NEW YORK (AP) — Burl Osborne, former chairman of the board of The Associated Press and long-time executive at Belo Corp., has died, according to his wife, Betty.

Osborne, who was 75, died Wednesday at a Dallas hospital after a sudden illness, his wife said. Osborne, who lived in Dallas, was a member of the AP board for 14 years, the last five as chairman, from 2002 to 2007. He worked for 25 years at Belo, serving as editor and publisher of the Dallas Morning News, president of Belo's publishing division, and as a member of its board. He retired as publisher emeritus of the Morning News in 2007.

Before joining Belo, Osborne worked for the AP for two decades. He headed bureaus in Louisville, Ky., and Columbus, Ohio, and was assistant bureau chief in Washington, before taking the job of managing editor, a post he held from 1977 to 1980.

In addition to his wife, Osborne is survived by a son, Jonathan Osborne, of Austin, Texas, and a grandson, Harry.