Hi, I’m Roger. Welcome to my site.
I’ve been interested in all media since ever since I can remember. I think my fascination with television started in the third grade when I was living in Miami. A classmate invited me to join him in the audience for a taping of the popular “Skipper Chuck” show on WTVJ-Channel 4. I then made the rounds of all the local Miami kids shows, including South Florida’s version of Bozo the Clown.
After briefly leaving the Sunshine State to go to high school in Boise, Idaho, I returned to attend the University of Central Florida with the intention of going into broadcast journalism. But a funny thing happened — I found out I loved newspaper reporting more than TV reporting. I went on to become a print journalist but remained interested in television news — keeping tapes of local and national broadcasts I thought were cool or noteworthy. Those tapes help form some of the Orlando TV history that became RogerSimmons.com — a website/blog I launched in March 2001.
Over the years, the site has grown and changed in many ways. A big thank you to all the individuals who have contributed photos or stories to help document Orlando’s TV news and history.
Currently, I live in Orlando with my wife and our son. I’m the Managing Editor at the Orlando Sentinel and OrlandoSentinel.com – the region’s most popular local news website. I’ve been honored to be a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in breaking news along with the rest of the Sentinel newsroom as well as earn a Suncoast Emmy nomination while at the Sentinel.
But please note — my site/blog is NOT in any way related to the Orlando Sentinel, OrlandoSentinel.com or any other Tribune Publishing Co. website. The views expressed here are mine only and not connected in any way with my employer.
(P.S.: In addition to television memorabilia, I also have a rather large collection of historic newspapers — some of which are more than 200 years old. But I don’t have a website for them — yet.)