Rogers, Ralph B., 1909-1997

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Public broadcasting executive. Chairman, radio station KERA, Dallas; chief executive officer, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS); co-founder, Children's Television Workshop.

From the description of Ralph B. Rogers papers, 1969-1990, and undated (bulk 1969-1981) (University of Maryland Libraries). WorldCat record id: 30442815

Industrialist and PBS executive Ralph B. Rogers was born in Boston in 1909 and was educated at Northeastern University. Before his involvement with public broadcasting, Rogers worked for or ran many industrial concerns, including Cummins Diesel Engine, Edwards Company, Hill and Rogers Diesel and Aircraft, Armstrong Rubber Export, and Rogers International. In 1950, he started work with Texas Industries in Dallas and by the following year he was chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of this company.

For much of his life, Rogers has taken an active role in public broadcasting at both the local and the national level. In Dallas, Rogers acted as the Chairman of radio station KERA from about 1968 to 1972 . This chairmanship led to involvement at the national level when, in 1972, Rogers headed a board of other lay chairmen to look into the possibilities of long-range financing for public broadcasting. Rogers also clarified the role of lay chairmen by creating and chairing the National Coordinating Committee for Governing Board Chairmen. In 1973, Rogers was named chief executive officer of a recently reorganized Public Broadcasting Service, a position he used to improve relations with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting . He also served as chairman of the PBS Board of Governors. Rogers served in this position until he was succeeded by Newton C. Minow in 1978.

In addition to his work for PBS, Rogers was chairman emeritus of the Public Communication Foundation of North Texas; a member of the Board of Directors of the National Captioning Institute; and a cofounder of the Children's Television Workshop .

Rogers' other activities included being a trustee for Northeastern University, volunteers for St. Marks School, Texas, and holding emeritus status at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Society. In addition, he was the President of the Dallas Foundation for Health Education, and Research.

Rogers died in 1997.

From the guide to the Ralph B. Rogers Papers, 1969-1990 and undated, 1969-1981, (Mass Media and Culture)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Rogers, Ralph B., 1909-1997. Ralph B. Rogers papers, 1969-1990 and undated (majority 1969-1981) University of Maryland (College Park, Md.). Libraries
creatorOf Buchanan, Christopher. Christopher Buchanan papers, 1971-1977. University of Maryland (College Park, Md.). Libraries
referencedIn Economic History of Indiana in the Twentieth Century, 1976-1980 Indiana University, Bloomington. Center for the Study of History and Memory
creatorOf Rogers, Ralph B., 1909-1997. Ralph B. Rogers papers, 1969-1990 and undated (majority 1969-1981) University of Maryland (College Park, Md.). Libraries
referencedIn Jarvik, Laurence Ariel, 1956-. Laurence A. Jarvik papers, 1935-1998 and undated (majority 1990-1998) University of Maryland (College Park, Md.). Libraries
creatorOf Ball, Edmund F. Edmund F. Ball papers, 1969-1983 (majority 1970-1979) University of Maryland (College Park, Md.). Libraries
referencedIn Day, James, 1918-2008. James Day papers, 1952-1996 and undated (majority 1969-1992) University of Maryland (College Park, Md.). Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Ball, Edmund F. person
associatedWith Buchanan, Christopher. person
correspondedWith Bush, George, 1924- person
associatedWith Carnegie Corporation of New York. corporateBody
associatedWith Corporation for Public Broadcasting. corporateBody
correspondedWith Curtis, Thomas B. (Thomas Bradford), 1911-1993 person
correspondedWith Day, James, 1918-2008. person
correspondedWith Ford, Gerald R., 1913-2006 person
correspondedWith Gunn, Hartford N. person
correspondedWith Gunn, Hartford N. person
correspondedWith Haldeman, H. R. (Harry R.), 1926-1993 person
correspondedWith Harley, William G., 1911-1998 person
associatedWith Indiana University Center for the Study of History and Memory corporateBody
correspondedWith Jarvik, Laurence Ariel, 1956- person
correspondedWith Loomis, Henry person
correspondedWith Loomis, Henry person
associatedWith National Association of Educational Broadcasters. corporateBody
associatedWith Public Broadcasting Service (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Office of Telecommunications Policy. corporateBody
correspondedWith Whitehead, Clay Thomas person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Subject
Broadcasting policy
Broadcasting policy
Public broadcasting
Public broadcasting
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1909-11-30

Death 1997-11-04

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