was an American manufacturing company. It was founded in 1886 as Westinghouse Electric Company and later renamed Westinghouse Electric Corporation by George Westinghouse. The company purchased CBS in 1995 and became CBS Corporation in 1997...
. In 1972, he convinced his boss at Westinghouse to relocate him to San Diego and make him sales manager at KFMB AM
KFMB (AM)
KFMB is a conservative talk radio station in San Diego, California, co-owned with KFMB-FM and KFMB-TV. KFMB is one of the few stations in the U.S. that increases power at night. The daytime power is limited due to KBRT , a religious-programming station with transmitters on Santa Catalina Island....
/FM
KFMB-FM
KFMB-FM is a commercial radio station located in San Diego, California, broadcasting on 100.7 FM. KFMB-FM airs an adult hits music format branded as "Jack FM".-History:...
, owned by Midwest Radio and Television
Midwest Radio and Television
Midwest Radio and Television was a broadcasting company based in the Upper Midwest United States.Its history dates back to August 1952, when the original owners of WTCN-AM-FM-TV decided to sell the stations. While the radio stations went to a separate owner, WTCN-TV was sold to the owners of WCCO...
. He moved with his wife Cathy, whom he met in high school, and their two toddlers. The KFMB stations were struggling when Lynch began his work there, but within five years they achieved the highest ratings in the market.
In 1978, Ed Noble offered Lynch a five-percent ownership of the Noble Broadcast Group, based in San Diego. The company bought XTRA AM/FM, and the AM station became the first all-sports talk show in the US. The FM station did not do too well with its album-oriented rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
programming, so Lynch switched to alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
instead and created 91X. Upon Noble's death in 1985, Lynch took over the company and over the following decade expanded into 20 stations throughout the nation. In 1996 he sold the company to Jacor Communications for $152 million, which was bought by Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
soon after. Over the next five years, a noncompete agreement barred Lynch from the radio industry, so during that time he presided over the San Diego International Sports Council and helped bring the 2008 U.S. Open Golf Championship
2008 U.S. Open Golf Championship
The 2008 United States Open Championship was the 108th U.S. Open, played from June 12 to June 16 at Torrey Pines, north of San Diego. The U.S. Open was held at the Torrey Pines for the first time, and took place on the South Course. Tiger Woods won his third U.S...
to San Diego.
In 2003, Lynch learned from his daughter Kara Guthrie, who headed sports sales for Clear Channel, that her company decided to move XTRA Sports to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. As XTRA Sports was the only local sports talk show in San Diego, the void and laid-off staff essentially gave Lynch a "ready-made radio station" to pick up. He and a partner from Noble established the Broadcast Company of the Americas
Broadcast Company of the Americas
The Broadcast Company of the Americas, also known as BCA Radio is a broadcasting company based in the San Diego, California area.BCA Radio operates the following radio stations:...
and started Mighty 1090.