Michael Malone, who covered the television industry for nearly 20 years at Broadcast & Cable, wrote a book, and contributed to The New York Times, has died. He was 55 years old.
Malone died on October 19th at Memorial Sloan Cancer Center in New York after a long illness.
Mr. Malone is widely known in the television industry, particularly in the local broadcast industry, for his many years of service at B&C, where he began his career as a reporter in 2005 and rose to become editor. He was eventually promoted to content director for B&C and its sister companies Multichannel News and NextTV.
In online tributes, former colleagues remembered Malone’s relentless wit and command of words. He often drafted article headlines and covers. This was an important element in the days when print magazines ruled the media roost and helped define the personality of the trade publications that lined up on senior executives’ desks.
A five-time finalist for the Jesse H. Neal Award for Excellence in Journalism, Mr. Malone has also written as a freelancer for The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, and New York. He has written several books, both novels and nonfiction.
Although his initial focus at B&C was local broadcasting, Malone has broadened his focus in recent years to include programming, becoming a member of the Television Critics Association and participating in biannual press tours. He also hosted two regular podcasts.
B&C, a nearly century-old trade magazine founded during the radio era, went out of print in September, along with Multichannel News and NextTV.
Malone is survived by his wife, Susan; children Gavin and Charlotte; mother Shelly Malone; sisters and brothers-in-law, Nancy and Jim Dempsey, Kate and Brian Burke, Eileen and Jim Baker; and eight nieces and nephews.
A memorial visitation period for Malone will be held from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET on November 1st at Hawthorne Funeral Home in Hawthorne, New York.
