Who was Paul Bloom? Tributes pour in as veteran San Diego news anchor dies aged 76

Paul Bloom recently died at the age of 76 (Image via Edward Anderson/Facebook)

Well-known news anchor Paul Bloom recently passed away at the age of 76. He was known for his appearances on Fox 5 for several years. The news was revealed by his son Richard to ABC 10News, who said that Paul died on May 4, 2023, and his family members were able to spend their time with him a few days before his demise.

Several journalists who knew Bloom over the years expressed their grief on social media platforms. Paul Rudy of KUSI shared a post on Facebook, stating that he worked with Bloom for a year. Rudy wrote that Bloom was someone who used to recall every one of the times when TV news was a lifestyle. He added:

"When something big happened in this town, no News Director ever had to "Call Bloom" and request his early presence. Paul was already in route. I can recall many occasions of Mr. Bloom rushing into the news room, barking instructions as he headed straight to the anchor desk. His home away from home."

A former journalist at KFMB-TV, Phil Konstantin, also paid tribute to Bloom on Facebook by posting a picture and writing:

"Paul Bloom has passed away. Paul worked as an anchor/reporter at several stations here in San Diego over the years. I worked with him occasionally at KUSI. He will be missed."

Paul Bloom worked at several TV stations at the beginning of his career

Born on September 26, 1946, Paul Bloom pursued graduation in 1968 with a journalism degree from Syracuse University. He started his career in television and appeared alongside talk show host Sally Jessy Raphael as a co-anchor.

Paul Bloom worked on several news channels over the years (Image via Raoul Martinez/Facebook)

Bloom joined Channel 39 in 1977, and although he left the channel in 1982, he returned in 1984, working until 1986. He then worked on the radio for some time. He once again joined as a crime reporter on Channel 39. He revealed the reasons behind the same to the Evening Tribune and said:

"I know that sounds kind of D*ck Tracy-ish, but the fact is there's this undercurrent of crime that has been growing and growing in a city that's been thought of as paradise for so long. It's painful to a lot of people to think what's happening to this city. That's the kind of thing I'm going to be addressing."

His crime-related segments were well-received by the public and the cops as they discussed strategies for catching a culprit. According to investigative producer Paul Krueger, Bloom used to travel all around the city every day with photographer Kent Staab to learn about any criminal activity that had occurred.

Paul was a subject of criticism in 1989 when he was supposed to interview an advocate, but it was instead a trap to get the individual arrested for parole violation. He was slammed by the reporters, who considered that the incident could affect the trust people had in journalists.

Bloom later joined KUSI and became a news anchor. He then worked for some time at Fox 5 and shifted to Las Vegas.

Netizens pay tribute on Twitter

Paul Bloom gained recognition over the years for his flawless work as a news anchor. Social media platforms were flooded with tributes when people heard about his demise:

Netizens paid tribute on social media (Image via Paul Rudy KUSI/Facebook)

Paul Bloom is survived by his wife Faye, sons Richard and Andrew, daughter Paulina and a grandchild. Detailed information about his funeral is not available so far.

Edited by Dev Sharma