He labored at now-defunct New York newspapers the Herald Tribune and World Journal Tribune, as nicely as the Washington Write-up, and oversaw “new journalism” stalwarts like Jimmy Breslin, Thomas Wolfe and Gail Sheehy.
Detailing why he joined NBC News in the late 1960s, Wald normally stated, “I did not go away newspapers. Newspapers remaining me.”
He was NBC Information president from 1973 to 1977, where he set up Tom Brokaw and Jane Pauley as “Today” show hosts. He also enable screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky trail him for two times, and grew to become the design for the community news president in the satiric movie “Network.” Pressured out at NBC for the reason that of pressure with his bosses, he joined ABC News and was a prime deputy to the mercurial Roone Arledge.
A sports activities govt who was presented authority over a having difficulties information division, Arledge had a great deal of thoughts but little information working experience. Wald, with fellow executive David Burke, served apply the very good concepts, claimed Tom Bettag, a former executive producer at “Nightline,” a demonstrate that Wald gave a title to.
“He was enormously upbeat, total of energy,” Bettag claimed.
With a team that integrated Peter Jennings, Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters and Ted Koppel, ABC rose to the leading of the broadcast community information divisions at the height of their electrical power, right before their influence was reduced by 24-hour cable information and the web.
“Wald was the dude who realized the news organization within and out — not just television,” Bettag reported.
Wald’s spouse of 67 decades, Edith, died in December. He is survived by three young children and seven grandchildren.