James H. Rosenfield, Sr., the former top CBS executive who helped build the network into a cultural powerhouse, died Sept. 26. He was 97 years old.
Rosenfield spent two decades at CBS, where he brought shows like “All in the Family,” “M*A*S*H” and “60 Minutes.”
Rosenfield was born in Boston on July 18, 1929. He later attended Roxbury Latin School, where he served as an alumni trustee. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1952. While at Dartmouth, he was a student DJ on his own radio show called “Rhodes Record Rack.”
Beginning in the 1960s, Rosenfield rose from account executive in television network sales to president of the CBS Television Network and eventually to vice president of the CBS Broadcast Group, where he was responsible for key business divisions of the company, including the CBS Television Network, CBS News, CBS Entertainment and CBS Sports.
CBS founder and chairman William S. Paley became an important mentor. He approached Rosenfield for an early role to take charge of the company’s sales relationship with Gray Publishing. He retired from CBS in 1985.
Following his time at CBS, Rosenfield was president and chief executive officer of John Blair Communications, Inc. He later founded JHR & Associates, a firm that advises traditional and new media companies.
Rosenfield was a founding board member and later president emeritus of Reisenbach Philanthropies, an organization founded in memory of his friend Sanford Reisenbach’s son, John Reisenbach. He also served as president of the International Radio and Television Society, president and board member of the Advertising Council, and on the boards of directors of Internews International and Salon Media. He was a lifetime member of the International Television Academy Council and St. He received an honorary doctorate from St. John’s University.
Rosenfield is survived by his partner Charlotte Rosenblatt, his children Laurie Rosenfield and Jim Rosenfield Jr., his five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Donations can be made to Reisenbach Benefactors.