Pioneering Bay Area broadcaster Jim Gabbert (left), 71, says he wants to get back into the business full-time. He’s doing fill-in work at KGO 810 and applied for the late Pete Wilson’s slot at KGO 810, but Gil Gross got the job. Radio writer Brad Kava profiled Gabbert for the MediaNews newspapers. Kava writes:

“Gabbert, who started KPEN-FM in the Stanford Hills 50 years ago, walked out of the broadcast business with $250million and has spent a decade on his two yachts and three planes, including a Boeing 727, a Citation jet and a vintage military prop plane, all of which he flies. “He’s one of those guys who worked for what he earned, and can’t stop working even when he’s supposed to be kicking back. In radio, he was the engineer, the program director, a DJ and the station owner — all at the same time. And he chopped wood to earn money to pay the bills.”

Kava covered the Sept. 20 Broadcast Legends luncheon which honored Gabbert. Here’s Broadcast Legends account of the event. (Photo credit: Bay Area Broadcast Legends)