PBS NewsHour Producer Callan Dies at 57

Liz Callan, 57, longtime producer for PBS’ NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, died Friday at the Washington Hospital Center of injuries suffered in a fire July 20 at her home in Georgetown.


Callan joined the show as a producer in 1987. Most recently, she worked in its health and policy unit, where she produced stories on childhood cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and the health implications of the war in Iraq.

She also produced series of stories from El Salvador, Honduras, Chile and Nicaragua during the 1980s, including an interview with a Contra commander from inside Nicaragua during the United States-backed war against the Sandinista government.

Before joining NewsHour, Callan was a writer and producer for NBC News in New York.

Survivors include her daughter, Gabriella, of Washington, D.C., and two brothers.


Lehrer had not put out a statement at press time, but was expected to comment on her death during Monday night's show.

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.