With Emmis’ St. Louis Exit, iHeart Beckons For Beck

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In the words of iHeartMedia Markets Group Division President Tony Coles, he’s “one of the most respected leaders in St. Louis,” with a track record of success and a “reputation for building a winning culture.”


Now, he’s a colleague, as a former longtime Emmis Communications leader in the Gateway City has been selected as Market President for iHeartMedia/St. Louis.

Taking the role, effective immediately: John Beck.

As Market President, Beck will work closely with the programming, business, and sales teams and oversee all of the station’s on-air and digital programming as well as create new revenue opportunities.

Beck was most recently SVP of Emmis Communications in St. Louis.

In January 2018, Emmis revealed that it was exiting St. Louis, one of its most profitable markets, for $60 million. Among the stations under Beck’s purview: Legendary Rocker KSHE-FM.

By the end of 2018, Beck had transitioned to radio station co-owner. As RBR+TVBR reported, Beck had teamed with Joe Schwartz and Dana Withers in the purchase of a group of stations serving Northern Arizona under the name Stone Canyon Radio and Marketing.

Beck remains best-known for his nearly 35 years at Emmis, which saw him not only lead KSHE-FM but also KIHT-FM (now KNOU-FM), KPNT-FM & KFTK-FM. He also had oversight of WRDA-FM 104.1 under Emmis ownership. Beck joined Emmis in March 1984 to oversee KSHE after some two years at Golden West Broadcasters’ KKCI-AM & FM in Kansas City. He began his career at WFFM in Pittsburgh

“I am thrilled to be working at iHeartMedia in the town I love,” Beck said. “I look forward to working with the local staff and leadership, several of whom I already know. iHeartMedia is an amazing company and I can’t wait to tell the story and find ways to use our stations to build and promote this awesome city and region that we call home.”

Throughout his esteemed decades-long career, Beck has also been honored with an array of awards, including being named one of America’s Top 10 Radio Managers by Radio Ink and receiving a Distinguished Broadcaster Award presented by the Missouri Broadcasters Association in 2002, as well as being named The Radio Wayne Market Manager of the Year by the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB).

In addition, Beck is also heavily involved in his community, working closely with many non-profit businesses. Locally, until its reorganization in January 2021, he served on the board of the St. Louis Regional Chamber, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, The American Red Cross, Heat-Up & Cool Down St. Louis, The Foundation Board of St. Louis Children’s Hospital, the Magic House, Grace Hill, Character-Plus, the Downtown St. Louis Community Improvement District and the March of Dimes.