Jeff Gralnick, a television news executive who had worked for ABC, CBS,
CNN and NBC, died at his home on May 9. He was 72.
Gralnick began his broadcast career as a desk assistant at
CBS News in 1959. He spent 11 years at the network as a writer, producer, and
Vietnam War field reporter. Gralnick joined ABC News in 1972 as a producer and rose
through the ranks, twice serving as executive producer of World News Tonight. He led political coverage as vice president and
executive producer of special events from 1980-1992.
In 1993 Gralnick jumped to NBC where he served as EP of NBC Nightly News for three years, during
which he helped bring the newscast from third to first place in the ratings. He
returned to ABC in 1996 to help launch ABCNews.com. In 1999, he left ABC again
to be executive vice president of financial news for CNN until 2001, when he
left to form his own consulting firm.
"To call Jeff a
legend in our business only begins to paint a picture of a producer and
executive who for over five decades in a storied career was admired and
respected for his unfailing judgment, high standards and creativity," said ABC
News President Ben Sherwood in a note to staff.
