James Rosenfield, Former Top Executive at CBS, Dies at 97

James Rosenfield, who served as president of the CBS Television Network and executive vp of the CBS Broadcast Group during his two decades with the company, died Saturday, his family announced. He was 97.

Rosenfield, who started out in sales at CBS in 1965, was named president of the network, in charge of affiliated stations, in 1977 and then executive vp of the CBS Broadcast Group, with responsibility for the network, CBS News, CBS Entertainment and CBS Sports, in 1981.

During his tenure, CBS became a cultural powerhouse that brought audiences such groundbreaking programs as All in the Family, M*A*S*H and 60 Minutes, and he counted Walter Cronkite, Morley Safer, Dan Rather, Lesley Stahl and Mike Wallace as friends as well as colleagues.

After he retired from CBS in 1985, Rosenfield became chairman and CEO of John Blair Communications, a national sales representative for local TV stations. And in 1999, he founded JHR & Associates, which advised traditional and digital media as well as communications and entertainment companies.

Born in Boston on July 18, 1929, Rosenfield attended the Roxbury Latin School in his hometown before graduating in 1952 from Dartmouth College, where he was a student DJ with his own radio program, “Rhodes Record Rack.”

After serving in the military and a job in sales at NBC, Rosenfield joined CBS and was mentored by network founder William S. Paley, who picked him to oversee CBS’ sales relationship with Grey Advertising. The early assignment helped propel his rise through the company.

Rosenfield “was steeped in the world of media and advertising during its storied Mad Men era and delighted in regaling his family with stories from those years,” his family noted. “A favorite involved standing at the bar at New York’s famous 21 Club, where on any given evening executives representing all three major broadcast networks might be gathered; competitors by day and members of the same small, colorful media world after hours.”

Rosenfield also was a founding board member and chairman emeritus of Reisenbach Philanthropies, dedicated to creating “a better and safer New York City”; president of the International Radio & Television Society; chairman of the Advertising Council; and a lifetime fellow of the international council at the Television Academy.

Survivors include his partner, Charlotte; his daughter, Laurie, and son-in-law, Peter; his son, Jim Jr., and his wife, Dana; his grandchildren, Jamie, Kitt, Kristen, Kerrin and Kendall; and five great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife of 57 years, Nancy, and his brother, Allan.

A funeral service is set for 11 a.m. on Wednesday at Riverside Memorial Chapel in New York. Donations in his memory can be made to Reisenbach Philanthropies.