Mike Wallace, legendary broadcast journalist and U of M alumnus, dies

NEW YORK (AP) — A spokesman says CBS newsman Mike Wallace, famed for his tough interviews on "60 Minutes," has died. He was 93.

CBS spokesman Kevin Tedesco says Wallace died Saturday night.

Wallace was on the staff of "60 Minutes" when it began in 1968, and was one of its mainstays from then on.

He retired as a regular correspondent in 2006 but continued contributing occasional reports. His exclusive interview with pitcher Roger Clemens was broadcast in January 2008.

Wallace was known for spending hours preparing for interviews and for his skeptical follow-up questioning.

A graduate of the University of Michigan, Wallace started his broadcasting career in Grand Rapids and Detroit.   He later was a generous supporter of the Knight-Wallace fellowship at U of M.   The fellowship provides a year of academic study and research for mid-career journalists.