DENVER -- Denver's 7 Station Manager Byron Grandy announced Monday the appointment of Jeff Harris as the new news director of KMGH-TV 7NEWS and Azteca America Colorado.

Harris will be responsible for the strategy and day-to-day editorial operations of the news department. His extensive experience in journalism and his knowledge of new technologies will lead Denver's 7 in the continuing effort to cover imperative news content while also serving the evolving media needs of Colorado viewers.

"It is a pleasure to welcome Jeff back to Denver," said Grandy. "Jeff has built his reputation and career on content creation. His knowledge of the local market and emerging technologies will help us continue to bring the news to our viewers on a variety of platforms."

Harris was once part of the Denver's 7 team from 2000 until 2004 as the executive producer of special projects. He left Denver in 2004 to work as the executive producer of special projects at KPIX-TV in San Francisco. Under his leadership he built successful franchises around consumer, medical and investigative news, all of which played a critical role in the station's success. Prior to this, Harris worked as an investigative producer at WEWS-TV in Cleveland from 1997 until 2000.

Throughout his career, Harris has been honored with television journalism's most prestigious awards including the duPont-Columbia Award, a George Foster Peabody Award, an Edward R. Murrow Award and a national Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) Award. Harris has also been honored with the National Headliner Award, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Award and nine Regional Emmy awards.

"I am thrilled to be back in Denver and honored to be working with the dedicated journalists at KMGH," said Harris. "I plan to push forward, continuing the newsroom goal of providing content of the highest quality and integrity to our community on a daily basis."

Raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Harris received a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Cleveland State University. He is married to Cecille and they are the parents of two children enrolled in the Denver Public Schools.

Denver's 7, KMGH-TV is owned by the McGraw Hill Companies, which owns television stations in Bakersfield, Calif., San Diego, Calif., and Indianapolis.