Ralph Penza

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Ralph Penza on WNBC in 2006.

Ralph Penza (November 22, 1932 – February 16, 2007) was a senior correspondent and substitute anchor for WNBC in New York City. He first joined WNBC in 1980, left the station in 1995 and rejoined it in October 1997. Among his many honours are six Emmy Awards and two New York Press Club Gold Typewriter awards.

Prior to joining WNBC, Penza worked as an anchor and reporter at WDVM in Washington, D. C., an anchor at WCAU in Philadelphia, a producer, reporter and anchor at WCBS, and a producer at WABC.^[1] The respected reporter passed away on February 16, 2007 after a long illness.

Penza graduated from New York University, where he was a member of Alpha Phi Delta, with a bachelor's degree in radio and television.^[2]

In February 1998, while covering Pope John Paul II's trip to Cuba, Penza located Joanne Chesimard, who was convicted of killing New Jersey state trooper Werner Foerster 24 years before. Chesimard was sentenced to life in prison but escaped in 1979 and fled to Cuba for political asylum. She spoke to Penza in an interview where she maintained her innocence and recounted the night of the shooting, according to Penza's bio on the station's Web site.

Penza was a former president of the "Inner Circle," an organization of political reporters. He was the first television journalist to be named head of that organization.