San Diego Radio: Lou Penrose Joins KOGO for PM Drive

Lou Penrose

iHeart Media’s Newsradio KOGO 600 AM has named Lou Penrose as host for the 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekday afternoon talk show.

“Lou Penrose is an exciting talent and a perfect addition for the afternoon drive show,” said Brian Long, director of news and sports programming for iHeart Media San Diego and Riverside.

Penrose, with a 25-year career in political consulting, legislative affairs and radio broadcasting, replaces Carl DeMaio, who left the station last week to focus on his political career in a bid to represent California’s 50th Congressional District, the only Republican-held congressional seat in San Diego County, reports The Times of San Diego.

Penrose has filled-in for DeMaio more than a dozen times over the past year. “When it became clear that Carl was considering a run for political office, the station approached me and asked me if I would be interested,” Penrose said. “I love talk radio. How could I say no to an opportunity like this?”

For 10 years (1990-2000), Penrose was a talk-show host on KNWZ in Palm Springs. During that decade, Penrose and his team won three Golden Mic Awards from the Radio & Television News Association of Southern California.

Then, in December 2000, Penrose left radio to work as a deputy chief of staff for Congresswoman Mary Bono, widow of singer Sonny Bono.

Not surprisingly, Penrose’s show, called “The Penrose Report,” focuses on the latest local, state and national political headlines. Input from listeners also fuels the political conversation.