Frank Magid
Encyclopedia
Frank Magid was an American
marketing consultant, widely known for introducing the "Action News" format of evening local TV news, and was an original developer of Good Morning America
. Time magazine named Magid "the nation's leading television news doctor" in 1977, and he became the namesake of the term "Magidized".
After serving in the Army during the Korean War, Magid earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Iowa
, paying his tuition and living expenses with proceeds from the GI Bill and a variety of part-time jobs.
While in an organic chemistry class, he met Marilyn Young, a chemistry major from Waterloo, Iowa
. The two wed in 1956, and moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa
, where his wife had taken a job as a junior high science teacher. While a junior professor of social psychology, anthropology and statistics at the University of Iowa
and Coe College
, Magid launched his own company, Frank N. Magid Associates in 1956, selling his first research study to Merchants National Bank
in Cedar Rapids.
A year later, he left teaching to devote his full efforts to the fledgling business. He built the company into the world's largest research-based strategy consulting company focused on media, entertainment and communications, which it remains. Media executives and on-air personalities frequently noted that the face of television was largely created not in the media centers of New York and Los Angeles, but in Marion, Iowa
, where the company was based. Magid retired as CEO of Frank N. Magid Associates in 2002 and was succeeded by his son, Brent, but remained chairman of the company until his death.
Frank Magid died, aged 78, from lymphoma
in Santa Barbara, California
. He was survived by his wife, two sons, four grandchildren and a brother.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
marketing consultant, widely known for introducing the "Action News" format of evening local TV news, and was an original developer of Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
. Time magazine named Magid "the nation's leading television news doctor" in 1977, and he became the namesake of the term "Magidized".
After serving in the Army during the Korean War, Magid earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
, paying his tuition and living expenses with proceeds from the GI Bill and a variety of part-time jobs.
While in an organic chemistry class, he met Marilyn Young, a chemistry major from Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
. The two wed in 1956, and moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
, where his wife had taken a job as a junior high science teacher. While a junior professor of social psychology, anthropology and statistics at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
and Coe College
Coe College
Coe College is a private, four-year, liberal arts college in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Founded in 1851, the institution is historically affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . Its current president is James R. Phifer. It is one of the smaller universities to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa...
, Magid launched his own company, Frank N. Magid Associates in 1956, selling his first research study to Merchants National Bank
Merchants National Bank
Merchants National Bank can refer to several buildings:*Merchants National Bank of Sacramento in Sacramento, California* Merchants National Bank in New York City*Merchants' National Bank in Grinnell, Iowa...
in Cedar Rapids.
A year later, he left teaching to devote his full efforts to the fledgling business. He built the company into the world's largest research-based strategy consulting company focused on media, entertainment and communications, which it remains. Media executives and on-air personalities frequently noted that the face of television was largely created not in the media centers of New York and Los Angeles, but in Marion, Iowa
Marion, Iowa
Marion is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26,294 at the 2000 census and was estimated at 32,172 in 2007. The city is part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, where the company was based. Magid retired as CEO of Frank N. Magid Associates in 2002 and was succeeded by his son, Brent, but remained chairman of the company until his death.
Frank Magid died, aged 78, from lymphoma
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
in Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
. He was survived by his wife, two sons, four grandchildren and a brother.