Fred Jacobs Reveals Parkinson's Diagnosis: 'Life Goes On'

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, August 27, 2025 | 4:25pm CT

Fred Jacobs

Jacobs Media founder Fred Jacobs has shared that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, opening up publicly about his health for the first time in a personal entry on his JacoBLOG.

Jacobs said he first noticed a tremor in his left hand in 2017, but initial tests did not confirm the condition. A few years later, the tremor worsened, and his neurologist eventually diagnosed him with Parkinson's. Since then, Jacobs has been managing the disease with standard medications, noting that while they help, the tremor remains most noticeable when he's under stress or in front of an audience.

"Trying to hide it has diverted my focus to the tremor and away from my speech, presentation, or meeting," Jacobs wrote. "I've reached the conclusion that by telling you about it, neither of us will spend much time thinking about it. At least, that's the goal."

The longtime media consultant said he was inspired to speak openly following recent industry events, including Morning Show Boot Camp and the Public Media Content Conference. He noted that advice from Don Anthony-"People are in the room to see you and hear what you have to say. They don't care that your hand shakes"-helped him move forward with sharing his diagnosis.

Jacobs credited his support system, including his wife Debra, his brother and business partner Paul Jacobs, his family, and the Jacobs Media team, with helping him navigate the challenges ahead. Despite the diagnosis, he emphasized he has no plans to slow down.

"If I manage this beast well, and maybe get a little lucky, I think I've got a number of solid years ahead where I'll be able to continue making a contribution at a performance level that meets my standards," he said.

Jacobs closed by reminding readers that "everyone has something-or will at some point," framing his disclosure as part of life's journey.

Read the full blog post here.