Carmine John Cigna was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 radio personality. He spent 28 years at KDKA-AM in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...

, starting in 1973 until his retirement in 2001.

Early years and career

Cigna was born in 1935 in Brooklyn, New York. He attended the Cambridge School of Broadcasting and Brooklyn College

Brooklyn College

Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...

 and worked at radio stations in West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...

, Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

 and Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

 before moving to Pittsburgh in 1969 to take up a position at WJAS

WJAS

WJAS is an adult standards radio station based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Renda Broadcasting, and broadcasts at 1320 kHz with a power level of 5,000 watts.- The History of 1320 WJAS-AM :...

 as the sports anchor and morning news director.

KDKA career

Cigna moved to KDKA-AM in Pittsburgh on March 11, 1973, when he hosted a talk show from 9:00 PM to midnight until 1983, where he moved to the morning slot after previous morning host Jack Bogut moved to WTAE-AM. The show, dubbed "John Cigna and the K-Team" consisted of Dave James, Fred Honsberger

Fred Honsberger

Fred Honsberger was a radio personality for News Radio 1020 KDKA-AM in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His show most recently aired from noon–3 pm weekdays, between Marty Griffin's The Inside Story and the KDKA Afternoon News...

 and sportscaster Nellie King. Cigna was paired with Honsberger in 1996 to do the morning show, now dubbed The Morning News with John Cigna, but Honsberger was moved back to his afternoon slot 6 months later. On his 25th anniversary at KDKA on March 11, 1998, Cigna received a congratulatory letter from president Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton

William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...

, citations from the state and county government, and the proclamation of "John Cigna Day" in Pittsburgh. Upon his retirement in September 2001, Cigna's on air absences had been getting more frequent. One anonymous listener had stated of Cigna, "It sounds like he's phoning it in." He was succeeded by Larry Richert

Larry Richert

-Education and career:Born in Millvale and raised in McCandless Township, Richert graduated from North Allegheny High School and Clarion University....

 as host of the morning show.

Personal life and death

Cigna was married to Patricia, and had four sons, Tony, John, Mike, and Chris. Cigna was also an avid motorcyclist, often taking motorcycle trips on his Harley Davidson during his retirement. He had been injured in a motorcycle accident in March 1999.

Cigna died on May 20, 2011, in McCandless, Pennsylvania

McCandless, Pennsylvania

McCandless is a municipality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 28,457 at the 2010 census. It was originally incorporated as a township; however, on January 1, 1975, McCandless Township adopted a new charter designating it a Home Rule Charter Municipality with the...

. He had experienced failing health and had recently experienced suffered a stroke

Stroke

A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...

 and effects of emphysema

Emphysema

Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the tissues necessary to support the physical shape and function of the lungs are destroyed. It is included in a group of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary...

. His wife, Pat, of 53 years had predeceased him by four months, dying in January. Upon his death, Michael Young, senior vice president and Pittsburgh market manager for CBS Radio, stated "Pittsburgh lost an icon. He was just full of life." Cigna had requested that his motorcycle be displayed next to his casket during his funeral.