Ron Olsen | |
|---|---|
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| Born | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| 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 inHarford County, Maryland.
Olsen attended theUniversity of Minnesota andBemidji State University. He has studied vocal interpretation with Lilyan Wilder[1] andPat Fraley.[2]
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 atKSTP, which broadcast to theMinneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. He later worked in broadcast journalism atKELO-TV inSioux Falls, South Dakota;WBNS-TV inColumbus, Ohio;KDKA-TV and radio inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania;WMAR-TV inBaltimore, Maryland, andKABC-TV, KHJ-TV (nowKCAL-TV),KTLA-TV, and ABC Radio Networks inLos 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 ofKTLA-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 theLos 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 ofSAG-AFTRA, theSociety of Professional Journalists, and theLos Angeles Press Club. He served on the broadcast committee of AFTRA's Los Angeles Local prior to the SAG-AFTRA merger.
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 theO. 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]
Olsen covered theLos 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 beatingRodney King.
Ron Olsen has volunteered for several charities, including theHugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Foundation[6] and theWorld Children's Transplant Fund.
Olsen is a member of the Theta Tau Epsilon fraternity. After spending more than 30 years in Southern California, Olsen now lives in Maryland.
Olsen is the recipient of multiple Emmy Awards for his coverage of theMalibu Fire in 1993, theNorthridge earthquake in 1994, best newscast over 35 minutes in length (Prime News-KTLA-TV) in 2006 and aPeabody Award for KTLA-TV’s coverage of theRodney King beating in 1991.[7] In 2001, he was awarded first place for television difficult news coverage from theGreater Los Angeles Press Club.[8] Other honors include three "Golden Mike" awards from theRadio and Television News Association of Southern California, the 2001 award for spot news coverage from theAPTRA of California and Nevada, a RegionalEdward R. Murrow Award for spot news coverage from theRTNDA in 1998, and two Golden Quill awards from thePittsburgh Press Club.[citation needed]