Denise Koch Biography
Denise Koch is a veteran Baltimore news anchor who represented the best in media journalism for almost three decades. A California native, Denis is a graduate of Pasadena High School, who later attended UCLA & even earned a Natalie Wood Award.
Denise Koch Early Life
Koch grew up living in the Los Angeles basin with her mother and stepfather and spending summers in New York City with her father.She graduated from the California Institute of Arts and received an M.A. in Theater ‘Summa Cum Laude’ from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
In college, she met her husband, theater director Jackson Phippin, and they were married in 1976.
In 1995, Denise lost a good friend, Al Sanders, to lung cancer and had also experienced a life-threatening pregnancy loss. She has been open about her struggles and brief treatment for panic disorder and post-partum depression, leaving her more compassionate and engaged in women’s struggles.
Other FamousJournalists Include:Shawn Killinger
Denise Koch Husband
Denise & her husband moved to Baltimore and helped found the experimental theater group Kraken. Since her twin daughters, Meg and Jo, have now graduated college and it’s just her and her husband living in their Owings Mills home, she is enjoying the new transition life brings.
Denise Koch image
Denise Koch Daughters
Koch and Her Husband have 2 two daughters Meg and Jo. Meg and Jo are Twins and have graduated From College.
Denise Koch Career
Viewers turn to Denise Koch when they want credible news reports presented by one of the most veteran news reporters and anchors in Baltimore. The Emmy Award-winning journalist has traveled to China, West Africa, and Jamaica to report the news. She’s also covered the homefront from around the U.S. and from every corner of our state, bringing local, national and world events into sharp focus for WJZ viewers.
Even sports fans went with Denise as she covered Baltimore’s search for an NFL team in Chicago to the Ravens’ quest for the Super Bowl trophy in Tampa. Denise’s first introduction to WJZ viewers was on “Evening Magazine” where she was known as “Daring Denise,” tackling sports from hang gliding to scuba.
She joined the newsroom as a lifestyle reporter, reviewing plays and films and filing stories twice a day on the arts and creative side of life.
For a number of years, viewers were given an intimate portrait of fascinating Marylanders on her interview program “Get To Know.”
Denise Koch Awards
She followed struggling high school students for four years as they participated in the “Futures” program. That series earned her both a Maryland State Teachers Award and a National Angels Award. And it was with high school students she traveled to Senegal to discover the roots of slavery. That series was later shown at museums and at the National Post Office in the nation’s capital.
Her work has garnered Denise a host of awards in addition to the aforementioned Emmy. Her reporting has been nominated for Emmys six times. The Society of Professional Journalists awarded her a prize for her documentary on Baltimore teachers in China, “Baltimore East.”
Denise, a California native, attended UCLA where she earned the prestigious Natalie Wood Award for her talents. She graduated from California Institute of the Arts and then received her master’s from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Her acting career took her to theatres around the country and even to the soap opera “Another World,” eventually bringing her to Center Stage where she also served as literary manager. She has taught at UMBC, University of Michigan and University of Wisconsin.
For more than two decades, Denise has been on WJZ’s anchor desk, one of the most respected broadcast journalists in town and also one of the most versatile.
Her work in the community is very important to her. She’s been on the advisory boards of the Hospice Network of Maryland, Success in Style (clothing women re-entering the workforce) and the Maryland Committee for the Children. She is on the president’s advisory council for the University of Notre Dame, Maryland. For 10 years she was a member of the Howard County Arts Council and is currently a board member of the United Way of Central Maryland as well as a member of their women’s leadership council. Denise and her husband live in Owings Mills.
Denise Koch Salary And Networth
Koch has traveled to China, West Africa, Jamaica and nationally with Super Bowl teams, teachers and school rights stories, and covered numerous regional stories over the past thirty years.
Denise was first on WJZ Baltimore as a sports reporter on Evening Magazine and then joined the newsroom as a lifestyle reporter, reviewing plays and films on the creative arts in the region.
For many years Diane had an interviewing program called Get To Know where she reported on Marylanders and their unique talents or lifestyles.
Her responsible anchor desk discussions following the death of Freddie Gray in 2015 and the resulting trials of the police officers kept the focus calm and community-oriented and set the standard for reporting. Her Exact Networth or Salary Is Not fully known but we will soon update The Information.
Denise Koch Retiring
Koch, who has been a WJZ anchor for almost 30 years, was at her best during the coverage of the unrest following the death of Freddie Gray in 2015 and the trials of the police officers involved in Gray’s death the last two years.She is at the head of the class when it comes to Baltimore TV anchors and set the standard during the Gray coverage for responsible, community-oriented anchor-desk discussion of what was happening in the streets and later at the courthouse.
The station has not yet announced who will replace her at 11 p.m.
After decades at the anchor desk for late news, WJZ anchorwoman Koch is leaving the late shift.
Starting the last week of April, Koch will no longer anchor the 11 p.m. news on the CBS-owned station. She will still be at the anchor desk for the 4:30 and 6 p.m. weekday newscasts as well as doing more reporting for the station.
In a note sent to her colleagues at WJZ tonight, Koch wrote:
“Just wanted to share a bit of news. Both of my girls are graduating from college next month. I am using this moment of economic relief to make a change. (No, I’m not retiring. Love my job.)
“Instead, the station is letting me finally, after more than 3 decades, actually drive home while it’s still light out. I’m moving off the night shift and for the first time EVER working days. I’ll see the sun rise and the sun set! I will still be anchoring the afternoon shows and this will also give me the opportunity to report. Those who’ve known me for a long while know my real love is working in the field. So, starting soon I’ll actually see some of you for the first time in a long time! And….good-bye midnight drive home!
Denise Koch And Marianne
A passionate plea from a popular Baltimore TV anchor many of you will remember. Marianne Banister lost her 17-year-old daughter to cancer one year ago.
Now as Koch reports, she’s on a mission to make sure it doesn’t happen to someone you love.For nearly two decades, Marianne Banister reported the news in Baltimore. Now, she’s back in front of the camera. She’s making a very personal plea that could save the life of someone you love, by talking about the death of her daughter.
“She had her sister with her, we were with her and as bad as it was, it was as good as it could be if that makes any sense,” said Marianne. “She was in her room with all of her things around her and the people who love her the most and it was a gentle passing.”
Almost exactly one year ago, Claire — a beautiful, athletic, ambitious 17-year-old–loses her three-year battle with cancer.
Denise: “I thought of you many times over the last year, and thought I don’t even know how you go on.”
Marianne: “It’s like you don’t know until you’re in it and all we’re doing is what we know how to do. And from the beginning, it’s really important to understand that Claire embraced her life for what it was.”
At 14, Claire is diagnosed with malignant melanoma–the deadliest form of skin cancer. The devastating test results come after a mole is removed from Claire’s ankle.
Denise: “When your daughters were little, did you know you were supposed to look at a mole?”
Marianne: “I’ve always had them screened by a dermatologist since the age of two.”
Denise: “Really?”
Marianne: “But there’s no history in the family. It’s just that I’m fair and I just felt you know, it’s a routine part of screening.”
Even though a mole Claire’s had since birth begins to change, doctors see no reason to panic.
Marianne: “The problem was, we found the change quite quickly, but we couldn’t get into a plastic surgeon to have it taken off for three months.”
But what no one knows, is that Claire already has cancer and because she’s going through puberty, it spreads like wildfire.
Denise: “I’m sure you’ve asked yourself this, if you would have gotten in that day.”
Marianne: “I believe we would have had a different scenario.”
Denise: “Really?”
Marianne: “Not that it wouldn’t have been malignant, but it would have been a lower grade.”
Denise: “If you could get onto a mountaintop and shout something to all the other parents out there, what would you shout?”
Marianne: “Get your kids screened. It’s not only about the sun, it is about hormonal changes in the body. Guess what, here’s the catch line, your kids can get melanoma going through puberty.”
Now, Marianne and her husband rocky are on a mission to keep Claire’s memory alive while saving lives.
Denise: “You really consciously or unconsciously are on two missions here, one is Claire’s mission and the other is teaching people how to deal with enormous, enormous loss.”
Marianne: “We want to honor her spirit as much as we want to raise awareness.”
To learn more about Marianne’s mission and how you can help CLICK HERE.