Harold Niven, Longtime NAB Convention Coordinator, Dies at 86

Harold Niven, 86, longtime meetings and convention coordinator for the National Association of Broadcasters, died July 23 at his home in Chevy Chase, according to an obit in the Washington Post.

Niven, who was VP of planning and development, was with NAB from 1966 to 1987, after which he taught broadcasting at the University of Maryland. After service in World War II, Niven began his career as a professor at various universities including Michigan State, Ohio State, the University of Washington, and American University.

Survivors include his wife, Rosemary, and three children.

"Hal Niven was one of the long-serving execs at NAB who played an important role in many areas," said Eddie Fritts, former NAB President, and founder of The Fritts Group.

"He was inmstrumental in helping found the Broadcast Pioneers and what has now become the Museum of American Broadcasting."

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.