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December 25, 1998/ 6 Tevet 5759, Vol. 51, No. 14
KFNN's Cohen invests in low-key approach to news
MICHELLE ACKERMAN
Staff Writer
Ron Cohen calls himself "The News Crime Avenger."
As the president and general manager of CRC Broadcasting Co., which owns radio stations KFNN in Phoenix (1510 AM), KNUU in Las Vegas (970 AM-"KNEWS") and Financial Fest, a one-day investment trade show that is held annually in seven markets, Cohen, along with his partners, Mike Ragins and David Lloyd, has developed a unique brand of news/talk radio.
"If it bleeds or is molested, we don't want it," he explains - which means that you won't hear about it on KFNN.
The format of KFNN, which was founded in 1988, was one of the first of its kind in the country; it focuses specifically on information of interest and use to the business and investment community, and purposefully omits all violent crime news or other so-called "sensational" stories.
As "a radio listener as well," Cohen explains that he was sick of getting in his car, trying to find what he considered "useful news" and hearing only crime stories.
"Crime is down from 20 years ago, but as soon as it happens, a helicopter or camera is there to capture the images and show them to us."
And those are the kinds of stories that Cohen doesn't want to see or hear. Therefore, he reasons, there must others who share his distaste for such coverage, and who would rather listen to news about finance, investments and the business world.
Cohen first met Ragins when they were both 13 and attending Camp Tamarak, a Jewish youth camp, in Detroit, Mich. They have been friends ever since.
They decided they wanted to provide what they considered "useful news" to consumers, which is why they turned to business news. When Cohen began hearing "Hey, I listen to your station and I like it," he realized he had found his niche.
"The phenomenon of news media - hypersensation and glorification of crime ... has created a backlash (in favor of) news that is not delivered in an oversensationalized way," he says.
Though the station struggled in its first few years, it now boasts a dedicated following of listeners. The concept also caught on around the country. "Stations are calling and asking me to help them set up the same format," Cohen says.
In 1996, he was recognized for his achievements in the small-business arena and was the recipient of the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce Small Business Person of the year award for innovation. The following year, he was honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration as the Arizona Media Advocate of the year.
"(The 1996 award) was really great because that was really the first time I was recognized for anything. Sometimes as a business owner, you don't know if you are headed in the right direction, and the award verifies that you are," he says.
With the recent passing of the 10th anniversary of KFFN (Dec. 12, 1998), Cohen reflects that, though success is nice, "Everything I do is really for my wife (Lori) and family ... to obtain a secure and prosperous future for (them)."
The Cohens have three children: Jordan, 7; Dylan, 5; and Allie, 3.
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