Steve Julian, KPCC’s “Morning Edition” host since 2000, died Sunday from complications from brain cancer. He was 57.
According to 89.3 KPCC’s website, Julian, who provided news, weather and traffic reports, died at his home Sunday morning.
“He was a singular talent,” said Larry Mantle, host of KPCC’s AirTalk. “He is completely irreplaceable.”
He was born in Pomona in 1958, and Julian’s career began when he met Mantle while working at KPRO in Riverside in the early 1980s. He was working in production at that time, but was quickly lifted to co-anchor the afternoon driving time alongside Mantle.
However, Mantle soon left to go to KPCC as the news director, and Julian followed his dreams and became a police officer. While on the job, Julian witnessed an incident where he said the other officers were using excessive force. After reporting it, he was shunned by his colleagues and left the force, returning to broadcast as a traffic reporter for AirWatch America in 1995.
In 2000, he joined KPCC as the host of the “Morning Edition.” According to 89.3 KPCC, he broke the news of 9/11 to Southern California.
Julian is survived by his mother and his wife of two years. He was diagnosed with cancer in November and has not been on the air since then. In January, the studio in which he hosted the Morning Edition was renamed The Steve Julian Studio.