Fred Rodgers Hobbs

Fred Rodgers Hobbs, broadcaster, public relations executive and educator, was born April 21, 1932 in Denver. He graduated from the University of Colorado School of Journalism and Mass Communication with a B.A. degree in 1954. Hobbs began his broadcasting career as a teenage student disc jockey on KFEL-FM in Denver (the first FM radio station in the city) in 1948. During his college days, he worked at KBOL-AM in Boulder, where he eventually became program director. From 1954-1956, Hobbs served in the US Army, as a disc jockey and feature reporter on the American Forces Network's station in Berlin, Germany. He returned to KBOL following his military service. During the 1960's, he was news director and morning on-air personality at KDEN-AM. In 1966, he joined KLZ-AM/KMGH-TV, Channel 7, becoming a reporter and anchor. In 1975, he was appointed news director at KWGN-TV, all in Denver. In between those broadcasting positions, from 1972 - 74, he was media relations director at the University of Colorado and later became an adjunct professor at the CU School of Jornalism and Mass Communication teaching public relations and TV news courses. In 1989, Hobbs founded Public Relations Associates, a full serice public relations agency which he headed until entering semi-retirement in 2000. He was a member of the Radio Historical Association of Colorado, the Lions Club of Denver, the Denver Press Club and served as president of both the colorado chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Broadcast Professionals of Colorado. Hobbs married Mary Ellen Rostetter in 1963. The couple has two sons, Lawrence Hobbs and Fred Hobbs, Jr.; a daughter, Jennifer Shouse and five grandchildren.