In October 2023, when Nexstar Media Group finalized its acquisition of McKinnon Broadcasting Co. and San Diego\u2019s KUSI-TV, Steve Cohen\u2019s 20-year run as KUSI\u2019s news director was over. At the time, Cohen was in his 50th year of working in television news.<\/p>\n
During his half-century in TV newsroom executive positions, Cohen managed TV newsrooms in some of America\u2019s largest markets, including New York, Detroit, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, as well as stations in Arkansas, Utah and Buffalo, New York. His earned his first news director job in 1973 in Peoria, Ill.<\/p>\n
Since leaving KUSI three years ago, Cohen has kept busy as a TV consultant. He has advised Christopher Ruddy, majority owner of Newsmax Media and Newsmax TV.<\/p>\n
But, Cohen also has been considering a future in politics.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought about running for San Diego mayor, but I didn\u2019t pursue it,\u201d Cohen told Times of San Diego.<\/p>\n
Then, last March, Cohen said he received a phone call from the Republican Party of San Diego County.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were looking for candidates to run for Congress against Scott Peters, and they wanted someone who they considered \u2018substantial,\u2019 as they put it,\u201d Cohen said. \u201cI thought about it, called them back and said, \u2018Let\u2019s give it a shot.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, here I am, giving speeches, asking for votes and campaigning like I was a 20-year-old. Sure, I could be talking walks on the beach, but I would prefer to be in the game. I\u2019m not afraid of swimming in the deep end.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cohen, 79, remains a highly-respected legend in San Diego\u2019s TV news industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody is more energetic than me about protecting social security, senior rights, healthcare that works for patients, fiscal accountability, border security, a balanced federal budget and a thriving economy that will make San Diego affordable for working families,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not a politician, but I\u2019ve spent my entire career covering politicians. I\u2019ve investigated stories that mattered to working families, not the ones that made politicians comfortable. I\u2019ve reported on grocery prices eating up paychecks and healthcare premiums that force impossible choices. I\u2019ve seen housing costs push families out of neighborhoods they grew up in.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m running for Congress because I\u2019ve watched from behind the camera long enough. It\u2019s obvious to me that Congress is broken. I\u2019ve spent 50 years holding the powerful accountable, and I\u2019m not stopping now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cohen is challenging longtime incumbent Scott Peters in California\u2019s 50th Congressional District. The district boundaries include key San Diego County communities, such as La Jolla, Carmel Valley, Point Loma, Coronado, downtown San Diego, Poway and portions of San Marcos and Escondido.<\/p>\n
Peters, who has served in Congress for 13 years, is currently in his seventh term. A former two-term San Diego City Council member and San Diego Unified Port District commissioner, Peters has worked in government and served as an elected official for roughly 30 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf elected, I will be a disruptor. I will represent the voters of the 50th with a passion. I\u2019ve spent 50 years making sure the powerful couldn\u2019t hide behind talking points and press releases. I\u2019m not going to Washington to learn their language. I\u2019m going to make them speak ours,\u201d Cohen said.<\/p>\n
Last week, Cohen was endorsed by the California Republican Party. He is the only Republican in a field of six candidates that includes Peters.<\/p>\n
According<\/a> to the California Secretary of State, other certified candidates appearing on the primary ballot include Democrats Tim Arnous and Aishwarya \u201cSparky\u201d Mitra, Joseph \u201cJoe\u201d Shea of the Libertarian Party and Lucinda Jahn with no party preference.<\/p>\n Of the roughly 760,000 residents who live within the 50th Congressional district boundaries, Cohen said registered Democrats outnumber Republican voters by nearly a 2 to 1 margin. Registered voters total about 475,000, according to the Secretary of State.<\/p>\n \u201cFor 50 years, I\u2019ve asked tough questions of politicians from both parties, and I\u2019m not about to stop now just because I\u2019m the one running,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Voting for the June 2 primary election has been underway since ballots were mailed starting the week of May 4. California\u2019s top-two primary system means all candidates appear on the same ballot. The top two vote-getters in the primary, regardless of party affiliation, will move on to the Nov. 3 general election.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I can get past the primary, then I think I\u2019ve got a good chance to win in November,\u201d Cohen said. \u201cI\u2019ve received fantastic response from San Diegans because, for one reason, they love watching KUSI.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we did for 20 years at KUSI might never be duplicated. Our newsroom was dedicated to covering stories that mattered most to San Diego families. When I mention KUSI, people say to me, \u2018Because of KUSI, I\u2019m voting for you, regardless of politics.’\u201d<\/p>\n LA radio station axes news programming for sports<\/p>\n KNX News,<\/a> a legendary Los Angeles all-news radio station with more than 1 million weekly listeners on both its 1070-AM and 97.1-FM frequencies, has replaced its FM news simulcast with an all-sports talk format.<\/p>\n The FM station is now branded as 97.1 The Fan. It\u2019s the first-ever all-sports FM radio station in Los Angeles radio history, according to station owner Audacy, Inc. (NYSE: AUD) of Philadelphia.<\/p>\n Weekday talk-show shows debuting Monday, May 18 include \u201cDerek & Decker\u201d (6-10 a.m.) with Derek Fisher and Cody Decker, \u201cBrock & Alex\u201d (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) with Brock Vereen and Alex Curry and \u201cD-Mac and Reiter\u201d (2-6 p.m.) with Doug McKain and Bill Reiter.<\/p>\n Fisher is a five-time NBA champion and former head coach known for his clutch performances with the Los Angeles Lakers. Decker, a UCLA alumnus drafted by the San Diego Padres, spent nearly a decade in pro baseball.<\/p>\n Vereen is a former NFL safety turned analyst for Fox Sports and the Big Ten Network. Curry, an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster and host for Fox Sports. She first gained national recognition with the Los Angeles Kings.<\/p>\n McKain is a former host of \u201cDodgers Nation\u201d and \u201cLocked on Rams\u201d shows. Reiter is a national sports columnist for CBS Sports and veteran journalist who has worked at Sports Illustrated and Fox Sports.<\/p>\n \u201cLos Angeles is a sports powerhouse with a deep connection between teams, fans, and culture, and this new lineup brings together championship-level personalities, veteran player perspective and sharp analytical expertise,\u201d said Andrew Williams, brand manager, 97.1 The Fan. \u201cWe\u2019re building a full-scale, live and local LA sports network that brings sports to the FM dial and across multiple platforms to meet our audiences where they are. We\u2019re excited to give fans an unparalleled listening and viewing experience that\u2019s as entertaining and authentic as it is insightful.\u201d<\/p>\n Weekend programming and an additional day-part schedule have not yet been announced. Additionally, the station has yet to announce any rights partnerships with local teams.<\/p>\n \u201cLos Angeles is the epicenter of the sports world, and 97.1 The Fan is its new voice,\u201d said Jeff Federman, regional president, Audacy West. \u201cWith legendary franchises and global events like the FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics on the horizon, the time was right to bring our industry-leading sports programming to this market.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Voice of LA Sports will be a 24\/7, multiplatform home where fans are part of the conversation every day, building on the same commitment to local connection that has made KNX News a trusted cornerstone in Los Angeles and strengthening our overall offering.\u201d<\/p>\n 97.1 The Fan becomes Audacy\u2019s 22nd FM sports station. The company claims FM sports presence across all top 10 U.S. markets. Its portfolio includes more than 40 owned-and-operated radio sports stations and 160 digital sports channels.<\/p>\n In San Diego, Audacy operates radio station KWFN-FM 97.3 The Fan, which is the English-speaking flagship station for San Diego Padres games.<\/p>\n Radio industry observers have questioned Audacy\u2019s strategy behind the decision to axe news programming on the FM dial.<\/p>\n \u201cAudacy isn\u2019t just launching another station. It\u2019s testing whether FM can finally unlock a market that has resisted the format at scale like other large markets,\u201d wrote John Mamola, sports editor and daily sports columnist, Barrett Media.<\/p>\n Also, Mamola said KNX performed well on FM and ranked as a top news outlet in recent Nielsen data. It\u2019s also one of the top billing stations in the country.<\/p>\n According to Mamola, \u201cLos Angeles has always played by different rules. Star power matters. Access matters. And increasingly, convenience matters most. If 97.1 The Fan succeeds, it won\u2019t be because it\u2019s on FM. It will be because it offers something the others don\u2019t. With the management team in place, I fully expect that\u2019s the goal. Be different in a town full of differences.\u201d<\/p>\n Garrett Searight of Barrett Media said, \u201cGenerally a sixth-place station isn\u2019t ripe for a format change. Especially in a market like Los Angeles. But, Audacy is making a bold move.\u201d<\/p>\n Brian Gallagher, New York Post, said, \u201cThe launch will not be without some challenges since The Fan will not have any rights to broadcast live play-by-play coverage for Los Angeles teams.\u201d<\/p>\n Los Angeles, considered as the nation\u2019s second largest media market, already has two established all-sports radio outlets, including Good Karma Brands\u2019 KSPN, ESPN LA 710-AM and iHeartMedia\u2019s KLAC AM-570.<\/p>\n 710-AM has been home of the Los Angeles Lakers since 2009. The station also partners with the Rams, Angels, Kings, LAFC and USC Athletics.<\/p>\n AM-570, co-owned by the Los Angeles Dodgers, also holds rights to the Clippers and Chargers, with some Chargers broadcasts airing on sister station KFI. In addition, AM-570 carries Westwood One NFL and college play-by-play.<\/p>\n Survey: News media blamed for WHCA shooter<\/p>\n A majority of Americans blame the mainstream news media\u2019s coverage of President Donald Trump for inspiring the assassination attempt at last month\u2019s White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) dinner, according to Rasmussen Reports.<\/p>\n