KOCO-TV Chief Brent Hensley to Retire
Hensley, who has led Oklahoma City's ABC affiliate since 1999, will step down at year-end.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Brent Hensley will retire as president and general manager of KOCO-TV at the end of 2026. A successor will be named at a later date.
Why it matters
Hensley has led KOCO-TV since 1999 and is the longest-serving general manager within Hearst Television, so his departure marks a leadership transition for the Oklahoma City station. The change comes as the station's record of awards and community fundraising remains a central part of its identity in the Oklahoma City market.
KOCO has earned more than 110 major awards and honors during Hensley's tenure, including 84 Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters honors since 1999. The station has also helped raise $25 million for the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma since 2020, and a successor has not yet been named.
The players
Brent Hensley
Hensley is a longtime Oklahoma television executive who has led KOCO-TV since 1999 and is known for building one of the strongest award records in the Hearst Television group.
KOCO-TV
KOCO-TV is the ABC affiliate in Oklahoma City owned by Hearst Television and a longstanding fixture of the Oklahoma broadcast market.
The details
Hensley joined KOCO in 1983 as an account executive and held the top job at sister stations KHBS-TV and KHOG-TV from 1997 to 1999 before returning to KOCO in 1999. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Oklahoma State University and has spent more than four decades in television.
Timeline
1983: Hensley joins KOCO as an account executive.
1997: Hensley becomes president and general manager at KHBS/KHOG.
1999: Hensley returns to KOCO as president and general manager.
Year-end 2026: Hensley retires from KOCO.
Legacy Stations
Hensley's 27 hours of non-stop tornado coverage in 1999, which included 12 semi-trailers of aid for victims, set a benchmark for local broadcast public service that his tenure has built upon. His departure ends a leadership run that began the same year that coverage.
Viewers of KOCO-TV in the Oklahoma City market will see the station's leadership change at year-end 2026. The station's news and community programming schedule is not affected by the announcement itself.
The takeaway
Long-tenured leaders often shape a station's public identity, and Hensley's record of awards and fundraising gives readers a clear measure of what his successor will inherit. Watch for the naming of a successor to see how the station's priorities may shift.
What happens next
Hensley's retirement takes effect at year-end 2026, and a successor is expected to be named at a later date.
Further reading
Explore more Philanthropy coverage tied to the station's community fundraising work in Oklahoma City.
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