Frank Kearns (1917-1986) was an American broadcast journalist for CBS News from 1957 until 1971, although he first began with CBS in 1953 as a freelance correspondent, or “stringer”, stationed in Cairo, Egypt.
Kearns covered several Middle East conflicts including Egypts’ Suez Crisis, the Algerian War of Independence and the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War.
As a network foreign correspondent with CBS, he reported from news bureaus in London, Paris, Moscow and Rome. Later, as CBS News’ Chief Correspondent for Africa, he reported on numerous wars and disputes in Africa including Rhodesia’s bid for independence, the civil war in Biafra and the bloody conflicts in the Congo Crisis.
In 1971 Kearns left CBS News to accept a teaching position at his Alma Mater West Virginia University, where he served as their Benedum Professor of Journalism.
In 1976 it was reported that during his early years as a “stringer” in Egypt, Kearns had also doubled as a contract spy for the Central Intelligence Agency. In addition, the press alleged that the CIA employment had been approved by senior CBS management.
In 1983 Kearns retired and settled in Sardinia, Italy, where he spent the last three years of his life. Frank Kearns died of cancer in 1986 at age 69 in New York City.