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Lester Bernstein, wide-ranging journalist who led Newsweek, dies at 94 Lester Bernstein, wide-ranging journalist who led Newsweek, dies at 94
(35 minutes later)
Lester Bernstein, a former top editor of Newsweek magazine whose journalistic career also included stints with the New York Times and Time magazine as well as NBC, where he helped organize the first televised debate between U.S. presidential candidates, died Nov. 27 at his home in Lido Beach, N.Y. He was 94.Lester Bernstein, a former top editor of Newsweek magazine whose journalistic career also included stints with the New York Times and Time magazine as well as NBC, where he helped organize the first televised debate between U.S. presidential candidates, died Nov. 27 at his home in Lido Beach, N.Y. He was 94.
The cause was cardiac arrest, said a son, Paul Bernstein, a former Washington Post editor.The cause was cardiac arrest, said a son, Paul Bernstein, a former Washington Post editor.
The elder Bernstein was a former vice president of NBC, which with CBS and ABC and the staffs of then-Vice President Richard M. Nixon and then-Sen. John F. Kennedy (D-Mass.) arranged the historic 1960 television debates that played a critical role in that year’s presidential election.The elder Bernstein was a former vice president of NBC, which with CBS and ABC and the staffs of then-Vice President Richard M. Nixon and then-Sen. John F. Kennedy (D-Mass.) arranged the historic 1960 television debates that played a critical role in that year’s presidential election.
The debates were watched by 70 million Americans and were credited as a turning point in the presidential race. Nixon was ill, and his sickly appearance — in contrast to the tan and vigorous Kennedy — was widely thought to have elevated Kennedy’s White House chances.The debates were watched by 70 million Americans and were credited as a turning point in the presidential race. Nixon was ill, and his sickly appearance — in contrast to the tan and vigorous Kennedy — was widely thought to have elevated Kennedy’s White House chances.
After an early career at the Times, Mr. Bernstein joined Time and became a correspondent in Rome and London in the 1950s. As a Time associate editor in New York, he wrote a cover profile of the broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow, who gained national prominence during World War II for his broadcasts from London during German bombing raids.After an early career at the Times, Mr. Bernstein joined Time and became a correspondent in Rome and London in the 1950s. As a Time associate editor in New York, he wrote a cover profile of the broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow, who gained national prominence during World War II for his broadcasts from London during German bombing raids.
Mr. Bernstein spent more than four years at NBC before joining Newsweek in 1963 as national affairs editor. He directed coverage of the 1963 assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas, the civil rights movement and the war in Vietnam.Mr. Bernstein spent more than four years at NBC before joining Newsweek in 1963 as national affairs editor. He directed coverage of the 1963 assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas, the civil rights movement and the war in Vietnam.
He was managing editor of Newsweek when he left in 1972 after feeling “passed over” for the top editing job, he later told the Times. He became a vice president for corporate communications at RCA, where he wrote speeches for chairman Robert W. Sarnoff.He was managing editor of Newsweek when he left in 1972 after feeling “passed over” for the top editing job, he later told the Times. He became a vice president for corporate communications at RCA, where he wrote speeches for chairman Robert W. Sarnoff.
Mr. Bernstein was summoned back to take charge of Newsweek in 1979 after a period of internal discontent over management style and what many regarded as frivolous choices for the magazine’s cover story, including a feature about horror movies the same week Pope John Paul II made a celebrated return visit to his native Poland. He was the fourth editor to lead Newsweek since 1972.Mr. Bernstein was summoned back to take charge of Newsweek in 1979 after a period of internal discontent over management style and what many regarded as frivolous choices for the magazine’s cover story, including a feature about horror movies the same week Pope John Paul II made a celebrated return visit to his native Poland. He was the fourth editor to lead Newsweek since 1972.
Mr. Bernstein left in 1982 after having served, by many accounts, as a calming presence. Under Mr. Bernstein, Newsweek won an award for general excellence from the American Society of Magazine Editors after devoting an entire issue to exploring the impact of the Vietnam War on the United States, titled “What Vietnam Did to Us.”Mr. Bernstein left in 1982 after having served, by many accounts, as a calming presence. Under Mr. Bernstein, Newsweek won an award for general excellence from the American Society of Magazine Editors after devoting an entire issue to exploring the impact of the Vietnam War on the United States, titled “What Vietnam Did to Us.”
Lester Bernstein was born in the Bronx on July 18, 1920, to Eastern European immigrant parents who spoke Yiddish with each other and imperfect English with their children.Lester Bernstein was born in the Bronx on July 18, 1920, to Eastern European immigrant parents who spoke Yiddish with each other and imperfect English with their children.
His father ran a small coffee shop in the Bronx. There were no books in the Bernstein household, but there were two newspapers, one in Yiddish, one in English. Lester Bernstein grew up with an ambition to become a journalist, a goal discouraged by his father who declared in one of their more heated arguments that all newspapermen were “drunks and bums.”His father ran a small coffee shop in the Bronx. There were no books in the Bernstein household, but there were two newspapers, one in Yiddish, one in English. Lester Bernstein grew up with an ambition to become a journalist, a goal discouraged by his father who declared in one of their more heated arguments that all newspapermen were “drunks and bums.”
In 1940 he graduated from Columbia University, where he had been campus stringer for the Times.In 1940 he graduated from Columbia University, where he had been campus stringer for the Times.
He joined the newspaper soon after college and was on duty Dec. 7, 1941, when the Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II. That day he wrote bulletins for broadcasts by the Times’ radio affiliate.He joined the newspaper soon after college and was on duty Dec. 7, 1941, when the Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II. That day he wrote bulletins for broadcasts by the Times’ radio affiliate.
“His very first assignment as a 20-year-old staffer for The Times was writing for ‘the zipper,’ the electronic news banner, (in perpetual motion around the Times building) and he kept dashing outside to watch his words chase each other in six-foot lights,” his daughter, Times journalist Nina Bernstein, recalled in an e-mail memoir. “His very first assignment as a 20-year-old staffer for The Times was writing for ‘the zipper,’ the electronic news banner, (in perpetual motion around the Times building) and he kept dashing outside to watch his words chase each other in six-foot lights,” his daughter Nina Bernstein, a Times reporter, recalled in an e-mail memoir.
During the war, Mr. Bernstein served in Europe as an Army radioman. After his discharge, he rejoined the newspaper as a theater reporter.During the war, Mr. Bernstein served in Europe as an Army radioman. After his discharge, he rejoined the newspaper as a theater reporter.
In 1946, Mr. Bernstein married Jacqueline Lipscomb, an artist who exhibited under the name Mimi Talbot. She died eight days before he did. Their son Daniel Bernstein died in 1978.In 1946, Mr. Bernstein married Jacqueline Lipscomb, an artist who exhibited under the name Mimi Talbot. She died eight days before he did. Their son Daniel Bernstein died in 1978.
Survivors include three children, Nina Bernstein of Manhattan, Lynn Brenner of Brooklyn and Paul Bernstein of Fairfax County; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.Survivors include three children, Nina Bernstein of Manhattan, Lynn Brenner of Brooklyn and Paul Bernstein of Fairfax County; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Early in Mr. Bernstein’s career at the Times, he was a police reporter and experienced the exacting demands for precision that newspaper editors often require. He had been sent out to cover a suicide and returned to the office to write his story.Early in Mr. Bernstein’s career at the Times, he was a police reporter and experienced the exacting demands for precision that newspaper editors often require. He had been sent out to cover a suicide and returned to the office to write his story.
An editor sent Mr. Bernstein back to the scene to get the man’s middle initial from the grieving widow.An editor sent Mr. Bernstein back to the scene to get the man’s middle initial from the grieving widow.