Allan Cohen To Retire As GM Of Belo’s KMOV

Belo Corp. announced today that Allan Cohen, president and general manager of its CBS affiliate KMOV St. Louis (DMA 21), will retire on May 31 after 32 years at the station.

In making the announcement, Peter L. Diaz, Belo’s president/media operations said: “Under Allan Cohen’s leadership, KMOV rose from a modest television operation to become one the most watched CBS stations in the country. Allan and his staff have made KMOV an indispensable part of the St. Louis community, providing quality journalism and innovative programming, while giving back to the people of St. Louis by tirelessly supporting many charitable causes.”

Cohen, whose television broadcast career spans 38 years, has been KMOV’s general manager for the last 32 years, one of the longest tenures of any broadcasting executive in the nation. Under his guidance, the station has won many prestigious national broadcast television awards including two Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Awards, a George Foster Peabody Award, and an Edward R. Murrow Award.  KMOV was also honored with a National Association of Broadcasting Education Foundation Service to America – Service to Children Award in 2001 and 2004.

Cohen has been an active leader in various professional organizations throughout his career including nine years as a member of the CBS Affiliates Advisory Board, former president and vice president of the St. Louis Chapter of the National Association of Arts and Sciences and former director of the Missouri Broadcasters Association.

Prior to Cohen’s arrival at KMOV, he served in various capacities within the CBS organization. He joined the CBS Television Station Division in 1974, advanced to manager of sales and marketing analysis and then chief financial officer at WCBS New York. He was later promoted to VP of personnel at CBS. When he came to KMOX in 1980 (as KMOV was known then), he was the youngest general manager appointed to any CBS O&O. Belo purchased KMOV in 1997.

Commenting on his retirement, Cohen said: “I have been fortunate that for the past 32 years I have had a job that I absolutely love, working with brilliant, creative people and have had the opportunity to serve my adopted hometown of St. Louis. When you add the fact that for the past 15 years, I have worked for Belo, it has been sheer perfection. However, the time has come for my wife Roberta and me to embark on the next chapter of our lives and enjoy our retirement.”