Bob Wussler, one of the best-known TV executives for more than four decades, has died at age 73 after a long illness, his family has announced.

Wussler died on Saturday, June 5, at home in Westport, Connecticut.

Starting in the mailroom at CBS in 1957, he eventually became President of the CBS Television Network and President of CBS Sports.

"During his tenure, he produced thousands of hours of network programming, gaining a reputation for innovation in covering such seminal events as the assassinations and funerals of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King; Richard Nixon’s historic trip to China; Presidential campaigns, conventions and elections; and the US space program, including Man Landing on the Moon and the flight of Apollo 11," according to a summary of his career released by Arthur Sando of Sando Communications.

While at CBS Sports Wussler created "NFL Today."

"In 1980, cable pioneer Ted Turner recruited Wussler to join Turner Broadcasting System in its Atlanta headquarters. Over the next tumultuous decade, Wussler provided broad leadership and business management to CNN, Headline News, SuperStation WTBS, TNT, the Atlanta Braves, the Atlanta Hawks, the Goodwill Games and TBS Sports. As Senior Executive Vice President, he managed all TBS staff functions, spearheaded numerous programming initiatives and played a major role in the extraordinary growth and success of the Company," the summary said.

After leaving Turner, from 1989-1992, Wussler served as President and CEO of Comsat Video Enterprises. During that period Comsat acquired the Denver Nuggets.

According to the summary, Wussler "is survived by his children: Jeanne, Christopher, Stefanie, Sally, Rob and Rosemary; and his grandchildren: Emmett, Maeve, Hope, Whittaker, Griffin and Taite.

"In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to support Paliative Care or Cancer Research at Yale-New Haven Hospital, PO Box 1849, New Haven, CT, 06508, or the Comprehensive Pain Center at the Oregon Health & Science University Foundation, 1121 SW Salmon Street, Suite 100, Portland, Oregon, 97205."