KLOS Radio's Uncle Joe Benson Helps House Research Institute Promote Healthy Hearing to NAMM Attendees

	Radio personality Uncle Joe Benson

As part of its 2012 NAMM Show activities, the House Research Institute (HRI) [NAMM booth 1292, Hall E, January 19-22, Anaheim, California] will host special guest Uncle Joe Benson, of Los Angeles' KLOS radio on Saturday, January 21, 11am-1pm. at the Anaheim Convention Center. The popular radio announcer and entertainer will be on hand to greet booth attendees while discussing the importance of maintaining healthy hearing and hearing loss protection.

Since 1980, Uncle Joe's voice has been heard by millions of listeners across Southern California, and his music/interview program Off the Record is syndicated on over 90 stations nationwide. As a radio personality on KLOS, his broadcasts reach nearly three million people across Southern California.

KLOS has been serving the greater Los Angeles area for over 40 years, and has also made a positive impact through its continued community outreach efforts. The station still owns the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest blood drive in the country and was presented the Crystal Award for its exemplary community service.

"Healthy hearing is a topic that deserves much broader attention -- especially within the music community," commented Uncle Joe. "This year at NAMM, we are happy to help put the spotlight on the topic of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) to educate folks not only on how fragile our hearing is, but also on the measures we can take to protect it and preserve it."

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is usually painless, progressive, permanent, and completely preventable. It happens when a person is exposed for too long of a time to sound pressure levels of 85dB or more, resulting in damage to the sensorineural ("hair") cells of the inner ear. It can be the result of exposing your ears to a sudden, intense impulse noise like an explosion or gunfire or extended or repeated exposure to loud machinery and recreational activities, such as loud music and video.

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), 36 million American adults report some degree of hearing loss; an estimated 26 million of them between the ages of 20 and 69 have a high-frequency hearing loss caused by too much exposure to loud sound.