San Diego Daily Journal

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The San Diego Daily Journal was a daily newspaper in San Diego, California, published under that name from 1944 to 1950. [1] [2] It was established by Clinton D. McKinnon, publisher of the twice-weekly San Diego Progress-Journal, who announced in January 1944 that it would become a daily to compete with the established San Diego Union and Tribune. [3]

The Daily Journal's debut was supported by allocations of newsprint—then under wartime rationing controls—by the Democratic FDR administration, looking to support competition in a market dominated by the Republican Union. [4] The Union-Tribune company "moved vigorously against its new competitor"; [4] Lionel Van Deerlin, Daily Journal city editor and later a US congressman, recalled that McKinnon "would offer six silver knives for a six-month subscription to the Journal, and the Tribune would counter by offering a weekend in Catalina." [5]

Besides Van Deerlin, notable Journal alumni include Neil Morgan, who started his career there as a columnist, later becoming editor of the Evening Tribune; Jack Smith, future columnist for the Los Angeles Times and author; and, Paul White, founder of CBS's news division.

McKinnon, who was preparing for a run for US Congress, sold a majority stake of the paper to journalist John A. Kennedy in 1947. Kennedy sold it to the Union-Tribune Publishing Company in 1950. [5] [6]

Its predecessor titles were: [2]

KSDJ

In 1946, McKinnon started KSDJ, a 5,000 watt CBS affiliate radio station, advertised with the tagline "The Voice of The Daily Journal". Its call sign was derived from the Journal name. [7] Originally owned personally by McKinnon, the station was bought by the Journal in 1947 as part of the deal which made Anderson the Journal's majority owner. [8] The radio station was sold to Charles E. Salik on October 21, 1948, and in January 1949 its call sign was changed to KCBQ. [9]

References

  1. ↑ Samuels, Bernard (October 1965). "Documents of San Diego History". The Journal of San Diego History. 11 (4). San Diego Historical Society. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  2. 1 2 "The San Diego Daily Journal (San Diego, Calif.) 1944-19??". Directory of U.S. Newspapers in American Libraries. Library of Congress . Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Plans New Daily For San Diego". Daily Times-Advocate . United Press. January 14, 1944. p. 11. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  4. 1 2 Pourade, Richard (1977). "CHAPTER FOUR: The City – The End of One Civic Dream". The History of San Diego. Vol. 7 City of the Dream, 1940–1970. Copley Books. ISBN   9780913938195 . Retrieved September 24, 2025. The Daily Journal which Clinton McKinnon founded during the war on newsprint allocated by a Democrat administration ...
  5. 1 2 Myrna Oliver (January 1, 2002). "Clinton McKinnon, 95; Publisher, Congressman". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  6. ↑ ""Journal Folds in San Diego"". San Bernardino Sun . Associated Press. May 28, 1950. p. 5. Retrieved September 23, 2025. ...the name, circulation lists, and publishing rights have been sold to the San Diego Union-Tribune Publishing Co., which publishes the Evening Tribune and the Morning Union.
  7. ↑ "Directors named For New Radio Station KSDJ". National City Star-News. October 25, 1946. p. B7. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  8. ↑ "John A. Kennedy Acquires 51% Control of San Diego Journal and Its KSDJ" (PDF). Broadcasting . October 13, 1947. p. 73. Retrieved September 24, 2025. "500 w" in this article appears to be a typo.
  9. ↑ "KSDJ Sold". The Press Democrat . Associated Press. October 22, 1948. p. 6. Retrieved September 24, 2025.


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