MarketInk: Nexstar’s Fox 5 San Diego to air Wednesday’s gubernatorial debate

KSWB-TV, Fox 5 San Diego, owned by Nexstar Media Group, will air “Debate Night in California: The Race for Governor,” live from 7 to 8 p.m., on Wednesday, April 22.

The televised debate featuring the top candidates for governor also will air on other California Nexstar TV stations, including KRON 4 in San Francisco, KTLA 5 in Los Angeles, Fox 40 in Sacramento, KGPE CBS 47 and KSEE 24 in Fresno and KGET 17 in Bakersfield. A statement said California Nexstar stations reach nearly 12 million homes.

San Diego’s KUSI-TV, also a Nexstar station, will not air the gubernatorial debate, Scott Heath, VP and GM, told Times of San Diego. 

“Nexstar is extremely pleased to be able to offer this forum for California voters to hear from the candidates seeking to be governor of the state,” said Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division.

Also airing the debate will be NewsNation, a Nexstar-operated national cable TV news channel broadcasting from Chicago.

“We are proud to bring this important debate to the audiences of our national networks, ensuring that conversations shaping the future of California are accessible to viewers across the country,” said Sean Compton, president of Nexstar Television Networks. “Serving local communities is central to Nexstar’s mission, and we are honored to play a role in informing the electorate and supporting the democratic process.”

The debate also will be streamed live on the political news site The Hill. An encore presentation is set for 11 p.m., Pacific time, on NewsNation. A Spanish translation also will be available, said Nexstar.

Moderators for the debate will be Nikki Laurenzo, Fox 40 news anchor, and Frank Buckley, KTLA 5 morning news anchor. The debate will be held at the Fox 40 studios in Sacramento.

“This is a consequential election year in California, as voters will decide who they want to lead the most populous state in the country,” Laurenzo said. “With Nexstar’s reach across California on all platforms, the governor’s debate gives millions of voters the opportunity to see where the top candidates stand on the important issues affecting their daily lives.”

Nexstar said objective criteria were used to determine which candidates would participate in the debate. Candidates polling at or above 5% in an Emerson College Polling-Inside California Politics survey were invited to take the stage in San Francisco. They will include Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco and Democrats Tom Steyer and Katie Porter.

“One quarter of voters say they are still undecided, leaving the race wide open and raising the stakes as candidates make their closing pitch to Californians,” a Nexstar statement said.

In related news, Nexstar’s more than 200 stations in 116 U.S. markets have begin airing NewsNation’s nationally-produced news packages during local news programming, reports Barrett Media.

Previously, Nexstar stations had aired segments produced by ABC, CBS and NBC. Now, it is asking stations to use content from NewsNation, said Barrett. A report from Bloomberg said Nexstar has ended its agreement with NBC for national news segments.

Nexstar Media Group CEO Perry Sook reportedly told company employees he believes NewsNation will ultimately become the “exclusive wire service and national news partner” for all its local news programs.

Cox Communications awards $400,000 to 4 nonprofits

Cox Communications in San Diego, through its Cox Charities program, has awarded four local nonprofits with $100,000 grants, marking 30 years of employee-funded giving in Cox’s West region.

A statement said the $400,000 total is a new annual grant record for Cox Charities, which is funded from payroll contributions by Cox employees.

“This year hits a little differently, celebrating our 30th anniversary makes this moment even more meaningful. It’s a true reflection of the passion and dedication our employees bring to the communities we serve,” said Chanelle Hawken, San Diego market vice president for Cox Communications. “We’re excited to roll out $400,000 in grants, our biggest annual award yet. These dollars will help power nonprofits making an impact in K–12 education, conservation and sustainability, and military and veterans services.”

The grant recipients, as selected by San Diego-based Cox employees, included Feeding San Diego, Junior Achievement, Shelter to Soldier and David Harp’s Foundation.

Feeding San Diego combats food insecurity and assists local military families through its Feeding Heroes program.

Junior Achievement has partnered with Cox for more than 20 years to prepare students for future success through hands-on learning.

Shelter to Soldier has partnered with Cox for the past eight years to match veterans with trained service dogs, helping foster independence and healing.

David Harp’s Foundation has partnered with Cox for more than five years to empower system-affected, homeless youth through music and multimedia education.

Since its founding in 1996, Cox Charities in the West region has invested more than $25 million in local communities through grants to nonprofit organizations, scholarships and initiatives that enhance quality of life. In San Diego alone, Cox Charities has awarded nearly $10 million since 1996, the communications company said.

San Diego’s One America News revamps weekday primetime lineup

One America News Network (OAN), a San Diego-based, right-wing cable TV news channel, has revamped its weekday prime-time lineup as the 2026 midterm election cycle approaches.

David Pollack, an attorney and nationally recognized conservative commentator, has launched a one-hour political talk show called “David Pollack Primetime,” which airs beginning at 7 p.m.

An OAN statement said following a series of highly-rated, guest-host appearances on other OAN shows, the network elevated Pollack to a permanent primetime role after overwhelming viewer demand.

“His experience in live television, long-form interviews and structured news analysis positions him to anchor a nightly prime-time program focused on disciplined, fact-based coverage during a critical election cycle,” an OAN statement said.

The “OAN Evening News” at 6 p.m. precedes Pollack’s show. Following Pollack’s show is “Real American with Dan Ball” at 8 p.m., “The Matt Gaetz Show” at 9 p.m. and “FinePoint with Chanel Rion” at 10 p.m.

“It’s our strongest primetime lineup in the history of the company and our largest investment,” Charles Herring, OAN president, told Times of San Diego. “With the 2026 midterms in full swing, we felt it was time to elevate our coverage to the next level.”

Herring told Times of San Diego that Pollack is a long-time practicing attorney, while Gaetz is a former Congressman, Ball is a seasoned journalist in his early 50s and Rion has been with been with OAN for seven years, “and has proven herself as a highly-capable political reporter breaking some of the largest stories for the network,” he said.

Pollack was born in Florida and holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Florida State University and a law degree from Florida International University. In addition to a legal career spanning nearly two decades, he has built a national following through radio, podcasting and digital broadcasting. Also, he has served as a political advisor on large-scale local and national campaigns, OAN said.

“With the 2026 midterms underway, viewers are looking for disciplined coverage they can trust,” said Herring. “David brings legal insight, political experience and the ability to cut through the noise. His program will provide viewers with the context they expect from primetime coverage.”

OAN said “David Pollack Primetime,” which debuted April 6, is built around a focused editorial mission: deliver a comprehensive, fact-driven breakdown of the day’s most consequential stories, followed by rigorous analysis and debate.

“At a time when headlines move fast and clarity is often sacrificed, the program is designed to slow the story down, examine the facts and explain what the news means for the American people,” an OAN statement said.

“There is no shortage of commentary in today’s media landscape,” Pollack said. “What viewers deserve is structured, fact-based reporting followed by a serious discussion of why the story matters. Every night, we will walk through the facts, explain developments in real time, and bring in informed voices who sharpen the conversation. When you watch this program, you will understand the story before the opinions begin.”

Rick Griffin is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly in Times of San Diego.