Jim Dunbar, noted San Francisco newstalk pioneer, dies at 89

SAN FRANCISCO - Jim Dunbar, a pioneer in San Francisco's newstalk radio who survived an on-air shooting attack, has died at 89.

His daughter, Brooke Dunbar, tells the San Francisco Chronicle that Dunbar died Monday at his home.

Dunbar spent 37 years at KGO-AM, where he had a morning newstalk show. He was credited with helping the station go from last to first place for a quarter-century. Dunbar retired in 2000.

Dunbar was so well-known that a man claiming to be the Zodiac killer once called his show more than 50 times in two hours.

Dunbar also survived a 1973 shooting. A gunman fired at him but the studio's bulletproof glass saved Dunbar, who stayed on the air to describe the attack. Another KGO employee was killed before the gunman shot himself.