John Ludlow Gould (February 5, 1914 – May 24, 1993) was an Americanjournalist andcritic, who wrote radio and television reviews and commentary forThe New York Times from 1937 until 1972.
Gould was born inNew York City into a socially prominent family and attended theLoomis School.[1]
He started as acopy boy at theNew York Herald Tribune in 1932. In 1937, he moved toThe New York Times, writing for the drama department and also writing about radio in the 1940s. In 1944, he became the newspaper's radio critic, and in 1948, the chief television reporter and critic. At one point, he had eight people working under him. In the early 1960s, he was aCBS executive for a short time but returned to theTimes.[1]
Gould's columns and reviews (along with those of rivalJohn Crosby of theHerald Tribune) were widely read by decision-makers in the fledgling medium of television,[2] and Gould had many professional and personal relationships with prominent industry figures such asEdward R. Murrow andFred Friendly. He did not hold back harsh criticism, even whenThe New York Times itself produced its own public affairs program in 1963;[3] He was aware of the potential power of television as a force for social good.[4] His colleagues dubbed him "the conscience of the industry", to his own embarrassment.[1]
Gould lived onMacDougal Street inGreenwich Village[4] and later inOld Greenwich, Connecticut, where, according to his obituary inThe New York Times, his office contained "a shortwave radio, two telephones, a small black book of unlisted telephone numbers, and a typewriter". After retiring in 1972, he moved to California. In 1993, he died inConcord at the age of 79. In 1938 he married Carmen Letitia Lewis and they were the parents of three sons.[1][4]
Gould won numerous awards, including theGeorge Polk Memorial Award, a Page One Award (both 1953) and a specialPeabody Award (1957, citing his "fairness, objectivity, and authority"[2]).[1]
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