In America, where sports is a big part of the nation’s culture and economy, there isn’t a shortage of personalities who have dedicated their lives to being experts in their chosen sports of interests, especially off the field play as sportscasters, reporters, and journalists. One of them is Paul Finebaum whose off-field excellence shines through as an author and a sports radio host.
Paul Finebaum has been working in the media for over four decades, and in that period, he has made a name for himself as an interviewer, regularly considered one of the best interviewers on Radio. He is also a columnist who has written for a variety of publications and he has appeared in a number of TV shows, including iconic shows like Larry King Live.
Early Life
He began his life on the 26th of July, 1955 in Memphis, Tennessee as the child of Gloria Filderman and Benjamin Finebaum. He was one of the two children born to the couple, with his only sibling being a sister named Pam Finebaum. Much of his childhood years are unknown but he began his basic education at Christian Brothers High School, later graduating at White Station High School before he headed over to the University of Tennessee where he earned a degree in Political Science.
For a man who began studying Political Science at the undergraduate level, a lifelong career in sports broadcasting did not seem like the predictable career path but that became the story for Paul Finebaum and the journey began when he moved to Birmingham in 1980 and started his professional career as a columnist and reporter for the Birmingham Post-Herald.
He started out as a news reporter and after a couple of years, ventured into radio in the 1980s, starting off by making appearances on the Mark and Brian Radio Show on WAPI-FM, giving morning commentary. Paul’s performance on the radio show soon earned him his own show at WAPI-AM and the show quickly became the most popular sports talk show on radio in Birmingham. While he worked on radio, Paul Finebaum continued to work as a news reporter and has written several stories and columns that have earned him over 250 awards from national, regional and area sports awards for his writing works.
Back on radio, Paul Finebaum got a chance to expand his coast beyond local radio in 2001 when he launched The Paul Finebaum Radio Network. The show had its flagship station as WJOX-FM and it was syndicated across the American Southeast radio network, consisting of states like Alabama, Mississipi, Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and Arkansas. The show was also hosted on satellite radio via Sirius XM Radio.
On television, Paul Finebaum has made multiple appearances for various shows on local and national media outlets. He worked as a sports analyst for WBRC and hosted shows for WBMA and WVTM-TV.
As an author, Paul Finebaum has written over 20 published works, many of which are his I Hate… series and he has also published works such as The Worst of Paul Finebaum and Finebaum Said.
His career is heavy laden with awards and recognitions, including being named as one of 10 Most Influential People in Sports in the Carolinas. He also made the list of 30 Most Powerful Talents in Sports Media by The Big Lead in 2017, among several others.
Net Worth and Salary
At the moment, Paul Finebaum is believed to be earning north of $70 thousand per year as a radio host for the SEC Network. While it may not seem like much, Paul has earned a considerable sum from other roles and ventures, including his guest appearances on other shows on both radio and TV, his publications, which include his I Hate… series and Finebaum Said, all of which, have earned him an estimated net worth north of $2 million.
See Also: Sam Ryan – Biography, Family, Facts About The American Sportscaster
Wife
For all the presence he has in the media, Paul Finebaum has done a fine job of keeping his private life away from the media. The only information we have of the popular sports personality is he has been married to his wife, Linda Hudson since 1990.
His wife, Linda, is a professional doctor and they reportedly met in Birmingham Complex. At the moment, there is no confirmation regarding the existence of children by the couple.
Quick Facts
- Paul Finebaum is Jewish.
- On television, he regularly appears on the show, Outside the Lines.
- He lives in North Carolina with his family.
