Roger Ogden is one of the founding fathers of the Heartland Regional Emmy Chapter. In his years as News Director at KBTV and then as General Manager of KOA-TV (now KCNC-TV), Roger worked tirelessly on the concept that, yes, Denver is a large enough market to have its own NATAS Chapter. Roger was instrumental in creating “value” to the stations that won Emmy Awards. Roger is also considered the “founding father” of two of the best television stations in the country. During his tenure at KBTV, Roger guided the station to one of the most dominating positions in local television. As News Director, Roger was instrumental in establishing local television as a civic leader and community partner.
In a move that may rate as one of the most significant events in Denver television lore, Ogden moved across the street to a proverbial #3 station in a three-station market to take over the reins of KOA-TV. In little more than 14 years, Ogden and his team build KCNC into one of the most respected news operations and television stations in the country. His “local, local, local” philosophy was way ahead of its time and has been the calling card of Colorado’s News Channel ever since. Now Ogden is leading the way for American broadcasting interests to get a foothold in the vast European marketplace by heading up NBC’s Superchannel based in London.
Few Coloradoans have had so much impact on so many lives as Roger Ogden has through his career in Denver television and beyond. While president of KCNC, Ogden also had responsibility for KUTV, the NBC-owned station in Salt Lake City and led NBC’s advisory team to TV Azteca in Mexico City, a network with which NBC has a partnership. While in Denver, Ogden held numerous industry and community leadership positions, including Chairman of the Greater Denver Chamber of Commerce, President of the Colorado Broadcasters Association and Chairman of the Colorado Winter Games Committee, the Colorado Sports Council and the US Olympic Festival. He has also served on the boards of the Rocky Mountain Adoption Exchange, Downtown Denver, Inc., and the Rose Hospital Foundation. Ogden served as the President of the Associated Press Broadcasters Board of Directors and Chairman of the Broadcast Committee.
A Colorado native, Ogden began his broadcast career in Denver at age 13 at KPOF Radio. He worked at stations KLIR and KBTR while attending school at the University of Colorado. Ogden has twice been named “Broadcaster o the Year” in Colorado: 1984 and 1994. He currently lives in London with his wife Ann and two children.