KGO Radio Talk Host Pete Wilson died Friday night from a heart attack suffered during hip replacement surgery at Stanford University Hospital. He was 62.
KGO Radio President and General Manager Mickey Luckoff said, "Pete was a rare talent who took his listeners on a fascinating daily journey through the day's important events, demanding critical and balanced analysis from all sides of an issue. He was never fully satisfied just reporting the facts of a situation. He constantly questioned and probed the logic behind the beliefs and views of those in the news."
Pete was also a highly successful television journalist, anchoring the 6PM news at KGO-TV, ABC7 Television. In a broadcast career spanning over 30 years, Pete won the prestigious Peabody award, five Emmy awards and numerous other local and national awards.
KGO Radio Operations Director Jack Swanson said, "In an industry where broadcasters' opinions are often predictable, Pete always looked at issues with fresh eyes. He was usually far less impressed with his own opinions and more interested in understanding the motivations and logic behind the opinions of others. Pete's passing is a huge loss for the KGO Radio family where he was not only respected, but genuinely loved."
Pete's broadcast career began at a radio station in Milwaukee. He was a journalism graduate from the University of Wisconsin and a Vietnam veteran. Pete joined KGO Radio as host of his daily 2:00-4:00PM program in 2000. He had also been a long-time television news anchor with KRON -TV, and KXTL-TV in Sacramento.
Pete, who resided in Marin County, is survived by his wife Sandra, and his son Brendan, a college student.