PORTLAND, Ore. — Mike Benner is a reporter at KGW in Portland, Oregon, specializing in general assignment reporting. He joined KGW in April of 2008.
As a general assignment reporter at KGW, Mike has been nominated for multiple Emmys. He has covered a countless number of big stories. He reported on the disappearance of Kyron Horman, a story that garnered national attention. In 2011, Mike was sent to Scottsdale, Arizona to cover the Oregon Ducks in the National Championship game, but he did not get to cover much of the game or the festivities. He was rushed to Tucson to report on the mass shooting at former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' town hall event. Mike said the tragedy was one of the most difficult stories he has ever had to cover.
Before moving to the Pacific Northwest, Mike worked as a general assignment reporter at WGBA-TV (NBC) in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Prior to that, Mike was an anchor and reporter at WJFW-TV (NBC) in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.
Mike was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. In 2004, he graduated from Indiana University with a journalism degree. While in college, Mike dabbled not only in television, but also in radio. He was both the news director and sports director at the campus radio station, WIUS. One of his fondest memories is calling an NCAA tournament game between Indiana and Alabama on the famous parquet floor in Boston.
Mike is more than excited to call the Rose City home. Mike, his wife, and their three kids reside in Portland. When he is not chasing down a story, they enjoy spending time with family and friends, keeping tabs on the St. Louis Cardinals and Oregon Ducks, traveling, and trying new restaurants.
If you have a story idea, do not hesitate to email Mike at mbenner@kgw.com.