Tom Aspell (1950 – February 11, 2013) was a New Zealand-born U.S. television news producer, foreign correspondent, and cameraman.[1][2][3] He was employed by NBC News for 28 years and previously worked for ABC News, CBS News, and Visnews.[1][2][3]

Tom Aspell
Born1950
DiedFebruary 11, 2013(2013-02-11) (aged 62–63)
OccupationTelevision journalist
Years active43
EmployerNBC News
TitleNews Producer/Correspondent[1]
SpouseNujud Dabbagh
Children2 sons (Peter and Tiger)

Career

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Aspell began his career as a scriptwriter and cameraman in 1970 with Visnews.[2][3] He was among the few foreign journalists who remained in Southeast Asia when Saigon fell to communist forces on April 30, 1975.[1][3] From 1975 to 1978, he was a freelance cameraman in the Middle East.[1] In 1978, he joined CBS News as a cameraman covering Beirut, where he then worked as a producer for ABC News from 1981 to 1983.[1][3]

In 1985, he was hired by NBC News as a producer based in Cyprus.[2][3] He then became a foreign correspondent covering major events around the world.[2] His first on-air report for NBC was from Baghdad in August 1990 after Iraq invaded Kuwait.[1] From 1992 on, he spent considerable time covering the war-torn region of Bosnia.[1]

Personal life

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Aspell lived on Cyprus with his wife Nujud Dabbagh and their two sons.[1][2] He loved sailing.[2]

Death

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Aspell died on February 11, 2013, following a two-year battle with lung cancer.[2][3] He was 62.[2][3] Brian Williams, the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, said Aspell was a journalist with "an intense brand of cool under fire".[2][3] NBC News president Steve Capus described Aspell as "understated, selfless, perpetually cool, shrewd, wry, curmudgeonly, and a damn good reporter".[3]

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Tom Aspell NBC News Producer/Correspondent". NBC News Correspondents - Biographies. NBCUniversal. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Williams, Brian (February 12, 2013). "Longtime NBC News correspondent Tom Aspell dies". NBC News.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Knox, Merrill (February 13, 2013). "Longtime NBC News Foreign Correspondent Tom Aspell Dies". Mediabistro.com/TV Newser.
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