L-A Radio: Veteran Market Personality Paul Freeman Retires

Paul Freeman

Paul Freeman, who started his broadcast career as a junior in high school and has been heard on Los Angeles airwaves since 1970, has hung up his headphones and will soon join his family in the state of Washington.

According to Richard Wagoner at the LA Daily News, a low-powered station set up in the basement of his childhood home led to his first job reading news, but he hit the big time when he landed at KEZY, now KGBN 1190 AM in 1970 soon after obtaining his broadcasting license at the William B. Ogden Radio School. KEZY was Anaheim’s answer to KHJ 930 AM and was a powerhouse of talent throughout its history.

In 1976, he arrived at KHJ and soon after KIIS AM/FM, which at the time was programmed by Charlie Tuna. Freeman stayed at KIIS (later on FM only, 102.7) through numerous formats: pop, disco and dance. Then came the station’s move into Top-40 in the early 1980s, which saw the talented staff work its way to the top of the Los Angeles ratings.

“That is my favorite radio memory — working at KIIS-FM when the station earned a 10 share in the Arbitron ratings,” Freeman told me. “It was so much fun ... you could feel the vibe when you stepped off the elevator on the 11th floor of the Motown Records building (where the studios were located). KIIS rocked the ’80s. ... We owned the city.”


His resume includes KODJ/KCBS-FM (93.1 FM), KZLA (now KXOS, 93.9 FM), KYSR (98.7 FM), KBIG (104.3 FM), and of course KKGO Go Country 105 FM, where he has worked the past nine years.

Christine Martindale has returned to the station to take over Freeman’s afternoon drive show.