He was an actor in a number of radio programs, including "Little Orphan Annie", where he played Joe Corntassle with the San Francisco cast.
[1][2] In 1938, he switched to the business side of broadcasting when he joined CBS in New York.
Over the next 40 years, he served in various positions in the company's radio and television networks.
In 1959, he was appointed Vice President of Information Services of the CBS Television Network with Advertising, Research and Publicity departments reporting to him.
Cowden served in the US Army in New Caledonia, the Philippines and Japan, where he was feature editor of the Pacific Stars and Stripes in 1944–45.