---

In Memoriam: Mike Ludlum
by Bob Gibson

Broadcasting and education have lost a prized friend with the passing of Mike Ludlum on November 29 in northern New Jersey at age 78. Mike's demise followed a three-year illness which ultimately led to the family having him placed in hospice care.

Mike Ludlum was a first-rate broadcaster in a variety of positions in a number of venues but New York, New York is where he spent most of his more than half-century career.  The bulk of that time was at CBS where he worked for the local radio station, WCBS, was there for the 1967 dawn of all-news as the morning producer, and was based at the radio network at one time. Mike was a writer, editor, reporter, host of a weekly public affairs broadcast on WCBS where he would later become the Director of Broadcasting and the station's Director of News and Programming for part of the 1980s. Mike's expertise also led to his being appointed the Executive Editor of CBS AM Stations for two years in the early 80s which meant he was responsible for overseeing the news operations of the CBS Radio owned and operated stations including all-news WCBS.

[Note:Mike was also news director of WEEI, Boston, and head writer for ABC's Good Morning America.]

   Mike Ludlum with former WCBS producer & writer Roslyn Barreaux Brendzel  

Anyone who worked for Mike found out that while he expected his staff to do its job and do it well, he was not the common, hard-nosed boss who would let fly with profanity in tense moments. Ludlum was, in fact, more often than not, a mild-mannered gentleman, concerned about the composition of stories and the overall air product and was a good friend to a lot of people, including yours truly.   

When he elected to leave WCBS and commercial broadcasting per se in 1987, he moved into academia and became a Journalism Professor at New York University where he enjoyed a more than twenty-year career and where scores of students got to learn about radio news writing, editing and other special skills from a man who was well-suited to instruct and to relate  a variety of experiences of his professional life. Mike Ludlum was the best kind of instructor because he cared...cared about the various courses that he taught and that his respectful students were understanding the material.
         

 Mike Ludlum (L) with retired, longtime WCBS Staffer Harvey Hauptman
at one of the WCBS Board group lunches in 2010   
When Mike Ludlum left us, Melissa, his beloved wife of nearly 40 years was at his bedside, as was his daughter Cathy and his son Greg. There are a lot of well known people in the business of broadcasting but Mike Ludlum, it should be noted, was not only well known but well liked!  

Rest in eternal peace, dear friend!!!

 
photo of Mike Ludlum by Bill Diehl
ADDENDUM
by Bob Gibson 12/1/15

Mike Ludlum, the bright and friendly retired broadcast news executive, passed away over the weekend. For those who were unaware, Mike had been diagnosed several years ago with a rare frontotemporal dementia known as primary progressive aphasia. This is an illness which robs the individual of speech and vocabulary. Any and all of you who knew Mike were well aware that he was a warm and outgoing individual who loved to chat and was always a terrific listener. This illness, for which there is no cure,  took nothing away from his good looks but while he could speak, he would sometimes repeat himself. When Mike died Sunday, he was 78.

His widow, Melissa, has asked me to make mention of the fact that she, Mike's daughter, Cathy, and his son, Greg, are deeply touched by the outpouring of love and respect shown for Mike all over the spectrum from CBS to ABC to NYU. To quote Melissa, "It is so touching and such an honor."  

In writing a tribute to my longtime friend, Mike, Sunday evening, there were some professional stops that I was well aware of that were not included only in the interest of time, but which I will address now. His first job in New York was as a writer-editor at ABC Radio News where he would often mention he had the pleasure of writing network broadcasts for some very talented people including John Cameron Swayze, Art Van Horn and Don Gardiner. About a year later, he was tipped about an opening at New York's WCBS Radio, applied and got the job. Mike remained at the station eight years through and including the launch of the all-news format in 1967 during which he was the morning producer. In late 1973, Assistant News Director Mike Ludlum was rewarded for his hard work by being named News Director of WEEI Radio in Boston, the then CBS-owned station, which was poised to make the switch to All-News in a few months.

Two or three years after successfully getting the programming switch off the ground, Mike decided to return to New York and he went to work for ABC Television as the head writer on "Good Morning America." This was during the era when the broadcast was hosted by David Hartman and Joan Lunden.  While Mike enjoyed the challenge of morning television, CBS Radio came calling again with an offer to be Director of Broadcasting at the flagship, WCBS.  Mike Ludlum took the job and it definitely was 'old home week' when he returned to "Black Rock." So began his second tour of duty at CBS which spanned roughly seven years. In all, Mike had logged better than 20 years with CBS. When he decided to leave the company in July of 1987, Mike Ludlum made a successful transition to teach journalism at the Manhattan campus of New York University. In those first few years of teaching he was also president of a new but short-lived venture, The Empire State Radio Network, which re-united him with a couple of former CBS colleagues, Walt Wheeler and Mel Granick.

Mike's illness led to his retirement from the NYU faculty at the end of 2010. In recent years Mike had more time to spend with his beloved wife, Melissa, and when he was up to it he'd attend the twice-a-year broadcasters' luncheons, of which he was among the 6 founding members.

There's no getting around the fact, that Mike Ludlum will always be remembered as a special person in that sea of hub-bub known as the conventional newsroom. I'm certainly not alone in feeling that way if you consider this anecdote from long-ago WCBS anchor Palmer Payne:     

When he left WCBS to head the All-News operation at WEEI in Boston, I phoned Mike him while vacationing on Cape Cod. He asked me to drive up to Boston for lunch. I told him I was too relaxed to drive that distance and besides, I wasn't wearing socks in the summertime. Mike replied, "I'll take my socks off if you'll drive to Boston". Mike won. God love him!"    

God love him, indeed! Mike Ludlum who cared about others, and not just himself, may not have given you the shirt off his back, but as Palmer was good enough to remind us, socks were a different story!

---

MORE TRIBUTES


Roslyn Barreaux Brendzel—So sorry to hear. Mike was the nicest boss I ever worked with. He was able to bring out the best in everyone without yelling or insulting. He was truly one of the greats.

Craig Allen—So sorry to hear this. A consummate professional. A wonderful person to work for in his quest to continue the tradition of making 88 great. My condolences to his personal family and all of us who knew him in his 88 family

Jerry Levin—The mould is broken.

Fred Fishkin—Very sad to hear. He was a wonderful person to work for in many ways. My condolences to his family.

Peter Cane—RIP Mike. He was a good guy and a pleasure to work for.

Bob VanDerheyden—I watched Mike and learned

Paul Farry—Very sorry to hear that. Mike was a real pro.

Charlie Kaye—So sorry to hear of Mike's death. Rich Lamb—Mike was a great newsman, a compelling writer, an amazing storyteller,an extraordinary teacher, a wonderful boss, and an even better friend. We shall not see his like again. RIP.

Gary Maurer—no no no no.....this is awful news. immediate tears. such fond memories. hard to take

Bill Schweizer—Mike was a true professional...and a class act as a person. RIP Mike. Condolences to his family.

Steven Reed—I will always remember Mike Ludlum as a joyful, gentle soul. Mike was a great newsman, a wonderful boss and a fellow enthusiast of toy trains. My condolences to his family.

Ray Hoffman—Just a wonderful guy.

---