Keith Goldstein, former SPJ/LA distinguished journalist awardee, dead at 61

Keith Goldstein, KCSN news director for nearly 30 years and SPJ/LA 2015 Distinguished Journalist, died Wednesday, May 18, at Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills Medical Center. Memorial services are pending.

Goldstein’s industry and educational leadership dates to 1987, when he joined California State University, Northridge. He had been hospitalized in Intensive Care for more than two weeks, suffering from complications of influenza. He was 61.

His daughter, Katy Goldstein, who lives near Sacramento, had spent much of that time with him. She said he was buoyed by the visits, cards and other well wishes sent by CSUN faculty, staff, friends and his broadcast students.

Ms. Goldstein was especially glad that her dad had been honored in a March 2015 ceremony for his extensive contributions to journalism education. Goldstein was among five Southern California journalists recognized for lifetime achievement by the Greater Los Angeles professional chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Goldstein often referred to himself as an "old-school journalist." And, he devoted his life to teaching CSUN journalism students the all-important foundational skills needed in the workplace. Under his guidance, student journalists amassed more than 450 awards. His students picked up several more awards in April at SPJ’s Region 11 conference in Phoenix, including sweeping the Radio Sports Reporting category.

Many of his former students can be heard on local/regional broadcast outlets and include those who also teach or have taught in our program. Students and alumni have taken to social media to pay tribute to their professor/mentor.“He made waking up at 3 a.m. worth it because the passion for his craft was endless and it carried over,” Camilla Rambaldi, recent graduate and broadcaster at WOAI in San Antonio, Texas, wrote on Facebook. “… He inspired all students to thrive for greatness no matter what. I will always remember Keith by this one Edward R. Murrow quote, ‘We can't make good news out of bad practice.’ ”Colleagues also were appreciative of Goldstein’s passion for preparing budding broadcasters.“

That wall of Golden Mics is a testament to his work and his dedication to teaching students the fundamentals of sound reporting,” said Zoe Walrond, longtime broadcast journalist and journalism instructor in Los Angeles.

Goldstein spent his entire 33-year professional career in radio news. As news director of KCSN- FM, he led his California State University, Northridge student broadcast journalism staff to hundreds of professional local, regional, state and national awards, including 49 Golden Mikes in Division B from the Radio & Television News Association of Southern California and 34 regional Edward R. Murrow awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association. Through his leadership, KCSN News was recognized four times for overall excellence.

Also, under Goldstein’s leadership, student reporters and writers have received a dozen first- place Mark of Excellence Awards from the Society of Professional Journalists. Goldstein created a six-part series on domestic violence that received first-place awards from the Los Angeles Press Club and The Associated Press.

He earned three statewide AP awards in the category of investigative reporting, including in- depth stories on staged accidents and the mental health funding crisis in Los Angeles County. A native of Philadelphia, Goldstein was a graduate of Temple University and did graduate work at Pennsylvania State University.