Quick Facts
- Orig.:
- Ferdinand Friendly Wachenheimer
- Born:
- Oct. 30, 1915, New York, N.Y., U.S.
- Died:
- March 3, 1998, New York City (aged 82)
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Fred W. Friendly
American producer and journalist
Also known as: Ferdinand Friendly Wachenheimer
Fred W. Friendly (born Oct. 30, 1915, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died March 3, 1998, New York City) was a U.S. broadcast producer and journalist. He began his career in radio in 1938 and later joined CBS. In the 1950s he collaborated with Edward R. Murrow to produce the radio news series Hear It Now and the television series See It Now. Friendly also produced CBS Reports (1961–71) and many special programs. He served as president of CBS News (1964–66), then taught at Columbia University’s school of journalism. An outspoken critic of the quality of most TV programming, he became a communications adviser for the Ford Foundation (1966–80) and was instrumental in establishing the PBS network.
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