Since May 2021, he was known as a features reporter on CBS News and Stations’ KMAX-31 in Sacramento, as part of the Good Day weekend news team. For nearly eight years before that, he was a significant part of the iHeartRadio station group in the market, going back behind the mic after two years on “FOX40” as an entertainment reporter helming “Studio 40 Live.”
Now, every media outlet in Northern California and its consumers are pausing to mourn the loss of “Big Al” Sams.
Sams was 55 years of age. In a brief statement, CBS News Sacramento called Sams “a fantastic and fun part” of Good Day. “It was an honor to have such a caring and talented man as Big Al on our team.”
KOVR is producing a tribute to Sams, which will air on Sunday morning’s edition of Good Day.
Sams joined KMAX, a sibling to KOVR-TV, in May 2021. From March 2012 through January 2020, he was an on-air morning personality at KHYL “V101.1” in Sacramento while also appearing on iHeartMedia-owned spoken word sibling KFBK-AM & FM.
Sams’ specialty was movie reviews, in addition to entertainment news and pop culture segments. That’s what led KTXL-40 in Sacramento, the market’s FOX affiliate, to hire him in February 2017 as an entertainment and lifestyle anchor and host. He exited in March 2019, ahead of Nexstar Media Group’s purchase of the station as part of its merger with Tribune Broadcasting. At that time, it was believed Sinclair Broadcast Group would become the owner of Tribune; that transaction was abandoned after the Pai Commission placed it in the hands of an administrative law judge on the grounds that Sinclair’s use of shared service agreements went beyond permissive regulatory policy.
Previously, Sams was seen nationwide as co-host of the weekly feature film review program “Mark at the Movies,” a freelance role that grew out of his longtime role at CBS Radio in Sacramento. He was associated with that company’s former properties in the market from July 1997 through March 2012, and hosted afternoons on Rhythmic Top 40 KSFM-FM 102.5.
Outside of his professional duties, Sams was an active supporter of the American Cancer Society and was a guest speaker and participant of the “Out of the Darkness Walk” on behalf of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
By midday Wednesday, the Sacramento Bee, along with every local TV station, featured news stories honoring Sams while announcing his passing.
The cause of death was not disclosed as of midday Wednesday.
