Rick Sallinger, KCNC Denver Reporter, Has Died

Rick Sallinger
Rick Sallinger (Image credit: KCNC Denver)

Rick Sallinger, KCNC Denver reporter, died of natural causes May 9 in the Denver area. He was 74. 

Sallinger started reporting at KCNC, now known as CBS Colorado, in 1993. Across his career, he covered the Columbine High School shootings, the Oklahoma City bombing trials and the murder of JonBenet Ramsey, among other major stories. His reporting at times appeared on CBS Evening News, CBS This Morning, CBS Sunday Morning and other network programs. 

Sallinger grew up in Chicago and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Illinois.

His broadcast career started in radio, reporting in Cleveland and Chicago. His TV work went on to include WRTV Indianapolis, KUSA and KCNC Denver and WMAQ Chicago, and he worked as a correspondent in London for CNN. 

Sallinger was married to Isabel for 30 years. They have two sons, Marc and Eric. 

KCNC is part of CBS News and Stations. 

“Rick Sallinger will be greatly missed by all of us here at CBS News,” said anchor Norah O’Donnell on CBS Evening News May 9. 

Michael Malone

Michael Malone is content director at B+C and Multichannel News. He joined B+C in 2005 and has covered network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television, including writing the "Local News Close-Up" market profiles. He also hosted the podcasts "Busted Pilot" and "Series Business." His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The L.A. Times, The Boston Globe and New York magazine.