Press Release

(August 31, 2010) Larry Gifford has resigned his position at ESPN Radio as program director of 710 ESPN (KSPN-AM), Los Angeles effective September 13th. Gifford will remain in the radio industry, working with stations, groups and individuals as a free agent.

In just more than four years at the helm, Gifford has helped to guide the sports talker to triple the ratings in demo – with total audience numbers peaking at over 1.6 million – and was instrumental in integrating key partnerships into the fabric of the station, including USC football, Lakers basketball, Angels baseball, AM830 KLAA in association with ESPN, and ESPNLA.com. He also lifted KSPN-AM over KLAC-AM, making the ESPN O&O the top rated sports radio station in Los Angeles.

“There are many remarkable people at ESPN who I will miss working with on a daily basis, but the next phase of life for my family and me is calling and I feel now is the time to move on,” Gifford said.

As he exits the station, the former program director of the ESPN Radio Network and Sports Director of Fox Sports Radio Network, is launching two new businesses. At www.LarryGifford.com he is merging his passion for great radio with his 20 years of experience in the radio business – to help individuals, radio stations and companies win on all levels. He markets himself as a coach, strategist, writer, creative catalyst and consultant.

In addition, Gifford and his wife Rebecca are opening a healing center, Body of Light Healing Arts, in the Los Angeles Area. They both are certified practitioners of energetic medicine and she is a licensed massage therapist.

Larry Gifford – Biography

Larry “Smokey” Gifford began as an anchor/reporter in Columbus and Dayton, Ohio. In Philadelphia, he was sports director, news editor and anchor at WWDB-FM. He won the 1999 AP Awards for Best Regularly Scheduled Sports in Pennsylvania (talent), Best Regularly Scheduled Newscast (editor) and the A.I.R. Award for Best Sports in Philadelphia (talent).

Gifford went on to become sports director of Fox Sports Radio, program director of WBNS-AM, Columbus, The ESPN Radio Network (overseeing Mike & Mike in the Morning, Dan Patrick, The Herd with Colin Cowherd, and SportsBash with Erik Kuselias), and most recently KSPN-AM, Los Angeles.

He was the 1997 recipient of the Sports Radio Program Director of the Year Award at the Rick Scott & Associates Annual Conference. He also has been recognized as one of the top station imaging writers in the sports radio format.

Larry lives in Southern California with his wife Rebecca, son Henry and beagle Pepper Jack.

blog comments powered by Disqus