In this role, Cowan was commissioned with the task of turning the 200-acre estate of Ambassador Walter Annenberg and his wife Leonore into "a venue for important retreats for top government officials and leaders in the fields of law, education, philanthropy, the arts, culture, science and medicine.

The Southern Courier began publication in July, 1965, and "every week for three years - 177 issues - it reported the stories of the movement that changed America.

[7] Chaired by Governor and later Senator Harold Hughes of Iowa, the Commission studied the ways in which delegates were chosen and issued a report of the committee's findings that was delivered at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

Cowan later said of his work on the commission, "The campaigns of 1968 were part of a broader movement to change institutions in a substantial way, whether it be an incumbent President or a corporate hierarchy for the American Medical Association.

Under Cowan's leadership, the program regularly produced research and conducted advocacy campaigns that caught the attention of local and national media.

In 1994, the Center worked with Vice President Al Gore to host The Superhighway Summit, which was the "first public conference bringing together all of the major industry, government and academic leaders in the field [and] also began the national dialogue about the Internet and its implications.

In 1989, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley appointed Cowan to chair an independent commission to create an ethics code for the city.

The VOA under Cowan created a radio documentary series that explored the growth of Islam in the US and the integration of Muslims into everyday life in the country, as well as other innovative programs such as Perspectives (a weekly interview and discussion show in English that examined global issues of religion and ethics) and This I Believe (which showcased the personal values of one prominent American each week).

[24] During that time, the number of full-time faculty nearly doubled and the Annenberg building was expanded and redecorated to promote and unify the school behind its brand.

"[28] Since its official opening in 2012, Sunnylands has hosted several retreats on topics such as the rising sea levels and ocean acidification; the future of AIDS research; revolutionizing K-12 mathematics teaching and learning; mobile phones and public safety; and the US-Mexico relationship.

See No Evil explores the history, impact and politics of television censorship, examining network programming and controversial practices like the Family Viewing Hour.

Top Secret was originally produced in 1991 by L.A. Theater Works as a radio play in front of a live audience for national broadcast on NPR.

[38] Also called and "engaging," "splendidly nuanced" and "crackling drama" by reviewers, Top Secret was presented Off-Broadway by the New York Theatre Workshop in 2010, and was performed in 25 venues across the country during a national tour in 2007–2008.

[40][41] The tour received significant coverage in major outlets including The New York Times, The Atlantic, and China's CCTV news channel.

[42] Cowan is married to Aileen Adams, former deputy mayor of Los Angeles and former California Secretary of State and Consumer Affairs.

They have two children, Gabriel Cowan, a filmmaker and founder of the New Artists Alliance, and Mandy Wolf, a grade school teacher who works at The Center for Early Education.

His late brother, Paul Cowan, was a journalist and staff writer for The Village Voice for more than 20 years, and author of An Orphan in History.