Don Marsh Exits St. Louis Public Radio

Host Exits

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS News-Talk KWMU (ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO)/ST. LOUIS weekday talk show "ST. LOUIS ON THE AIR" host DON MARSH has exited the station. MARSH resigned last WEDNESDAY after hosting the show since SEPTEMBER 2005, the station announced. The show will be hosted by producers and reporters for the station until a permanent host is named.

MARSH told the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH that he resigned after managers at KWMU asked him at a meeting about telling a guest, former crosstown NBC affiliate KSDK-TV anchor KAREN FOSS, that she "looked great," prompting a complaint by a station producer, although FOSS herself, posting on FACEBOOK, called the remark a "common way for those of us who are aged to greet each other -- meaning we share our pleasure at being vital and healthy. It is in no way leering or meant to diminish anyone’s intellectual or professional contributions" and added, "As a woman who has long argued for the equitable treatment of women, I am highly alert to sexism and discrimination and I sensed absolutely none of that in his greeting."

The station denied in a tweet and a response to FOSS that management took issue with MARSH over the remark, and added that MARSH was not asked to resign.

In response to public speculation and comments regarding Don Marsh’s resignation: St. Louis Public Radio management did not take issue with Don for his in-person or on-air greeting of Karen Foss, a guest on Tuesday’s program. Additionally, Don voluntarily resigned as host.

— STL Public Radio (@stlpublicradio) March 31, 2019

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