Roggin (still) on the Radio
So what were you doing in 1980? That was when Fred Roggin debuted as the weekend sports anchor on KNBC-TV, now better known as “NBC4 LA.” He’s spent 42 years at the same station, sitting behind the sports desk, while also interviewing athletes on his show “Going Roggin,” bantering with Petros Papadakis after Sunday Night Football on “The Challenge,” and doing news-focused shows including “The Filter.” Though it’s now known Roggin will be leaving behind the nightly sportscasts on Thursday evening, he’s making it clear he’s not retiring.
“I don’t
want a party, I don’t want a cake – I’m still working! I’m just not going to do
the nightly news,” said Roggin. He’s looking forward to doing more creative
endeavors such as producing TV programs, create and complete other projects, both
sports and not sports related. He also continues his weekday show with Rodney Peete on AM 570 “L.A. Sports”
(KLAC).
“Radio is my first love. I started in radio. Once it’s in your blood it never leaves. I’m excited to go to work when I get up in the morning,” said Roggin. “I’ve developed a good chemistry with Rodney, plus (KLAC PD) Don Martin is completely supportive of the show, he’s allowed us to innovate.”
Roggin contrasted the two mediums that employ him. “I’m a creative type, I enjoy developing concepts and ideas. That’s harder to do on TV than it is with radio. Plus (daily) TV is a grind. I want the option to go bed at 10:30.” He said working both radio and TV “is about 13 to 14 hour workday, after awhile something’s gotta give.” He credits NBC with “being great about all of this, management was aware what’s been going on.”
As he now focuses on his AM 570 show, Roggin “respectfully disagrees” when others claim radio is dead, though he redefines what he’ll continue to do. “We do audio content, such content is in increasing demand. Consumption is up via streaming, podcasts, and other alternatives.” He believes radio is still significant, but now is one of several platforms to distribute audio. “You can listen to us live on a broadcast, but you can also hear us via streaming, you can download us and listen to us anytime, you can even choose what you want to hear within a given day’s program. The listener has far more control and far more options.” He further elaborated about how new technology has extended his audience. “We have people listening locally, but we also have people listening in Minnesota, Virginia, Hawaii, you can listen to us anywhere and really, anytime. ‘On demand’ really talks to the consumer.”
“Radio is
front and center, though we now call the content ‘audio.’ It may not be coming from
the AM / FM unit in your car, the listener may (instead) be using the iHeart app.
The streaming numbers for our sister station KFI are remarkable, our numbers
are also good. Delivery people listen to us as they drive around town, we also
have listeners who are both in the office and working from home, hearing our
show either online or on the air, it’s their choice” said Roggin.
He further
expounded about the difference with audio versus TV. “On our AM 570 show, we
find ways to create a sense of family with us and other listeners. TV is passive
compared to audio, with audio there’s more ways to get the audience involved.”
Roggin’s show is not dominated by listener calls, but he’s learned how to use
callers to foster the aforesaid sense of family and community. “For us, there’s
a sweet spot with callers. When the Dodgers won the World Series, we’re sharing
with an experience of listeners who become family and friends with us and each
other, sharing the excitement and the fun.” He recalled the Sunday morning in
January 2020, when Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash. “I had been on
Channel 4 for over six hours. I got a call from Don Martin asking if I’d come
in the next morning. We were on at 6 a.m. People wanted to talk, to mourn, to
grieve. They felt they’d lost someone they knew, someone many grew up with.” Roggin
said throughout the show, “I felt like one of the people also grieving. It was
very different from TV, you sense you’re making a difference.”
The veteran sportscaster made it clear he’s not giving up TV, “just the daily newscasts. I want to produce and create, I’ve had conversations with others interested in pursuing some ideas. Some of it may involve sports, some of it may be non-sports. The situation presented itself…I embrace the challenge to do something different.” Yet when asked about how soon we may see him back on the local TV dial, Roggin paused, then said “there’s a high probability you haven’t seen the last of ‘The Challenge.’”
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