Research pioneer John E. (“Jack”) Bowen III, 75, former president/chairman, McHugh and Hoffman Inc., died of cancer March 3 in Washington.
He was instrumental in elevating women to the anchor role. In engineering the turnaround of KYW Philadelphia, he suggested that Jessica Savitch be named a co-anchor on weeknight newscasts. In 1977, NBC News hired Savitch, making her the second female network anchor after Barbara Walters.
Bowen became president of McHugh and Hoffman in 1985, chairman/CEO in 1988. He was senior consultant to station groups that included ABC, NBC, Group W/Westinghouse, Media General and Post-Newsweek.
Leaving McHugh & Hoffman in 1999, Bowen assisted in establishing Convergent Communications Consultants until retiring in 2002. During 2004-05, he supervised and analyzed media studies for development of an Arabic-language commercial satellite-TV channel, continuing as a consultant until his death.
He is survived by his wife, Anne; two children; and one grandchild.
