What is Tom Joyner's net worth and salary?
Tom Joyner is an American radio host and philanthropist who has a net worth of $80 million. Tom Joyner is best known as the host of the nationally syndicated radio program "The Tom Joyner Morning Show." He also founded Reach Media, BlackAmericaWeb, and the Tom Joyner Foundation, which supports historically black colleges and universities. Among his other endeavors, he has published books and advocated for voter registration.
Salary
Tom Joyner's peak salary for hosting his syndicated radio show was $9 million per year.
Early Life and Education
Tom Joyner was born on November 23, 1949 in Tuskegee, Alabama to Frances and Hercules. Both of his parents were graduates of historically black colleges, and for his own higher education, Joyner went to the HBCU Tuskegee Institute. His brother Albert also went to the school. Joyner graduated from Tuskegee with a degree in sociology.
Radio Broadcasting in the 1970s and 80s
Having been involved in radio broadcasting at the Tuskegee Institute, Joyner immediately began his professional radio career upon his graduation. He worked at various radio stations throughout the South and Midwest, including ones in Dallas and St. Louis, before moving to Chicago in early 1978. There, Joyner initially worked on the morning show at WVON, but soon left to work at the rival station WBMX-FM. By the end of 1978, he was hired by Charles Mootry to work at WJPC-AM, where he hosted the morning show. Also on the station, Joyner served as the inaugural host of the nationally syndicated newsmagazine series "Ebony/Jet Celebrity Showcase." In 1983, he went back to Dallas to host the morning show on KKDA-FM. Two years after that, he began hosting an afternoon show on WGCI-FM in Chicago. Instead of leaving his position in Dallas, Joyner commuted daily by plane between the two cities; he did this for eight years, earning him the nickname "Fly Jock."
The Tom Joyner Morning Show
In early 1994, Joyner began hosting his own nationally syndicated radio program, "The Tom Joyner Morning Show." Based in Dallas, the show aired live Monday through Friday for four hours, and was broadcast on urban contemporary stations across the country. On the show, Joyner was joined by a team of comedians and commentators who discussed the latest news. Featured personalities included J Anthony Brown, Sybil Wilkes, and Tyrell Zimmerman. Joyner also played popular R&B music, welcomed celebrity guests, and had on-site remote segments called Sky Shows. Southwest Airlines, a prominent sponsor of the program, often gave away free round-trip airfare to listeners. Upon signing a two-year contract extension with Westwood in 2017, Joyner announced that he would retire from "The Tom Joyner Morning Show" in late 2019.
The Tom Joyner Show
During his time as host of "The Tom Joyner Morning Show," Joyner hosted the nationally syndicated television program "The Tom Joyner Show" from 2005 to 2006. A one-hour variety program, it combined sketch comedy with talent contests and musical performances. Although the show was well received, high production costs ultimately prompted Joyner to end it.
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The Tom Joyner Foundation
As a philanthropist, Joyner conducts most of his work through his Tom Joyner Foundation, which is committed to supporting historically black colleges and universities through scholarships, endowments, and other contributions. The Foundation offers the Hercules Scholarship and the Full Ride Scholarship, and has veteran education and teacher quality programs. Additionally, the Tom Joyner Foundation hosts the annual Fantastic Voyage cruise to raise money for HBCUs.
Books
Joyner has written some books. With Mary Flowers Boyce, he co-wrote the 2005 book "I'm Just a DJ but… It Makes Sense to Me," which focuses on his childhood and early career in radio, among other topics. In early 2009, Joyner released "Tom Joyner Presents How to Prepare for College," a primer on higher education for parents and their children.
Personal Life and Honors
With his first wife, Dora Chatmon, Joyner had two sons named Thomas Jr. and Oscar. The couple divorced in 1996. Joyner went on to marry celebrity fitness and aerobics instructor Donna Richardson in 2000; they divorced in 2012.
Joyner has received multiple honors for his long career in radio broadcasting. In 1998, he became the first African-American to be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. Joyner was later inducted into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame and the R&B Music Hall of Fame. Among his other honors, he received a NAB Marconi Radio Award and a BET Humanitarian Award.
Miami Mansions
In November 2015, Tom paid $10.5 million for an oceanfront mansion in Golden Beach, Florida. He sold this home in July 2022 for $19 million. Here's a video tour of Tom Joyner's former Miami mansion:
As it turned out, Tom regretted selling the above mansion because he loved the location so much. He even went so far as to ask his lawyer to try to cancel the sale.
To remedy his seller's remorse, a few days after closing Tom paid $10.5 million for a home a few doors down. That $10.5 million price was $2 million more than the home had sold for a year prior. He then spent a reported $7.5 million renovating his new home. In the renovation he converted the basement into a boxing gym and car museum.
Art Collection
A renowned art collector, Tom Joyner's art collection includes pieces by Picasso, Ernie Barnes, Robert Pruitt and more.
