Fred Bohen papers
Collection
0113-MMC
Frederick Martin Bohen (1938-2015) was the Director of News and Public Affairs at WNET television in New York and Executive Editor of the Public Broadcast Library (PBL). He also served as editor of the experimental public affairs series, Public Broadcast Laboratory (1968-1969). The collection consists of Bohen's correspondence, speeches, memoranda relating to the programming and administration of WNET and PBL.
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1 Linear Feet (2 Hollinger boxes)
This collection documents the professional activities of Frederick Martin Bohen (1938-2015), specifically his roles at WNET and the Public Broadcast Laboratory (PBL).Bohen served as editor of the experimental public affairs series, Public Broadcast Laboratory, 1968-1969, which was underwritten by the Ford Foundation. As Editor, Bohen led numerous programs studying the nuances of American culture. Bohen served as Director of News and Public Affairs for WNET/13 beginning in 1973. The collection provides an overview of his tenure at WNET and in-depth analysis of his programs at PBL.
Fred Bohen was born in Ridgewood, New Jersey in 1938 and was recognized as a civic leader with a distinguished career in education and public affairs. He was assistant dean of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public Affairs from 1964 to 1966. From October 1966 to May 1968 he served as a White House staff assistant in the Lyndon Johnson administration. From September 1969 to April 1972, Bohen was assistant to the president of the Ford Foundation. He was executive editor of the Public Broadcast Library from May 1968 through August 1969 and was directly responsible for its wide variety of programming about American culture. He ran unsuccessfully for Congress in November 1972 in New Jersey's 5th Congressional District. He was appointed Director of News and Public Affairs at WNET/Channel 13 (Educational Broadcasting Corporation) on April 9, 1973. He also served at the Rockefeller University as executive vice president and chief operating officer until his retirement in 2005. He died in 2015 and is survived by three daughters.
This collection is organized at the file level in two boxes. Box 1 (1968-1974) consists of Bohen's personal papers, professional correspondence, and work with both WNET and PBL. Box 2 (1968-1973) consists of Bohen's correspondence and work with PBL.
This collection was donated to the University of Maryland Libraries by Halcyone H. Bohen on June 7, 2016.
Part of the Special Collections and University Archives