Former ABC News president Elmer Lower dies at 98

[July 27, 2011]  VERO BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Elmer Lower, a former ABC News president who tripled the size of that network's news division during the 60s and 70s, has died in Florida. He was 98.

ABC News President Ben Sherwood released a statement saying Lower died Tuesday morning in Vero Beach.

Lower served as president of ABC News from 1963 to 1974. In that time, the news division grew from 250 to 750 employees, and the evening news expanded from 15 minutes to 30 minutes. Lower also was behind the network's hiring of broadcasting greats such as Peter Jennings, Ted Koppel, Frank Reynolds and Sam Donaldson.

Lower was honored with a lifetime achievement Emmy award in 1975.

Lower retired from news in 1978. He then went on to educate young journalists for more than two decades.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.