The broadcaster credited with discovering Oprah and staggering the summer and winter Olympics and noted for having worked for each of the Big Four station groups quietly stepped down last week, Fox Television Stations confirmed. He was unavailable for comment.
Dennis Swanson Retires From Fox TV Stations
Dennis Swanson has retired — again. Fox Television Stations spokesperson Erica Keane confirmed today that the long-time broadcaster quietly stepped down last week.
“Dennis had a ground-breaking and legendary 60-year career in broadcasting — the last 11 as a dedicated member of the FTS executive team,” she said.
Among his many accomplishments: discovering Oprah while GM at ABC’s WLS Chicago and coming up with the idea of staggering the summer and winter Olympics while running ABC Sports.
From ABC, Swanson joined NBC in 1996 to run its flagship WNBC New York. After six successful years there, he “retired” in 2002 only to quickly re-emerge at Viacom with a mandate to revitalize its sagging CBS station group.
In 2005 at age 67, he jumped to Fox Television Stations, reporting to Jack Abernethy and giving himself the distinction of holding high-level posts at each of the Big Four station groups.
Swanson is traveling and was unavailable for comment.
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Comments (12)
Matthew Castonguay says:
June 14, 2016 at 5:36 pm
Dennis is a giant towering over this business, literally and figuratively. I enjoyed working with him tremendously and count it a privilege to have been able to do so. Although obviously not of the “digital generation”, few senior executives in local TV appreciated as early as he did how critical embracing digital and later social media outlets is for the future, and to adapt to how consumers media behaviors are changing.
Amy Warren says:
June 14, 2016 at 8:57 pm
DS has more than many significant accomplishments no doubt, but the above mentioned “discovering Oprah” made me think of previous info I’d seen where longtime broadcaster Harold Crump was credited by Ms. Winfrey for similar, or other, help. He suggested she get in front of the camera at WTVF. The rest is TV history. http://www.startribune.com/and-then-harold-said-to-oprah/92145239/
Linda Stewart says:
June 15, 2016 at 3:04 am
‘Discovered’ in the sense that he put her on the path to national syndication.
Michelle Underwood says:
June 15, 2016 at 8:40 am
And he was the first one to tell you he “discovered” Oprah, despite the fact she was working in local news for some time before.
Matthew Castonguay says:
June 15, 2016 at 10:10 pm
She was an overweight black woman in local news when he gave her her shot at national stardom and great wealth. No doubt there were any number of TV execs primed and ready to do the same thing, circa 1980, right @Voiceof”Truth”. And btw while you may not want to give him credit, Oprah herself has no such hesitation.
Jayson Siler says:
June 14, 2016 at 11:18 pm
I was in Sales at KABC-TV when Swanson was the station’s news director. Even then his passion and commitment to “the business” was exceptional and it was only a matter of how far he would go. Great run, Dennis, great run!
Michelle Underwood says:
June 15, 2016 at 8:43 am
Let’s inject a little reality; hung around way too long and became more gruff and bellicose as the years went on. Should have pulled the plug 10 years ago.
Jean Garneau says:
June 15, 2016 at 8:58 am
Had a few run-ins with him in his NBC days. Predictable loudest guy in the room mentality and change resistant.
Doug Halonen says:
June 15, 2016 at 3:27 pm
I have known Denis for years — since he ran WLS-TV. I think he’s a really nice guy and a great broadcaster.
Matthew Castonguay says:
June 15, 2016 at 10:07 pm
Some strange and ill-informed posts here by anonymous types.
Marilyn Hansen says:
June 17, 2016 at 2:22 am
I met Denny decades ago when I worked at ASI Market Research in LA. We did lots of studies including launching the first 4pm news in the US for KABC. I did some research on Tawny Little then when he wanted to promote her to M-F anchor. He kept asking me why I thought he hired her as she was Miss America. I gave up and then she passed by wearing tight jeans walking over the old catwalks on the old KABC studies in E. Hollywood. He smiled and simply said…..look at that (—). We’d both get fired for that today. He always reminded me he was a marine. i maintained a friendship with him for nearly 40 years. I had lots of fun with him and Roger King at many NATPEs. He once called me the best researcher in TV in front of a crowd and I got business out of that. Aaah, the good old days.