Remembering Norm Pattiz

• We were saddened to learn that Radio Hall of Famer Norm Pattiz, the founder of Westwood One and the Founder & Executive Chairman of PodcastOne, died Sunday evening, December 4 at the age of 79. No other details are known at this time.

Pattiz was originally a salesman at KCOP-TV/Los Angeles from 1970-1974. Two years later he launched Westwood One, which grew into a syndication behemoth, initially distributing programs like The Dr. Demento Show and Off The Record With Mary Turner, hosted by Pattiz’s wife.

Westwood One grew so successful it went public in 1984, at one point owning the late, great trade publication Radio & Records and Mutual Broadcasting. Pattiz left the company in 2010 and launched Courtside Entertainment Group. In Oct. 2012, Pattiz founded LaunchPad Digital Media, which spawned PodcastOne four months later.

In June 2020, Courtside Group, Inc., the owner and operator of PodcastOne was acquired by LiveX Media, Inc. (now LiveOne) in an all-stock deal valued at $18.1 million.

In a statement, PodcastOne President Kit Gray said of Pattiz, “Norm was a great innovator in the world of broadcast and his contributions to the genre are immeasurable. He left an indelible impact on everyone that he met, and he will be deeply missed.”