Coronavirus claims Fil-Am CBS News exec

Maria Mercader worked at CBS News for 30 years. CBS NEWS

NEW YORK – Filipino American CBS News producer and talent executive Maria Mercader died of Covid-19 in New York Sunday, March 29, the network announced. She was 54 and a cancer survivor.

Mercader worked at CBS for 30 years, getting her start in the network’s page program, CBS said in a release. She most recently worked as a director of talent strategy.

She had been on medical leave for an unrelated matter since late February, the network said.

Mercader “courageously fought cancer and related illnesses for 20 years, enduring numerous treatments and surgeries,” CBS said. “To her colleagues and family, she was an inspiration and a symbol of hope each time she returned to work after the latest medical setback threatened to end her life.”

As a producer on CBS News’ foreign and national desks, Mercader helped produce coverage of “some of the biggest breaking news,” including the death of Princess Diana and the 9/11 attacks, the release said.

She worked at Newspath, the national desk and CBS Sunday Morning. In 2004, she won an Emmy with David Pogue and Doug Smith for their CBS Sunday Morning piece on computer spam.

The Asian American Journalists Association expressed sadness over Mercader’s demise: “Maria was a dear mentor and friend to many AAJA members. She was a proud 2004 graduate of AAJA’s Executive Leadership Program in Chicago. She will be greatly missed.”