By Mike Kinosian
TALKERS magazine
Managing Editor

Although the cause of death is not immediately known, Pattiz passed away this past Sunday evening (12/4).

It was 46 years ago when Pattiz launched Westwood One, which would become one of the country’s most influential and successful radio syndication companies.

After going public in 1984, Westwood One eventually acquired radio trade publication Radio & Records (R&R); Mutual Broadcasting System; and he licensed the NBC brand name from General Electric for the NBC Radio Network.

During his Westwood One tenure, Pattiz formulated the Westwood One Radio Group, which included obtaining Los Angeles signal KIQQ for $56 million from Outlet Communications.

On March 17, 1989 at 5:00 am, adult contemporary KIQQ “100.3 K-Lite” officially yielded to KQLZ “Pirate

Pattiz exited Westwood One as chair in 2010; the company is now owned by Cumulus Media.

A 2009 National Radio Hall of Fame inductee, Pattiz, in 2010, debuted and was chief executive officer of Courtside Entertainment, an entity deriving its name from Pattiz’ diehard passion for the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers. For more than three decades, he and wife Mary Turner (former radio personality “The Burner Mary Turner” and board chair of the Betty Ford Center) had the most prominent “courtside” season tickets at the Fabulous Forum and Staple’s Center. Over and above being simply an ardent fan, Pattiz five years ago (2017) worked with the Lakers to develop the “America’s Lakers Podcast With Jay Mohr.”

Ten years ago, Pattiz founded Launchpad. Some four months later, Launchpad transitioned to its present moniker, PodcastOne. “Norm was a great innovator in the world of broadcast and his contributions to the genre are immeasurable, comments PodcastOne president Kit Gray. “He left an indelible impact on everyone that he met; he will be deeply missed.”

TALKERS founder/publisher Michael Harrison worked with Pattiz at Westwood One in the mid-1970s. Harrison hosted the fledgling syndication company’s innovative album track countdown “The Great American Radio Show with Mike Harrison.” The two again joined forces in 2016 at PodcastOne, with Harrison hosting one of its earliest podcasts, “The Michael Harrison Interview.”  Harrison states, “Norm Pattiz was a one-of-a-kind, larger-than-life figure. He reinvented the network business model at Westwood One and set his unique barter-based ‘syndicated radio’ system on its way to being today’s industry standard. It is employed by most companies in the field and significantly impacts the very paradigm of radio station formatting.”

Prior to his radio career, Pattiz – a recipient of the “Giants of Broadcasting Award” from the Library of American Broadcasting – spent four years (1970 – 1974) in the sales department of Los Angeles television outlet KCOP (channel 13). The Norman J. Pattiz Concert Hall on the campus of Los Angeles’ Alexander Hamilton High School is named in his honor.

Board chair of Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos National Security, Pattiz was on the board of the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. In addition, he was president of the Broadcast Education Association, as well as on the Council of Foreign Relations and the Pacific Council on International Policy.

President Bill Clinton appointed Pattiz to the United States Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) in 2000; Pattiz was reappointed two years later by President George W. Bush. The BBG oversees all U.S. non-military international broadcast services. Pattiz was chair of BBG’s Middle East Committee, where he helped create Arabic-language radio and TV services – including Radio Sawa and Alhurra Television – which were broadcast to 22 Middle East countries.

A reserve deputy in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and a member of the Region 1 Homeland Security Advisory Council, Pattiz joined the board of regents of the University of California; he was chair of the board’s oversight committee of the Department of Energy Laboratories. In 2014, then-California Governor Jerry Brown reappointed Pattiz to a second 12-year term on the board of regents.

The Lakers posted the following on its Facebook page: “Norm Pattiz and his rolled-up game program were fixtures at Lakers home games for decades. We will always treasure his spirit for the game and love for the team. He will be missed.” Among several hundred fans leaving comments on the site is Joe Valdez who writes, “He appeared at more Laker games than any Laker. That’s a life well spent. It should be required that whoever gets his seat carry a rolled-up program and spend no discernible time during a game staring at his phone like most people with courtside seats do now.” Meanwhile, Daniel-Espie Rodriguez admits, “[I] never knew his name until now, but in all 36 years of my life, I always looked for him and Jack Nicholson when watching home games. It will be weird watching games not seeing you in your spot; condolences to his family.”

Among the many other tributes on social media, Geller Media International president Valerie Geller recalls, “One time, Norm and I had a bet. He lost and I made him buy me a lobster dinner. Tonight, I’m having lobster ravioli in honor of Norm. To quote him, ‘Desire is good – always order what you want.” Audacy Los Angeles marketing strategist Pam Baker notes, “Norm Pattiz: You did amazing things for this industry – positive vibes to your family.” Veritone One senior vice president of growth Bart Roselli adds, “So sad to hear the passing of Norm Pattiz, an industry legend. We at Veritone One and myself especially will miss saying hello at conferences to our friend. He was a visionary in the audio and podcasting space and [my] heart goes out to his family. Michigan Association of Broadcasters director of technology/Handcrafted Radio owner-operator Dan Kelley remarks, “What a legend – thank you Norm.”

Tags: board of regents, Broadcasting Board of Governors, Courtside Entertainment, Cumulus Media, KIQQ, Kit Gray, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Lakers, Mary Turner, Michael Harrison, Mutual Broadcasting System, National Radio Hall of Fame, NBC, Norm Pattiz, pirate radio, PodcastOne, Radio & Records, Scott Shannon, TALKERS, The Great American Radio Show with Mike Harrison, University of California, Westwood One

Category: Features