Bernard S. Redmont, former professor of journalism and Dean Emeritus at COM, died January 23, 2017, at the age of 98.
After a distinguished four-decade career as a foreign correspondent in Europe, South America and the United States, Redmont arrived at COM in early 1982. He became dean in 1983 and and served until 1986. As a professor of foreign reporting and representative of COM to the greater public, Redmont’s mark on COM has been positive and everlasting. During Redmont’s tenure, the School of Public Communication (SPC) permanently changed to the College of Communication (COM). This change was a part of his September 1983 long-range study of the school entitled “Planning for the Future.” This study resulted in initiatives led by Redmont to restructure the School of Public Communication (SPC), reform curriculum and adapt the name of the school to mirror its tremendous growth and diversity, thus spawning the College of Communication. Redmont chronicled this and more in his annual reports on the status of COM.
During his tenure as dean, Redmont helped pilot a London outpost for students called the “London Internship Programme” in January 1986. This program has been adapted and still continues to serve COM students today. Journalism professor Caryl Rivers, recalls Dean Redmont as “a man who cared deeply for journalism, both in his career and in his time in academia. He fostered the highest ideals of the profession.” Evidence of Redmont’s passion and dedication to the profession can be shown by President Emeritus’ John Silber remarks that COM “attained the highest academic standards in its history” in 1986 or in his diligent advocacy of helping emerging journalists globally. Redmont championed his proposal of establishing the Afghan Media Project, meant to help train Afghani storytellers as professional journalists. Although the project did not reach its fruition, as noted in The Boston Globe, it was still one example of Redmont’s belief and commitment to the power of journalism in the United States and abroad.
Redmont is described as “not only a fine journalist, but a man of integrity who did not put expediency before principle, even in difficult times,” says Caryl Rivers, professor of journalism. A World War II veteran and recipient of the Purple Heart, Redmont was a Combat Correspondent in the Marines, serving in the Marshall Islands. He also worked for the U.S. government in the Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs, coordinating broadcasts to Latin America. In the early 1950s, Redmont was subpoenaed by the House Un-American Activities Committee to testify in one of the trials of William Remington, a Commerce Department official who was accused of being a Communist. Redmont refused to name Remington as a Communist and almost immediately lost his job; he remained on the McCarthy-era blacklist for a full decade, during which no American news outlet would hire him.
After rebuilding his career, Redmont served for many years as head of the English desk for Agence France-Press (AFP). At the same time Redmont embarked on a broadcasting career with Canadian Broadcasting Company and Westinghouse Broadcasting Company (Group W), where he served as Paris Bureau Chief in the 1960s and 1970s. It was during this time that he broke the story that led to the Paris peace talks on the war in Vietnam, an achievement for which he won an Overseas Press Club award for Best Radio Reporting from Abroad. It is because of this that Retired Associated Press (AP) vice president and director of world services, Claude Erbsen, recently hailed Redmont not only as a “superb journalist” but also as “a man of absolute and unflinching integrity.”
In correspondence to prospective students of COM during the 1980’s Redmont expressed the importance of not only the field of communication, but of social responsibility to informing others of the importance of their voice. “Students, scholars and professionals have no greater mission than communicating, spreading knowledge by word and image, helping people participate in dialogue, and enabling them to understand each other better” said Redmont in a 1980’s COM prospective students brochure. It is evident not only in his lauded career, but in his impact on the College of Communication that he has infused the curriculum and culture at COM with passion, dedication and an awareness of social responsibility.
Dean Redmont is survived by a son, Dennis F. Redmont, former bureau chief for the Associated Press in Rome, daughter, Jane Redmont, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. His wife, Joan Redmont, died in 2016.
A memorial service will be held at First Parish Unitarian Universalist in Canton, MA on Friday, April 21 at 11 a.m.
In addition to the Boston Globe and AP obituaries, obituaries for Bernard Redmont have appeared in the Washington Post and the New York Times.
Written by: Tatiana M.R. Johnson