Entertainment executive Myron “Mike” Weinblatt died Aug. 18 in Manhattan after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 76.
He had been a president of NBC Entertainment, Showtime/The Movie Channel Inc., and Multimedia Entertainment Inc.
A 1951 graduate of Syracuse University, Weinblatt served in the U.S. Army in counterintelligence in Japan during the Korean War before beginning a career in broadcast television.
Starting at NBC in 1957, he subsequently served as head of every department, including executive VP of NBC Television Network, president of NBC Entertainment, and the first president of NBC Enterprises. Hit show Saturday Night Live and award-winning miniseries Holocaust came to the screen during his tenure.
Upon leaving NBC, Weinblatt became president of Showtime Entertainment and, as president of the nation’s second-largest pay-TV company, played an integral role in the merger of Showtime and The Movie Channel.
He then became president of Multimedia Entertainment Inc., which produced talk shows for Phil Donahue and Sally Jessy Raphael.
Weinblatt is survived by his wife, Annie; sons Marc and Richard; and grandsons Shae, Orion and Michael.
Steve Ramsey, 52, VP/general manager of WSMV Nashville, Tenn., died Aug. 22 from complications following an emergency appendectomy.
A 30-year television industry veteran, the Kansas City, Mo., native was a graduate of Washburn University in Topeka, Kan.
Ramsey joined Meredith Broadcasting-owned WSMV in 2002. Previously, he had been VP of news operations for Tribune Broadcasting, overseeing news for the company’s stations.
He also held key posts at big-market Tribune stations, including station manager, KTLA Los Angeles, and news director, WGN Chicago. He had been news director at KFMB San Diego; WESH Orlando, Fla.; WRAL Raleigh, N.C.; and KWCH Wichita, Kan.
He is survived by daughter Sage and son Cody.
