Max Frankel, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who fled Nazi Germany as a boy, passed away at the age of 94 in Manhattan. After arriving in New York in 1940, he pursued a career in journalism, leading him to cover major global events and become the executive editor of The New York Times. Throughout his tenure, he reported on events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, Cold War, and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Frankel’s work also took him to prominent world leaders and locations, such as Nikita S. Khrushchev in Moscow, Fidel Castro in Havana, and Richard Nixon in China.
As executive editor of The Times from 1986 to 1994, Frankel navigated a period of transition for the newspaper, marked by financial challenges and technological advancements. Under his leadership, The Times sought to adapt to the changing landscape of journalism by expanding coverage areas, introducing color to sections, and changing the daily report’s mission to include a wider mix of news and features. Despite facing a recession and losing advertisers, Frankel focused on maintaining the paper’s traditional journalistic standards while also embracing new forms of news delivery.
Known for his low-key management style, Frankel’s leadership was in stark contrast to his predecessor, A.M. Rosenthal. While some of his decisions were criticized, Frankel was credited with raising morale in the newsroom, bringing more diversity to the staff, and upholding The Times’s standards for accuracy and fairness. His tenure marked a period of change and innovation for the newspaper as it navigated the challenges of a shifting media landscape.
In his early years with The Times, Frankel covered a wide range of topics, including political campaigns, anti-Soviet rebellions in Eastern Europe, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. He later moved into editorial roles, becoming the voice of The Times through principal editorials and overseeing opinion pieces on the Op-Ed page. Eventually, he was appointed executive editor in 1986, signaling a new era for the newspaper.
After retiring from The Times in 1994, Frankel continued to write book reviews, news analyses, and magazine articles for the paper. He also taught journalism and humanities courses at Columbia University and seminars on the press and the First Amendment at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University. Throughout his career, Frankel was dedicated to upholding the values of journalism and expanding the reach of The Times, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of media and communication.
