Dr. Edell

Dr. Dean Edell, 69, told his KGO radio audience today that he plans to retire after 35 years and 5,000 shows on the station. (Click here to hear audio from today’s show.) Dr. Edell told his audience that there part of him is very sad and upset.

The announcement came three weeks after KGO’s new general manager, Deidra Lieberman, decided to move Edell’s shows to the weekends on a tape-delayed basis.

Starting next Monday, KGO is bringing back its noon news and moving attorney Len Tillem, who is now at noon, to Dr. Edell’s 1-2 p.m. slot.

Lieberman’s decision came after KGO, long the first-place radio station in total listeners, had fallen to third, with All News KCBS taking the lead. In response, KGO is adding more newscasts including the hour at noon. Dr. Edell’s last live show will air Friday at 1 p.m.

Lieberman issued the following statement today:

“Dean has been on the air with us for 35 years and has definitely earned this retirement. While we are sad to lose him as a member of the KGO Newstalk 810 line-up, we are thrilled for Dean and his family. We have lots of terrific options as we begin the job of reworking the KGO line-up and will be making an announcement soon.”

Dr. Edell’s show is syndicated nationally by Premiere Radio Networks. That arrangement will end Dec. 31. Premiere’s president of content and affiliate relations, Julie Talbott, said:

“We’ve had an incredibly prosperous partnership with Dr. Dean Edell for many years. As host of the most successful medical show in radio history, Dr. Dean has informed and entertained millions of fans with his trademark wit, compassion, intelligence and expertise. While we’re sad to see Dr. Dean leave radio, we wish him all the best as he starts this new chapter of his life.”