Mark Koebrich, who retired today from KUSA-Channel 9. March 2, 2016 (Courtesy KUSA)
Mark Koebrich retires from KUSA-Channel 9 today after 46 years on the air. It’s been a week of reminiscing and congratulations for the veteran newsman, including a KUSA luncheon in his honor. “Koebs,” as he’s affectionately known, was roasted and toasted by past and present 9News staff.
“Ed Sardella was here! Paula Woodward was here! Ron Mitchell! All the old 9Newsers were here. It was old home week,” Koebrich reported by phone afterward. “There was much speechifying. Kim (Christiansen) said many mostly untrue but wonderful things about me…”
Jim Benemann and Tom Mustin, now competitors at KCNC-Channel 4, showed up. Dave Lougee, the former 9News news director who has risen to the top of the Gannett corporate ranks as President of the broadcasting division, sent in a taped tribute.
Adele Arakawa, who was out of town today, left a taped tribute. “She knows I drink an occasional gin and tonic..” So the crew gave him a specially blended gin in a wooden cask with its own stand. Also, “I spend a lot of time in the yard, so I got lots of lawn and garden tools and implements.”
Asked how he managed to spend 37 years at one place, Koebrich said the secret is to “unplug the flux capacitor and threaten the station…” He said President and General Manager Mark Cornetta met that joke with a weak smile.
Leading up to his departure, Koebrich has joined in the teasing on the air, replaying a , for instance. He joined the station in 1978 at age 28.
The retirement,.
Koebrich joined 9NEWS as the Southern Bureau reporter in Colorado Springs after working for a station in Louisville, KY. He helped launch the 6 a.m. newscast and, over the years, his co-anchors included former staffers Bertha Lynn and Linda Benzel, and in recent years Christiansen. He covered the consumer beat, followed the Broncos the four Super Bowl and traveled to cover the Olympics in China, Salt Lake City and Atlanta for both NBC News Channel and KUSA.
Commenting on his tendency to gab, Koebrich said, “They say I’m either a producer’s curse or blessing, depending how much time is left in the show.”
