Legendary Saint John talk show host Tom Young has died and is being remembered with respect from both inside and outside the broadcast studio.
The 75-year-old died unexpectedly Tuesday afternoon in hospital in St. John’s, N.L.
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Young came to Saint John in the early 1970s and spent the majority of his 50 years on the air in the port city. He was the decades long host of the program “Talk of the Town” on the then-powerhouse station AM 930 CFBC.
He retired in August of 2011 as host of “The Afternoon News” on News 88.9.
Those who knew and worked with Young are expressing shock at his sudden passing and respect for what he brought to his profession and the community. Those who followed in his shoes say they couldn’t have done it without him.
“I would have been inadequate if not for that experience to learn from Tom, to work under Tom,” said Todd Veinotte, who succeeded Young as host upon his retirement.
Long-time Halifax talk show host Rick Howe worked with Young in Saint John in the 1970s.
“This is a man that in Saint John for a number of years he was the only voice that allowed people to have that opportunity to speak their minds,” Howe explained.
Young’s influence is said to have extended from behind the microphone as well. His popular talk show attracted the attention of local politicians which could impact municipal policy in certain ways.
Saint John Deputy Mayor Shirley McAlary served as both councillor and mayor during Young’s time on the air.
“It sort of gave us an indication of what people really thought of different issues because when they spoke to the ‘Talk of the Town,’ to Tom Young, they said what was on their mind,” McAlary said.
Young’s commitment to the community also extended to the public realm.
He served as a suburban mayor and most recently a councillor in Rothesay where flags are flying at half-mast.
No funeral will be held, but a party in celebration of his life is expected in the spring.
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