Longtime NAB Spokesman Bob Hallahan Dies

Robert E. (Bob) Hallahan, a former public relations spokesman for the National Association of Broadcasters, died  of a heart attack on Oct. 12, 2012, at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Md. He was 80.

Hallahan joined the NAB public relations department when he was hired by John Couric in 1963 and had served in various capacities and under several heads of the department until his retirement in 1989 when Walt Wurfel was head of the department.

Hallahan was named director of NAB’s Public Relations News Bureau when it was formed in 1971. Responsibilities included responding to general media inquiries on a daily basis both at the NAB offices in Washington and at numerous conventions and town meetings.

He also represented the broadcasting industry at meetings of groups such as the President’s Committee on Employment of the Handicapped and the National Coalition Against Censorship and was also national chairman of the Poison Prevention Week Council.

Hallahan was born in Corning, N.Y., and after graduating from the Corning Free Academy, and prior to joining the Navy, he was employed as continuity director at WCLI- AM-FM in Corning. After serving two years in the U.S. Navy, he majored in radio-TV at Michigan State University earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication arts.

Upon graduating from Michigan State,Hallahan moved to Washington where he was employed as an editor with the Army Times newspapers and an Army intelligence agency before joining NAB.

Survivors include a brother, James Joseph Hallahan of Hammonds Port, N.Y., and a friend, Marlet H. Benedick of Washington.

There will be no memorial service in honor of his expressed wishes. Because of his love of animals, those who so desire may make a memorial donation to one of his two favorite charities, the Washington Animal Rescue League or Fried’s Cat Shelter.