Ron Olsen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Journalist
Ron Olsen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Education | Communications/Theater Arts, Univ. of Minnesota, Twin Cities - Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN |
| Occupation |
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| Notable credit(s) | Emmy Awards, Peabody Award, Edward R. Murrow Award, "Workingreporter.com" (Founder & Publisher), "Prime News" and "News at Ten" (KTLA-TV), "Eyewitness News" (KABC-TV), ABC Radio Network News, Cross-Platform Journalism (Los Angeles Times & KTLA-TV), Editorial Writer (Valley News Group Newspapers) |
| Website | Official website  |
Ron Olsen is an American journalist based in Harford County, Maryland.
Olsen attended the University of Minnesota and Bemidji State University. He has studied vocal interpretation with Lilyan Wilder[1] and Pat Fraley.[2]
Professional life
Olsen began broadcasting at student-run WMMR Radio (now "Radio K") at the University of Minnesota. Prior to career in television and radio news, he worked in TV production at KSTP, which broadcast to the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. He later worked in broadcast journalism at KELO-TV in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; WBNS-TV in Columbus, Ohio; KDKA-TV and radio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; WMAR-TV in Baltimore, Maryland, and KABC-TV, KHJ-TV (now KCAL-TV), KTLA-TV, and ABC Radio Networks in Los Angeles.[3] At KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, Olsen hosted the "Channel to Pittsburgh" talk show and the Group W public affairs show "Impact”. At KTLA-TV in Los Angeles, he co-hosted the "Weekend Gallery" talk show.
Olsen joined the staff of KTLA-TV in 1987.[citation needed] While there, he worked as a reporter, news anchor and, talk show host. From May 2002 to 2009, he worked at the Los Angeles Times, adapting stories which appeared in the daily newspaper into television segments, which aired on KTLA-TV. In 2009, Olsen left KTLA-TV.
He is a member of SAG-AFTRA, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Los Angeles Press Club. He served on the broadcast committee of AFTRA's Los Angeles Local prior to the SAG-AFTRA merger.
O. J. Simpson
Ron Olsen was among the first journalists to arrive at the Bundy murder scene and was KTLA-TV’s principal field reporter for coverage of the O. J. Simpson criminal and civil trials,[4] which went on for nearly three years. He followed Simpson in a news van during the famous "low-speed chase."[3]
Rodney King
Olsen covered the Los Angeles riots in 1992.[5] He was at the LA police headquarters at Parker Center when the rioting started and later covered the federal trials of the four officers who were charged for beating Rodney King.
Charity work
Ron Olsen has volunteered for several charities, including the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Foundation[6] and the World Children's Transplant Fund.
Personal life
Olsen is a member of the Theta Tau Epsilon fraternity. After spending more than 30 years in Southern California, Olsen now lives in Maryland.