If Lucinda Kay Didn’t Work as a News Anchor for the San Diego Radio Station KOGO 600-AMshe would live in Jamaica serving low-income families through a charity her mother co-founded in 1988.
“When I got the job offer at KOGO, it was a tough decision between a humanitarian role and the news — where to be the best servant-leader I could be,” Kay told The Times of San. Diego. “Right now, the news is calling. And, I know it was a great decision thanks to that team at iHeart and my “Goodness” streak adds some extra sparkle.
When Kay joined KOGO a year ago, she knew her job description included producing a one-minute daily report that would be part of a series. “I wanted to do good news, stories about positivity and cool San Diegans,” she said.
“I use the word ‘kindness’ often in everyday conversation. Cliff (Cliff Albert, KOGO News Director), a fabulous leader, heard me say the word ‘kindness’ and said, ‘C that’s just what we need.”
Storylines from recent “Goodness” segments include: a father who raises awareness about fentanyl after his daughter’s overdose death; a Padres pitcher who agreed to scatter a fan’s ashes on the Petco Park field; a young boy raising money to fight climate change with a lemonade stand; a former cybersecurity worker who quit his job to chop and serve fresh coconuts on the Pacific Beach boardwalk; a yoga class with puppies that are available for adoption after class.
“At 15, I decided I wanted to be a journalist and tell stories that would impact the world. Today, I am so lucky to have the opportunity to tell this kind of good news,” Kay, 53, said.
“In school, I was a dyslexic little girl who never raised her hand in class. In my life there have been so many people who have encouraged me, loved me, believed in me and helped me get to where I am today. I am grateful to be the product of the kindness of others. And, now, I want to share the kindness with others.
Her current affairs career includes nearly 30 years in the communications industry, working for television and radio stations, and consulting nationally and internationally. She has worked in news roles in the Oregon and Washington State towns of Klamath Falls, Medford, Kennewick, Richland, Pasco, Yakima, Spokane and Portland.
Between jobs in the news media, Kay consulted as Director of Communications for Great Shape! Inc., the non-profit organization co-founded by his mother, Georgene Crowe.
“Each year, approximately 700 volunteers pay their own way to spend one or two weeks serving approximately 40,000 people a year who live in Jamaica, Grenada, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Saint Lucia and Antigua” , said Kay. “They come back year after year because they love to serve. We have a committed management team including my aunts and my mom, who people call Mama-G.
“Great shape! Inc. serves children and their families in the Caribbean with free access to healthcare and education. Our volunteers provide free dental care, eye care, literacy programs and teacher training.
“Volunteers work hard all day, experience the richness of serving together, and then they can celebrate it at Sandals resorts. The Sandals Foundation has provided free accommodation to our volunteers for decades. It’s an amazing and lasting operation that my mom helped build. At 74, she continues to shine.
Great shape! participates in Giving Tuesday on November 29, when Americans are asked to donate generously to their favorite charities.
Mindgruve in Adweek’s list of 75 fastest growing agencies
Mindgruvea San Diego creative marketing agency, has been named one of the 75 fastest growing agencies in the world by Advertising week, an advertising industry trade publication. This is the third time that Adweek has named Mindgruve to its list of fastest growing agencies.
Mindgruve is ranked #67 on Adweek’s 2022 list with a three-year growth rate of 69% between 2019 and 2021.
A statement from Mindgruve said the agency grew during the COVID pandemic year 2020 and its workforce doubled in 2021, surpassing any one-year period since the company was founded in 2001. Recent new clients include First Horizon Bank, QuietKat, Bay City Brewing Co., Advisor Investments and Dupont.
“It’s an incredible honor to be recognized,” said Chad Robley, CEO and Founder of Mindgruve. “Over the years, our agency has evolved to offer a wide range of services including research, strategy, creative, media, website development and data science to our diverse client base.”
San Diego Press Club Features Panel of Science Journalists
The San Diego Press Club will present “The Art of Science Reporting,” a free live webinar on Zoom featuring three reporters, from 7-8 p.m. on Monday, November 28. The public is invited to attend.
Panel members include: Gary Robbins, science and higher education reporter, The San Diego Union-Tribune; Jonathan Wosen, biotechnology and life sciences journalist, STAT, a health and medical news website; and Melissa Miller, science and technology journalist, Nerdist, a news website covering pop culture and all things nerdy.
Robbins, with a journalism career that spans 50 years, joined UT in April 2010 after 25 years at the Orange County Register, where he served as science editor. He was born and raised in Maine and attended Northeastern University in Boston, where he graduated in 1978.
Wosen, a San Diegan native, joined STAT after working as a UT biotech reporter since April 2020. He has a PhD in immunology from Stanford University.
Miller, who has a bachelor’s degree in evolutionary biology, joined Nerdist in March of this year. She worked for 11 years as a chemist before becoming a full-time writer. She also hosts “Star Warsologies”, a monthly podcast.
The webinar will be recorded and a web link will appear on the Press Club website and Press Club YouTube channel for later viewing. The webinar is part of the Press Club’s long-running “Nuts & Bolts” educational series, which is part of the Press Club’s professional development program.
Thanks to Georgia, midterm election advertising isn’t over yet
Total campaign ad spend for the U.S. Senate, House and gubernatorial races for the recent midterm elections totaled $4.7 billion, according to Ad age, an advertising industry trade publication. This figure includes TV, radio and digital advertising from December 28, 2021 through Election Day on November 8.
Ad Age said Republicans and Democrats spent nearly the same, $2.027 billion (Democrats) versus $2.057 billion (Republicans). Independent and issue-based ads, including ballot initiatives, account for an additional $666 million of the $4.7 billion total.
Republicans outspent Democrats on Senate races ($797 million vs. $738 million) and gubernatorial races ($588 million vs. $539 million). However, Democrats outspent Republicans on U.S. House races ($607 million vs. $563 million). Still, Republicans flipped the House after winning 219 seats, a tally that earned them a majority.
Georgian media haven’t finished reaping additional revenue as Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker missed 50% of the vote, forcing a runoff that will result in tens of millions of dollars in additional spending in the Peach State ahead of the Dec. 6 election.
Ad Age said Warnock spent $74 million on political advertising, the most of any candidate nationwide. Behind Warnock in individual candidate spending were Mark Kelly, Arizona Senate race, $49 million; JB Pritzker, Illinois governor’s race, $47 million; Rick Caruso, running for mayor of Los Angeles, $47 million; and Greg Abbott, running for governor of Texas, $45 million.
Rick Griffon is a public relations and marketing consultant based in San Diego. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in the Times of San Diego.
