Denise Koch
Viewers turn to Denise Koch when they want credible news reports presented by one of the most veteran news reporters and anchors in Baltimore. For over forty years the Emmy award winning journalist has reported from every corner of our state and from as far away as China, West Africa, Jamaica and up and down the East Coast bringing local, national and world events into sharp focus for WJZ viewers.
Even sports fans went along with Denise as she covered Baltimore's search for an NFL team in Chicago to the Ravens quest for the Super Bowl trophy in Tampa. In her series, 'Football 101' she got novice viewers ready for Ravens football.
Denise's first introduction to viewers was on WJZ's 'Evening Magazine' where she was known as 'Daring Denise' tackling sports from hang-gliding to scuba.
She joined the newsroom as a Lifestyle reporter reviewing films and plays and filing stories twice a day on the arts and creative side of life.
For a number of years viewers were given an intimate portrait of fascinating Marylanders on her interview program, "Get to Know".
She followed struggling high school students for four years as they participated in the 'Futures' program. That series earned her both a Maryland State Teachers Award and a national Angels Award. And it was with high school students she traveled to Senegal to study the roots of slavery. That series was later screened in museums at the National Post Office at the nation's capital.
Her work has garnered Denise a number of awards including the aforementioned Emmy. Her series on Baltimore school teachers in China titled 'Baltimore East' won best documentary by the Society of Professional Journalists. Her reporting has been nominated for Emmy's a dozen times and her coverage of the collapse of the key bridge in Baltimore won an Edgar R. Murrow Award.
A native of California, Denise attended UCLA where she was awarded the presigious Natalie Wood award for her acting. She graduated from California Institute of the Arts and then received her master's degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Her acting career took her to regional theatres around the country and a short stint on the soap opera 'Another World' eventually bringing her to Baltimore's Center Stage where she also served as literaly manager.
She has taught at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and UMBC.
For more than four decades Denise has been on WJZ's anchor desk, one of the most respected broadcast journalists in town and also one of the most versatile. She has served in that role longer than any other woman in Baltimore history.
For Denise, her work in the community is extremely important. She served on the board of the United Way for a decade where she was also a member of the Womens Leadership Council. For a decade she was also a member of the Howard County Arts Council. She has served on the boards of Camp Opportunity and, currently, Turn Around, Inc. She also served on the President's Advisory Council for Notre Dame of Maryland University.
Recenly Denise received was the 2023 recipient of the National Capital Cheseapeake Bay Regional Emmy 'Board of Governor's Award' for high achievememnt in the field. It's the highest honor handed out by the professional organization. She was also inducted into the Silver Circle for more than 25 years of dedication to the arts and sciences of television.
The 'Daily Record' also gave her an 'Icon Award' in 2023, named her a 'Top 100 Women' in Maryland in 2024 and and 'Influential Marylander' in 2025.
Notre Dame of Maryland University awarded Denise an "Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters" in 2026
Denise and her husband live in Baltimore City. Their two daughters live in Montana and Austin.