Michael Clemente, Former News Executive and Producer at ABC and Fox, Dies at 70
Michael Clemente, the longtime TV executive and producer who spent nearly three decades at ABC News and served as a chief deputy to Roger Ailes and adviser to Rupert Murdoch at Fox News, has died. He was 70.
Clemente died suddenly Thursday at his home in Garrison, New York, a family spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.
At ABC’s World News Tonight, Clemente worked closely with Peter Jennings as chief writer and producer, starting when Jennings was named principal anchor of the broadcast in August 1983.
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Alongside Jennings, Clemente traveled extensively and produced coverage of some of the defining events of the late 20th century, including papal conclaves, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the first Gulf War, the Tiananmen Square protests, the Palestinian Intifada and the disputed 2000 presidential election recount. He also produced interviews with several U.S. presidents, starting with Ronald Reagan.
Also at ABC, he rose to become executive producer of This Week and co-executive producer of 20/20 with Barbara Walters.
As executive-in-charge of ABC News’ digital operations from 2006-09, he helped pioneer online and streaming journalism, overseeing the launch of the streamer ABC News Now and guiding the transformation of ABCNews.com into one of the country’s most-read digital news platforms.
In 2009, Clemente joined Fox as a senior vp and was promoted to executive vp in 2012. He oversaw daily news operations and major political programming, including presidential primary debates during the 2012 and 2016 election cycles. Among them was the 2015 Republican primary debate, then the most-watched primary debate in U.S. history.
One of his most notable international assignments came in 2013 when he produced Fox News’ interview with Bashar al-Assad, during which the Syrian president announced he would relinquish his country’s chemical weapons stockpile.
“He cared about people in a way that is rare in the news business,” Douglas Kennedy, the journalist and son of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy Sr. who worked with Clemente at Fox News, said in a statement. “On any given day he could manage huge personalities like Peter Jennings, Roone Arledge and Roger Ailes while also giving time and attention to reporters, producers and technicians.”
Added Bill O’Reilly, who worked with Clemente at ABC News and at Fox: “I can tell you he was an old school journalist who sought verifiable facts. Excellent family guy as well. Deep respect.”
He left Fox in July 2016, days after longtime CEO and chairman Ailes resigned following sexual harassment allegations from ousted anchor Gretchen Carlson.
Born on Feb. 20, 1956, in Suffern, New York, Michael Scott Clemente spent his childhood in New York, Massachusetts, California and Maryland before graduating from Gaithersburg (Md.) High School in 1974 and earning a degree in Journalism from American University in 1978.
He started out as a production assistant on ABC’s Good Morning America and would work alongside legendary broadcasters Frank Reynolds, Howard K. Smith and David Brinkley (as senior producer of This Week With David Brinkley from 1987-93).
He also served as an executive producer at CNN in 1996-97 and more recently was an adviser and consultant to The Wall Street Journal, Newsmax, Twitter, the Washington Examiner and TBN.
“Michael was a true pro, a television pioneer and as loyal a friend as one can have,” said Mike Huckabee, the U.S. States ambassador to Israel who worked with Clemente at Fox News and whose program at TBN he produced.
Clemente was an avid collector of vintage vehicles, and his eclectic collection included a 1958 Mack truck cab and a 1963 Pontiac station wagon reminiscent of cars his family drove during his childhood.
Survivors include his wife, Jeanne; his children, Meggie, Mike, Cassie and Noelle; his siblings, Richard (and his wife, Marcy), Lisa (Dave), Lynn, Joyce and Anne; and 12 nieces and nephews.
Viewing hours will be held from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on May 20 at Chapman Funeral Home in Harwich, Massachusetts, with a funeral at Holy Trinity Chapel in West Harwich to follow. A larger memorial celebration of his life and career will be announced.
Donations in his memory can be made to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
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