CBS News legend and the “60 Minutes” lethal reporter, Mike Wallace, died on Saturday night at the wise age of 93. He died peacefully surrounded by family members at Wavenly Care Center in New Canaan, Connecticut, where he spent his last few years. Leslie Moonves, president and CEO of CBS Corporation, said, “It is with tremendous sadness that we mark the passing of Mike Wallace. His extraordinary contribution as a broadcaster is immeasurable and he has been a force within the television industry throughout its existence. His loss will be felt by all of us at CBS.”
Wallace was as famous as the celebrities, newsmakers, and leaders who endured his smoldering interrogations. He won awards and a reputation for digging out the hidden truth on Sunday nights in front of an audience that approached 40 million at the broadcast’s peak. Wallace was a significant figure in “60 Minutes’” rise to the top of the ratings, to become the number one program of all time, with an unprecedented 23 seasons on the Nielsen annual top 10 list. Wallace received 21 Emmy Awards, was the recipient of five DuPont-Columbia Journalism Awards , five Peabody Awards, and was the Paul White Award winner in 1991, which is the highest honor given by the Radio and Television News Directors Association. In 1996, he won the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award grand prize and television first prize. Wallace was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1991.
Jeff Fager, chairman of CBS News and executive producer of “60 Minutes” said, “All of us at CBS News and particularly at ’60 Minutes’ owe so much to Mike. Without him and his iconic style, there probably wouldn’t be a ’60 Minutes.’ There simply hasn’t been another broadcast journalist with that much talent. It almost didn’t matter what stories he was covering, you just wanted to hear what he would ask next. Around CBS he was the same infectious, funny and ferocious person as he was on TV. We loved him and we will miss him very much.” On Sunday, April 15, a special program dedicated to Wallace will broadcast on “60 Minutes.”
