David Cruz (journalist)
David Cruz is an American broadcast journalist, radio host, and civil rights advocate. He serves as the National Communications Director for the League of United Latin American Citizens, acting as a spokesperson on immigration, Latino rights, and social justice issues. He previously worked as a reporter and news anchor at KNBC,, in Los Angeles, California, where he co-anchored newscasts and contributed to national broadcasts. He has also held positions with Salem Media Group, Univision, CBS, CNN, ABC, and Fox News. His recognitions include a Golden Eagle Award from Nosotros in 2002, a 2003 Golden Mike Award, an Emmy Award, and two National Media Awards from LULAC.
Early life and education
David Cruz was raised in San Antonio, Texas by Mary and Apolonio Cruz. His interest in storytelling grew from hearing his father tell stories to customers at his San Antonio barbershop. His interest in journalism was developed by a local television news anchor's visit to Harlandale High School during his freshman year. After graduating from high school, he sold women's shoes and painted houses while attending the University of Texas at Austin, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs.Career
Television
Cruz began his broadcasting career at KWEX-DT when Univision was known as Spanish International Network. In 1976, he became a television anchor at an NBC affiliate KMOL-TV, now WOAI-TV, in San Antonio. He was considered the lead anchorman and he was regularly mentioned in the San Antonio Express-News. He faced opposition including threats, egg-throwing, and broken windows after replacing two Caucasian anchors: Gene Lively and Martha Buchanan. He faced rumors that he was going to be replaced. His employer stated there was no substance to the rumor.In 1979, he went on to work for CBS News based in San Francisco, KPIX-TV. He was a correspondent for the Pacific Rim and Latin America. He covered politics and foreign affairs. In 1986, he co-founded Gold Coast Productions and worked as a freelance journalist in Dallas, Texas producing content on transnational topics, primarily Mexico and the United States, for ABC News, among others. From 1991 to 1996, Cruz held various news assignments with CBS’s KTVT-11 in Dallas. In 1993, CNN selected him to host La Voz de Texas, the nation’s first nationally syndicated bilingual talk radio program, which he anchored for three years.
In 1996, he joined KNBC in Los Angeles, California as a reporter and anchor of various newscasts, including a news anchor of Today in L.A. In 2000, he was the named to the Mid-Day Report. In 2001, Cruz and Kelly Mack took over Today in L.A. He reported on gang violence, law enforcement corruption, consumer fraud, and child predators, among other stories. In 2008, he left KNBC and launched BrightFlash Media, producing Spanish and English news content and public affairs projects like Tu Salud, Tu y La Ley, and Hispanics in Crisis, which highlighted issues of immigration.
Radio
From 2010, Cruz hosted the bilingual morning show La Voz Poderosa on KOXR-AM 910 in Oxnard from 6 to 9 a.m. at Radio Lazer. In January 2012, he premiered The David Cruz Show on KTLK-AM 1150 in Los Angeles from 3 to 6 p.m., offering an alternative to conservative talk radio. Some commentators believed that Cruz's hiring brought balance to radio programming on KFI and KTLK after KFI’s John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou were the target of protests from Latino groups for their campaign against the California Dream Act. He covered local and national issues.In 2012, he joined iHeartRadio’s Los Angeles station group as Director of Corporate and Community Partnerships in emerging markets, a role he held until May 2015. From 2015 to 2020, he was a partner in BrightFlash Media, a multilingual digital media content company. In 2020, he became Vice President of Salem Sí at Salem Media Group, where he oversaw the launch of an online streaming platform.