Robert E. Kintner
Encyclopedia
Robert E. Kintner was an American
journalist and television executive, who served as president of both the National Broadcasting Company
(NBC) and the American Broadcasting Company
(ABC).
A native of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
, Kintner graduated from Swarthmore College
in 1931. Two years later, the New York Herald Tribune
hired him as its White House
correspondent. From 1938 to 1941, he paired with Joseph Alsop
to write a nationally syndicated column called "Capital Parade".
During World War II
, Kintner served in the U.S. Army Air Force, leaving the service in 1944 with the rank of lieutenant colonel
.
After the war, Kintner was hired by ABC to do public relations work. He rose rapidly at the then-small network, and served as its president from 1949 to 1956. During his ABC presidency, Kintner was credited with moves that pushed ABC closer to competitiveness against NBC and CBS, when ABC cut deals with Warner Bros.
and Walt Disney
to provide programming, when the network aired the bulk of the Army-McCarthy hearings
, and when two of the Warner and Disney offerings, Disneyland and Cheyenne, became hits that influenced television programming, particularly the latter: Cheyenne provoked a television trend to Westerns that helped dominate the medium's entertainment offerings through the mid-1960s.
Kintner then led NBC from 1958 to 1965. His NBC tenure became highly regarded for his aggressive push to make the network's news operations competitive with CBS, particularly with his rising budget allocations to the news operation, the network's coverage of the 1960 Presidential election campaign
, and the emergence of The Huntley-Brinkley Report
as perhaps America's most viewed nightly news program for several years. At NBC Kintner defended his network at the height of the quiz show scandal of 1959-60, testifying to the United States Congress
that NBC and the other networks as well as viewers were victims of the quiz show rigging, and that his and other networks had taken steps toward wresting production control of programming from advertisers whose pressures had been seen as key players in the scandals.
Kintner returned to Washington, D.C.
in 1966 after President Lyndon B. Johnson
named him to be his Cabinet secretary
. Kintner had to resign and retire from work the following year, however, because his eyesight was failing.
Kintner was married twice and had three children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist and television executive, who served as president of both the National Broadcasting Company
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
(NBC) and the American Broadcasting Company
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
(ABC).
A native of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Stroudsburg is a borough in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Poconos region of the state, approximately five miles from the Delaware Water Gap, at the confluence of the Brodhead and Pocono Creeks. It is the county seat of Monroe County. Stroudsburg is part of the...
, Kintner graduated from Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
in 1931. Two years later, the New York Herald Tribune
New York Herald Tribune
The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald.Other predecessors, which had earlier merged into the New York Tribune, included the original The New Yorker newsweekly , and the Whig Party's Log Cabin.The paper was home to...
hired him as its White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
correspondent. From 1938 to 1941, he paired with Joseph Alsop
Joseph Alsop
Joseph Wright Alsop V was an American journalist and syndicated newspaper columnist from the 1930s through the 1970s.-Early years:...
to write a nationally syndicated column called "Capital Parade".
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Kintner served in the U.S. Army Air Force, leaving the service in 1944 with the rank of lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
.
After the war, Kintner was hired by ABC to do public relations work. He rose rapidly at the then-small network, and served as its president from 1949 to 1956. During his ABC presidency, Kintner was credited with moves that pushed ABC closer to competitiveness against NBC and CBS, when ABC cut deals with Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
and Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
to provide programming, when the network aired the bulk of the Army-McCarthy hearings
Army-McCarthy Hearings
The Army–McCarthy hearings were a series of hearings held by the United States Senate's Subcommittee on Investigations between April 1954 and June 1954. The hearings were held for the purpose of investigating conflicting accusations between the United States Army and Senator Joseph McCarthy...
, and when two of the Warner and Disney offerings, Disneyland and Cheyenne, became hits that influenced television programming, particularly the latter: Cheyenne provoked a television trend to Westerns that helped dominate the medium's entertainment offerings through the mid-1960s.
Kintner then led NBC from 1958 to 1965. His NBC tenure became highly regarded for his aggressive push to make the network's news operations competitive with CBS, particularly with his rising budget allocations to the news operation, the network's coverage of the 1960 Presidential election campaign
United States presidential election, 1960
The United States presidential election of 1960 was the 44th American presidential election, held on November 8, 1960, for the term beginning January 20, 1961, and ending January 20, 1965. The incumbent president, Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower, was not eligible to run again. The Republican Party...
, and the emergence of The Huntley-Brinkley Report
Huntley-Brinkley Report
The Huntley-Brinkley Report was the NBC television network's flagship evening news program from October 29, 1956 until July 31, 1970. It was anchored by Chet Huntley in New York City, and David Brinkley in Washington, D.C...
as perhaps America's most viewed nightly news program for several years. At NBC Kintner defended his network at the height of the quiz show scandal of 1959-60, testifying to the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
that NBC and the other networks as well as viewers were victims of the quiz show rigging, and that his and other networks had taken steps toward wresting production control of programming from advertisers whose pressures had been seen as key players in the scandals.
Kintner returned to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1966 after President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
named him to be his Cabinet secretary
Cabinet Secretary
A Cabinet Secretary is almost always a senior official who provides services and advice to a Cabinet of Ministers. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powers, including general responsibility for the entire civil service...
. Kintner had to resign and retire from work the following year, however, because his eyesight was failing.
Kintner was married twice and had three children.