NBC News producer Robert Asman was born in Rochester, New York, on August 29, 1926. Shortly after graduation from local public schools, he entered the U.S. Navy and served in the Pacific during World War II.
After his discharge in 1946, Asman attended Champlain College, Plattsburg, New York, and received radio and journalism instruction at Columbia University. While a student at Columbia, he worked as a guide at NBC. In 1947 he left school to begin work as a radio announcer for WSAY in Rochester. Two years later, he transferred to station WGVA in Geneva, New York.
Asman returned to New York City in 1951 as a production associate for Information Productions, Inc., an independent maker of documentary films. In 1956 he joined CBS as production manager for the award-winning television series, The Twentieth Century. In June 1961, he was hired by NBC and assigned to its Washington bureau as associate producer for David Brinkley's Journal. Eighteen months later, he was promoted to full producer and his responsibilities expanded to include a succession of other news programs such as This is NBC News, Sunday, Sunday Report, Senate Hearings, and Congressional Report. He has also produced several segments for The Loyal Opposition and A Conversation with the President series.
In addition to his work with regularly aired news series, Asman has produced many news specials dealing with events of national significance including presidential press conferences and congressional hearings about foreign affairs. Although Washington, D.C. has been his base throughout his association with NBC, he left the capital to produce NBC's coverage of the Gemini and Apollo space flights. He has also served as pool producer for many news programs carried over the three major networks, including the Senate Watergate hearings and the House Judiciary Committee deliberations over the impeachment of President Nixon.
