Lester Crystal

Lester M. "Les" Crystal (September 13, 1934 – June 24, 2020) was an Emmy Award-winning American television news executive best known for being executive producer of the nation’s first hour-long nightly newscast, The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour (now known as the PBS Newshour).[1] He joined the organization as executive producer in 1983 and was appointed president of MacNeil/Lehrer Productions in 2005. He retired from the NewsHour in 2010. Previously, he was president of NBC News from 1977-79 and executive producer of NBC Nightly News.[2]

Les Crystal accepts Chairman's Award Emmy with PBS NewsHour colleagues Linda Winslow, Jim Lehrer, and Robert MacNeil

During his career, he produced U.S. political convention and election night coverage for eight national elections from 1976 to 2004 for both NBC and PBS.[3] He was part of the news delegation for United States President Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to China and produced NBC News' coverage of that historic visit. His first Emmy Award was in 1969 for an investigation of teenage drug addiction that aired on The Huntley–Brinkley Report.

NBC News Producer Les Crystal meets President Richard Nixon in China during historic visit in February of 1972

Personal life and education

He was born in Duluth, Minnesota on September 13, 1934, and graduated from Duluth East High School in 1952.[4] He earned Bachelors and Masters of Science degrees from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in 1956 and 1957, respectively. He died on June 24, 2020, following a two-and-a-half-year battle with brain cancer.[5]

References
  1. "Les Crystal, a guiding force behind NewsHour, dies at 85". PBS NewsHour. PBS NewsHour. June 24, 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
  2. Prial, Frank J. (April 11, 1983). "Lester Crystal, The Man Who's Changing 'The MacNeil–Lehrer Report'". The New York Times.
  3. "Lester Crystal, President of MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, to retire in August 2010" (Press release). PBS NewsHour. May 20, 2010. Retrieved 2020-06-20.
  4. "Hall of Fame, Class of 2014". Duluth, Minnesota: Duluth East High School Foundation. Archived from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
  5. "Les Crystal's NewsHour legacy as a great boss and a friend". PBS NewsHour. June 24, 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
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