Tributes pour in as legendary Australian radio star dies at age 54 just months after being diagnosed with cancer

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Kim Blair, a well-known radio host and media figure from Australia and New Zealand, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 54. She had been diagnosed with an aggressive type of colon cancer just five months prior.

Blair joins us after a successful thirty-year career in radio, television, and digital media, most recently as Business Director at TVNZ.

Throughout his distinguished career, he was well-respected in both Australia and New Zealand for being friendly, funny, and a strong leader.

Oh my gosh, it all started in Western Australia! I discovered he was working at 6AM Radiowest back in the late ’90s – can you believe it? He was doing everything, being an announcer and writing the copy! That’s where it all began, and I’ve been hooked ever since!

He worked at RG Capital Radio for seven years and then joined Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), where he held positions in several cities including Sydney, Brisbane, Newcastle, and Gosford.

Prior to TVNZ, Blair held leadership positions at MediaWorks radio for almost a decade, where he played a key role in developing the formats of some of New Zealand’s most popular stations.

Blair’s passion for content and connection shone through every chapter of his career.

He won an ACRA during his stint as Program Director at KOFM / NXFM Newcastle, from 2008 to 2010.

During his last years in Australia, he worked at Triple M Brisbane as an Assistant Content Director and announcer, and was well-liked by everyone he worked with.

People across the media industry who knew and worked with the veteran have shared warm and emotional memories of them.

Radio executive Rod Maldon explained that both he and the other person grew up in Western Australia and started their careers at Radio West, which quickly created a strong connection between them.

‘Humble, funny, extraordinarily talented and so very missed,’ Maldon said. 

‘Best of all, I got to experience that legendary sense of humour.’ 

Andrew Very, who used to work with Blair, recalled him as one of the funniest and most dry-witted people you could ever know.

‘His voice seemed made for radio – instantly recognisable and warm,’ Very said. 

Whether working in regional Western Australia or major city markets, and throughout his career as a content director and general manager, he was completely dedicated to his work.

‘Even in his final days, that passion never dimmed.’

Drew Chapman, a long-time radio personality who worked with Blair at Mix FM on the Sunshine Coast and later at Triple M in Brisbane and Sydney, described Blair as a mentor and someone like an older brother to him.

Chapman was a genuinely kind person with a fantastic and playful sense of humor, whether he was on or off the radio,” she said.

‘The world has lost one of the most incredible humans this week.’

In 2022, Blair was recognized for his contributions to the radio industry as a finalist in the New Zealand Radio Awards.

Blair is survived by his wife Mary, their son Tom, and his mother and brother.

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2025-10-30 16:18