Leigh Richards
Award- winning Radio Host and Air Personality

Leigh Richards is a 42 year veteran of Philadelphia radio, TV, and film, including 25 years at WXTU Radio.

At WHYY-TV, Leigh hosted/co-hosted several special program events. and was a featured contributor on Maury Povich’s show on KYW-TV, when it first aired in Philadelphia.
She was also the emcee of the annual Philadelphia Hero Scholarship Thrill Show from 1991 to 2005.
She is currently a business contributor on KYW Newsradio, and an air personality on WMGK.

On the air and up close, Leigh is warm, friendly and fun!
She always encourages interaction with her listeners- on the phone, via social media and in person. She’s your friend and neighbor, and gives special attention to the needs and interests of her audience and the community.

News, talk music, Leigh has worn many hats throughout the years, breaking ground for women in radio and making a little radio history.

As a reporter, she covered Philadelphia City Hall and the streets of North Philadelphia during the demonstrations of the Mid-70’s. As a radio personality she rode on an elephant! She was one of the first female “Boss Jocks” at WFIL, working with some of the greats in radio. Leigh was also the first woman in Philadelphia to play “oldies” on the radio. In addition, she was also co-host, producer and board op on the Joey Reynolds morning show on WFIL.

In 1976, with two little babies at home, she gave herself one year to get a paying job in broadcasting. She moved ahead at lightning speed. By the end of the first day, she had an interview at Channel 6. Within six months, Leigh was working at not one, but two radio stations, while attending Temple University School of Communications.

Always taking a leadership role in the community, she was quickly elected Vice-president of Temple University’s chapter of Women in Communications.

Leigh has always considered her community and charitable activities a way of life, and being in the media enabled her to reach out and help many more people at one time.
In addition to her on-air duties at WSNI and WXTU, she also hosted weekly public affairs programs, which she loved. “It brought it all together,” Leigh said, ” I was able to help a lot of people.”
Leigh’s 25 year public affairs show at WXTU was among the longest running in Philadelphia.

“I’ve always loved the listeners and whether in person, or on the air, I always make time to speak with them and remember their names.”

Honors and awards include:
-The Hero Award from the Hero Scholarship Fund,
-Numerous AIR Awards (Achievement In Radio) from the March of Dimes, including their Milestone Award,
-The Chapel of the Four Chaplains Award for Outstanding service to the community,
-In November 2018, Leigh was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame.

Leigh currently serves on the Board of Directors of Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia, and hosts an annual symposium for Philadelphia area communications students at our local TV stations.