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Host, Seattle's Morning News

Charlie Harger

About

I’m a journalist with more than 30 years of experience covering the stories that shape life in western Washington. I host Seattle’s Morning News on KIRO Newsradio, where I help listeners start their day informed, prepared, and sometimes even entertained.

My reporting has earned multiple national and regional awards, including several Edward R. Murrow Awards. I’ve also been named APTRA’s Radio Reporter of the Year and recognized for investigative reporting on major stories like the Boeing 737 MAX crisis and interviews with serial killer Gary Ridgway.

I specialize in making complex issues understandable, focusing on how news affects real people. I’m a fourth-generation western Washington resident and have called Auburn home for over a decade.

Before hosting, I served as News Director at KIRO, worked at KOMO for nearly two decades, and taught journalism at Green River College. I take news seriously — but believe the best reporting connects on a human level.

Expertise

  • Broadcast Journalism and Storytelling
  • Investigative and Accountability Reporting
  • Community Impact and Public Service Journalism

Experience

  • Host, Seattle’s Morning News – KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • News Director – KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • Reporter and Anchor – KOMO Newsradio
  • Broadcast Instructor – Green River College
  • Communications and Digital Media – Microsoft and tech startups

Education

B.A., Communications – Thomas Edison State University
M.S., Strategic Communication – Arkansas State University

Achievements & Awards

  • Edward R. Murrow Award – Hard News (2020)
  • Edward R. Murrow Award – Continuing Coverage (2019)
  • APTRA Award – Best Investigative Reporting (2019, 2014)
  • Edward R. Murrow Award – Best Newswriting (2015)
  • APTRA Award – Radio Reporter of the Year (2015)
  • APTRA Award – Best Spot News Coverage (2015)
  • Edward R. Murrow Award – Best Documentary (2014)
  • APTRA Award – Enterprise Coverage (2014)
  • Emmy Nomination – Investigative Journalism (2014)

Social Media Profiles

Harger: Congress can’t keep dodging UFO questions because 80 years of ‘we don’t know’ isn’t enough

Happening on Capitol Hill Tuesday, members of Congress are holding another hearing on UAPs. That’s the government’s term for “unidentified anomalous phenomena.”
12 months ago

Harger: Why was the U.S. Open so afraid of Trump getting booed?

Quick question: Since when is booing too dangerous for television? Because at yesterday’s U.S. Open, it sure seemed that way.
12 months ago

Harger: Community colleges, the unsung heroes of WA education, deserve more credit

Enter our community colleges and vocational schools, the heroes nobody puts on a bumper sticker.
12 months ago

Harger: Bail for ‘the most dangerous driver in WA’ isn’t justice, it’s gambling with lives

Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders, who briefly chased this driver himself, called him "likely the most dangerous driver in the state."
12 months ago

Harger: We pump an extra $8.5B into education yearly and scores keep dropping

Despite increased funding, back-to-school results show no improvement in educational performance.
1 year ago

Harger: Seattle religious gathering shows free speech survives when it’s loud, messy, and nonviolent

This is free speech in action: A religious gathering met with counter protesters in one noisy, nonviolent package.
1 year ago

Harger: A local’s brutally honest guide to the Puyallup Fair (Washington State Fair)

The Washington State Fair opens today, and I'm about to share some potentially divisive Puyallup Fair hot takes that might get me banned from the scone line.
1 year ago

Harger: If you overstayed your visa in China, you’d disappear. That’s why America must be different

Immigration raids test our values. Understand the differences in visa policies between China and the U.S. for a better perspective.
1 year ago

Harger: Mayor Harrell curbed graffiti. Now he should focus on public drug use

Mayor Harrell is making Seattle look like a city that actually cares about first impressions. Too bad the mayor can't power-wash away downtown's drug problems as easily.
1 year ago

Harger: Washington spent $4B on the climate. China erased it in a week.

Washington invested $4B for climate, while China reversed it in days. Explore the implications for global climate initiatives.
1 year ago

Harger: Save ‘extreme’ for real emergencies, not 89 degrees

This weekend's heat in Seattle was notable, but not extreme compared to Phoenix or Las Vegas. Discover the facts behind the claim.
1 year ago

Harger: Diet soda rides the brand name coattails, but its taste betrays it

Diet Dr. Pepper tastes nothing like Dr. Pepper. It is a counterfeit. A charlatan. It's the equivalent of showing up to a Van Halen concert and getting Gary Cherone.
1 year ago

Harger: Deadly semi-truck crash shows why Washington must fix its CDL system

A deadly crash underscores the urgent need for CDL reforms in Washington to protect public safety. Action is crucial.
1 year ago

We get what we tolerate: Fred Meyer closures and the cost of unchecked theft

Explore how theft is impacting Fred Meyer in Washington and the implications of store closures.
1 year ago

Harger: Woodway’s Bruce Evans was proof of what good teachers can do

Bruce Evans died this weekend. He spent more than 30 years at Woodway, then Edmonds-Woodway High after the schools merged.
1 year ago

Two-thirds of King County voters sat out — that silence decided the August Primary

Almost all the ballots have now been counted in King County, and turnout for the August Primary was lower than 34%.
1 year ago

Harger: WA bought the pool before the bonus check was cashed, now a financial crisis looms

Earlier this week, the Trump administration published its list of “sanctuary” states and cities, and both Seattle and Washington landed right at the top.
1 year ago

We deserve better: WA rest stops are a national embarrassment

Charlie Harger recapped his time spent traveling to New York, attending lavish rest stops along the way. Why can't Washington follow suit?
1 year ago

America could learn a lot from the youth baseball bleachers

Discover valuable insights from youth baseball bleachers that can inspire positive change in American society.
1 year ago

King County Assessor booked into jail amid stalking allegations tied to ex-fiancée

King County Assessor John Arthur Wilson was booked into the King County Jail overnight on suspicion of stalking and violating a court order.
1 year ago

You’ll never see this again: 12U Maple Valley player hits two baseballs in same swing

Witness an extraordinary play in baseball history that you may never see again. A rare moment by a 12U player that astounds fans.
1 year ago

King County shootings drop, but kids with ‘Glock switch’ machine guns are the new warning sign

King County sees fewer shootings, but youth with Glock switches raise alarming concerns for community safety.
1 year ago

‘I-5 Commuters’: The viral duo documenting commuting ‘madness’ in Seattle

Like most of us slogging through the daily crawl on Interstate 5 (I-5), their primary goals were simple: Survive the traffic and arrive at work somewhat sane.
1 year ago

In King County’s opioid crisis, is kindness killing people?

Explore how harm reduction strategies in King County impact the opioid crisis and the concept of Battlefield Addiction.
1 year ago