Lang
8/4/23
Legendary Eastern Iowa broadcaster Cary J. Hahn has died. Hahn’s friends tell KCJJ the 75-year-old died Friday night at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids after an undisclosed illness.
Hahn was best-known as “The Iowa Traveller” on KGAN television from 1983 to 2008 . His regular segments had him visiting locations throughout Eastern Iowa meeting and profiling interesting people from all walks of life and showing off some of the lesser-known hidden gems for his viewers to visit and discover.
Hahn began his broadcasting career in 1965 at the Lindenwood College campus radio station in his hometown of St. Charles, Missouri. He moved on to Lincoln, Nebraska, Jefferson City, Missouri and Kansas City before coming to Iowa in 1979 to be bureau chief for KTVO-TV in Ottumwa. The Vietnam veteran also reported for Armed Forces Radio and Television while he served from 1967 to 1971.
After his stint as the Iowa Traveller, Hahn returned to radio, working at KMRY and KCCK in Cedar Rapids.
Hahn won the Jack Shelley Award for career achievement from the Iowa Broadcast News Association in 2006. He previously served as President of the IBNA from 2004 to 2005.
Hahn was also an avid fan of 99+ KFMH and 1630 KCJJ, often covering the former’s “Stupid Contests” in Davenport for KGAN in the 1980’s, and calling into the KCJJ morning show during the 5am hour before starting his own 6am shift at KMRY in the 2000’s and 2010’s.