Bill Milldyke

John William Milldyke Jr. (April 10, 1937 – October 26, 1983) was an American broadcast journalist, foreign correspondent, and television executive who served as director of news coverage for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East for ABC News.

Early life and education Milldyke was born in Kearney, Nebraska, the only child of John W. Milldyke Sr. and Irene Milldyke (née Dow). He attended Kearney High School, where he was active in speech and debate, as well as drama. Milldyke began to explore his interest in broadcasting while at UNK. He helped found and managed the college’s radio station, KOVF, Milldyke also worked for local radio station KGFW and KHOL-TV, part of the Nebraska Television Network.

After completing his undergraduate studies in 1958, Milldyke began graduate coursework at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), where he worked for radio stations KFOR and KUON. He also continued to be active in theater, directing a one-act play while he completed his master’s degree in communications.

Milldyke returned to Kearney in 1960 and spent two years serving as the news director for KHGI-TV. In July 1962, he became news director at WOI-TV in Ames, Iowa, where he remained for six years. Cropped portion of an advertisement from the August 21, 1967, Des Moines Tribune featuring Bill Milldyke anchoring the 10:00 p.m. newscast on WOI-TV in Ames, Iowa While at WOI, Milldyke coproduced, along with Jack Belt, news director at WLOS-TV in Asheville, North Carolina, a 30-minute documentary titled "Focus: A Question of Color?" which focused on the efforts of Harvey Gantt, a former student at Iowa State University who sought to integrate Clemson College (now University) by becoming the first African American to enroll there. The documentary, which received praise in the WLOS viewing area, was shown on WOI-TV, with the audio portion subsequently broadcast on WOI radio.

In September 1968, Milldyke accepted a position as an assignment editor with the ABC News Washington Bureau. In 1971, he was assigned as a field producer to the network’s London Bureau, where, in 1977, he advanced to the position of bureau chief and manager of news coverage for Europe.

According to ABC, "Milldyke worked on every major news story of the times: Viet Nam, the Middle East, the Iran hostage crisis, the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II."

Paris Peace Accords (1972 and 1973) President Richard Nixon’s visit to Egypt and the Soviet Union (1974) Apollo-Soyuz mission (1975) Helsinki Accords signing (1975) Soweto riots (1976) Republican and Democratic national conventions (1976 and 1980) President Jimmy Carter’s visit to Tehran and Egypt (1977)

In 1974, Milldyke was invited to give a guest lecture as part of the Avery Lecture Series at UNL. He spoke of some of the challenges associated with reporting on events in areas such as the Soviet Union and the Middle East, where political tensions with the United States sometimes hindered American networks' ability to broadcast. "One of the most significant breakthroughs," he said, "was when ABC got President Sadat of Egypt to appear on 'Issues and Answers.' Later we got President Assad of Syria and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak [sic] Rabin to appear." Milldyke said when it came time to cover Nixon’s visit to the Middle East in 1974, "the Egyptians were most cooperative."

In reporting on the media frenzy surrounding the anticipated release of American hostages from Iran, Newsweek, in its November 10, 1980, issue, said of the media, "They were taking no chances on muffing what ABC’s Bill Milldyke described as 'potentially the biggest U.S. story since the end of Vietnam.'"

Milldyke's work in London was referenced in the 2012 memoir Paris: A Love Story , by Kati Marton, who recalled being sent by Milldyke from Paris to Belfast, in Northern Ireland, to cover an Irish Republican Army attack at a dog show.

Personal life Milldyke was married to Doris "Dori" Milldyke (née Evans). northwest of London, in a 400-year-old house. The Milldykes had to adjust to life in a foreign country, as they described to the Kearney Hub during a visit to the U.S. in 1978. “Mrs. Milldyke said she thought England was about seven to 10 years behind the States,” the Hub reported, for example. “When the family first moved, there were hardly any frozen foods available.” The article also noted differences in prices between the U.S. and UK. "A pair of name brand jeans can cost up to $30. following a heart attack at his home

ABC News President Roone Arledge issued a statement on behalf of the network following Milldyke's death. "For the past decade Bill helped guide the ABC News overseas reporting and operations during a period of extraordinary growth," Arledge said. "He played a vital role in the development of news bureaus and expansion of our foreign news coverage. We are deeply saddened by Bill’s death and send our most sincere condolences to his family." At the time of his death, he served as president of the Association of American Correspondents in London.