Miriam Bjerre Persoff

1937 - 2021

Miriam Bjerre Persoff, a pathbreaking woman broadcast journalist, died last week at age 84 of a heart ailment. She was a reporter and then the first woman anchor and editorial director for KNX News Radio in Los Angeles, and later a reporter for CBS television. Her achievements were recognized by a Golden Mike award for excellence in broadcast news and a Sigma Delta Chi Award for excellence in professional journalism.

Miriam lit up the room with her charm and remarkable penchant for sharing jokes, stories and pithy insights. Her life was enriched by a plethora of fast friends and extended family who treasured her. She was always able to find humor and appreciate the joy in life.

The eldest of three children of Samuel and Rose Berke, Miriam was born in Brooklyn. She was student body president at Beverly Hills High School; majored in Art History at Smith College; and married Mads B. Bjerre, with whom she raised her son and daughter, Carl and Ellen. She earned a Master of Journalism degree from UCLA, and was a volunteer, reporter, writer and eventually news director at KPFK, a Pacifica station, before going on to work at KNX and CBS. She was honored to have interviewed extraordinary individuals such as Dr. Jonas Salk and Egyptian President Anwar

Sadat.

From 1982 until his death in 2010, Miriam was happily remarried to restaurant owner Jonathan K. Persoff, father of Joshua Persoff. She long advocated for civil rights and was dedicated to liberal causes such as women’s reproductive freedom; she provided comfort to newborn and child hospital patients, served as a reading buddy for disadvantaged children, and volunteered as a docent leading groups of children at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Miriam also attended film school at UCLA and made a bold PBS television documentary entitled “Out Loud,” chronicling an historic tour of Central Europe by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles in the midst of the AIDS crisis.

In her later years, Miriam lived independently in Olympia, Washington and Eugene, Oregon near her adult children. She continued to love connecting with friends, sewing and keeping up with the pulse of politics.

Miriam is survived by her brother David F. Berke; son Carl S. Bjerre; daughter Ellen B. McKinley and treasured granddaughter Davin E. McKinley; niece Molly O’Brien; and by all of their families. She was preceded in death by her cherished sister Ruth Ellen O’Brien and her loving husband Jon.

A memorial will be held remotely due to the pandemic, and plans for it are pending. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Society of Professional Journalists Foundation.