Former New York Times executive editor Max Frankel, a journalist who had integral roles with the paper for nearly half a century, died on Sunday in his New York City home, the newspaper reported. He was 94.
His tenure as executive editor between 1986 and 1994 led to the paper covering more city and sports news. According to a Times obituary, he also ushered in an era where diverse voices were included in the newsroom. He retired at the end of his executive editorship.
Frankel joined the Times in 1957 as a reporter covering the Soviet Union. He was charged with making sense of everyday people and their experiences under communism.
"Everything that was going on in Russia at that moment was of enormous interest, even going to the market or going to the movie house," Frankel told NPR's Daniel Zwerdling in 1999.
