 Rogers wanted to enter seminary after college, but instead chose to go into the nascent medium of television after encountering a TV at his parents' home in 1951 during his senior year at Rollins College.In a CNN interview, he said, "I went into television because I hated it so, and I thought there's some way of using this fabulous instrument to nurture those who would watch and listen".After graduating in 1951, he worked at NBC in New York City as floor director of "Your Hit Parade", "The Kate Smith Hour", and Gabby Hayes's children's show, and as an assistant producer of "The Voice of Firestone".