Robert D. McFadden
{{Short description|American journalist (born 1937)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Robert D. McFadden
| image =
| birth_name = Robert Dennis McFadden
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1937|02|11}}
| birth_place = Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Journalist
| years_active = 1961–2024
| spouse = Judith McFadden
| children = 1
| relatives =
| credits = The New York Times
| education = {{ubl|University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire|University of Wisconsin-Madison (BS)}}
}}
Robert Dennis McFadden (born February 11, 1937) is an American journalist who worked for The New York Times from 1961 to 2024. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1996.
Biography
McFadden was born in Milwaukee, and raised in both Chicago and the small town of Cumberland, Wisconsin. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, and graduated from the journalism school of the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1960 with a B.S. in Journalism. He moved to New York City in 1961 with the intention of applying to only one newspaper—the only paper for which he wanted to work—and his hopes were realized when he was soon hired by The New York Times. His literary writing style, strict adherence to journalistic principles, and tireless ability to "beat the deadline" won him accolades as both a writer and journalist, and he has since received numerous awards for excellence in journalism. McFadden, a celebrated Senior Writer, has remained at the Times for over 60 years, and continues his work through the present day. In 1996, he won the annual Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Reporting, citing "his highly skilled writing and reporting on deadline during the year" (1995).
Career
From 1957 to 1958, McFadden was a reporter for The Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune. From 1958 to 1959, he was a reporter for The Wisconsin State Journal in Madison and after he graduated from University of Wisconsin–Madison, worked for The Cincinnati Enquirer. In 1961, he was hired by The New York Times, where he remained for the next six decades as a reporter and rewrite man.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/10/obituaries/robert-durst-dead.html?campaign_id=190&emc=edit_ufn_20220110&instance_id=49924&nl=updates-from-the-newsroom®i_id=22798310&segment_id=79220&te=1&user_id=87b9a93b3e3d89af1bdf88a13df6a32d|title=Robert Durst, Real Estate Scion Convicted as a Killer, Dies at 78|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 10, 2022|last=McFadden|first=Robert D.}} His writing has covered a wide range of topics including plane crashes, hurricanes, strikes, blackouts, government affairs, health, crime, transportation, politics, education, the environment, and mass media.
McFadden retired from the Times on September 2, 2024.{{cite web |last1=McDonald |first1=William |title=A Trove of Words to Remember From a Master Obituary Writer |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/06/business/media/robert-mcfadden-retirement.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=September 6, 2024}} As of his retirement, he was listed as senior writer on the newspaper's Obituaries desk.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/01/arts/regine-dead.html#commentsContainer|title=Regine, Whose Discotheque Gave Nightlife a New Dawn, Dies at 92|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 1, 2022|last=McFadden|first=Robert D.|access-date=May 2, 2022}}{{cite web |last=McFadden|first=Robert D.| title=Daniel Ellsberg, Who Leaked the Pentagon Papers, Is Dead at 92 | website=The New York Times | date=June 16, 2023 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/16/us/daniel-ellsberg-dead.html | access-date=June 25, 2023}} Because he focused on advance obituaries, written before the deaths of their subjects, he retired with hundreds of obituaries yet to run.
Personal life
McFadden and his wife Judith have a son named Nolan, and live in Manhattan, New York.
Awards and honors
McFadden has received 18 major journalistic awards and seven New York Times Publisher’s Awards, He was named a Senior Writer in January 1990.{{Cite web|title=Robert D. McFadden - The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/by/robert-d-mcfadden|access-date=December 16, 2020|website=www.nytimes.com}}
- New York Press Club's Byline Award for Spot News Reporting in 1973, 1974, 1980, 1987 and 1989
- New York Newspaper Guild's Page One Award for Local Reporting
- Peter Kihss Award from the Society of the Silurians
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Chancellor's Award for Distinguished Service to Journalism and Mass Communication
Bibliography
- {{cite book|last=McFadden|first=Robert|title=No hiding place: the New York Times inside report on the hostage crisis|publisher=Times Books|location=New York|year=1981|isbn=978-0-8129-0980-7|url=https://archive.org/details/nohidingplacenew00carr}}
- {{cite book|last=McFadden|first=Robert|title=Outrage: The Story Behind the Tawana Brawley Hoax|publisher=Bantam Books|location=New York|year=1990|isbn=978-0-553-05756-0|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/outragestorybehi0000unse}}
References
External links
- {{LCAuth|n81096903|Robert D. McFadden|2|}}
{{PulitzerPrize BreakingNews 1985–2000}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McFadden, Robert D.}}
Category:20th-century American journalists
Category:21st-century American journalists
Category:American male journalists
Category:The New York Times journalists
Category:Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting winners
Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Journalism & Mass Communication alumni
Category:University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire alumni
Category:Writers from Milwaukee
Category:Journalists from Milwaukee
Category:The Cincinnati Enquirer people