NEW YORK: Herbert Muschel, the founder of PR Newswire (PRN), died on November 1 after a long illness. He was 85. The exact cause of death was not disclosed.
Muschel created PRN to distribute corporate financial news directly to newsrooms in 1954, a time when AT&T and Western Union were the only organizations permitted by the FCC to send printed messages to third parties. It marked the first time press releases were treated as breaking news.
Early in his career, Muschel pioneered the broadcasting and distribution of Invitation to Learning, a CBS radio program that featured celebrities in roundtable discussions about literature.
He also cofounded a New York television guide that provided programming information, including times, channels, and snapshot summaries.
David Steinberg, former New York Herald Tribune business writer and PRN's CEO from 1975 to 1992, said Muschel "was a unique individual who not only knew how to think outside the box, but also knew how to teach others to maximize their talents and abilities."
Born and raised in Manhattan, Muschel graduated from New York University, where he majored in journalism. He later served in World War II as a radio operator and purser.
Muschel is survived by his wife Dollie.
