Over to You

Grossman moves to NBC

When he was tapped almost two years ago to become president of NBC News, a position he had held from 1968 to 1973, Reuven Frank faced a staff beset by internal tensions and disarray. "They turned to me because I was an oldtimer who could, it was hoped, whip things back into shape," he recalls. That mission accomplished, the self-effacing veteran newsman told NBC Chairman Grant Tinker that he wanted to return to what he loves most and does best: producing news shows. His wish was granted on his 63rd birthday last week. Aside from the fact that the changing of the guard happened quietly and smoothly, a rare occurrence at any network headquarters, the biggest surprise was the man chosen as Frank's replacement: Lawrence Grossman, 52, president of the Public Broad casting Service (PBS) since 1976.

The next president of NBC News has never been a reporter. A Brooklyn-born graduate of Columbia University, Gross man has spent most of his career in advertising. From 1962 to 1966 he was vice president for advertising at NBC, after which he formed his own New York City ad agency. He calls his nonjournalistic background "a serious lack," and candidly admits, "I have a lot to learn."

Some say he also has a lot to contribute to the troubled news network. Grossman won general applause for guiding PBS through several financial crunches, and leaves a strengthened, and solvent, system with twice as many regular viewers (86 million) as it had when he arrived.

He helped develop PBS's healthy roster of news programs, including the MacNeil/ Lehrer NewsHour, Inside Story, Frontline and the critically acclaimed 13-part documentary series Vietnam: A Television His tory. NBC News, by contrast, has been losing ground. Two weeks ago, the brilliant but un profitable Overnight left the air. Today, once the sunrise champ, now has to fight the CBS Morning News for second place, be hind ABC's Good Morning America.

Grossman will join NBC early next year in order to work alongside Frank, the man who first teamed Huntley and Brinkley and wrote their memorable sign-off lines ("Goodnight, Chet," "Good night, David"). Frank will stay around to manage NBC's political coverage through the 1984 elections. "This will be one of the few times there will be a ratio nal and civilized transition at a network," says Grossman. This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.