Had been with Continental and NCTA

Robert Stengel, 76, veteran cable executive, died of pancreatic cancer July 4 in Stowe, Vt., according to the Stowe Reporter newspaper, which reported his death this week.

Stengel, co-founded Boston-based cable-consulting firm Continental Consulting Group in 1998 with then-National Cable & Telecommunications Association president Robert Sachs. It specialized in international and domestic regulatory and programming consulting.

NCTA-The Internet & Cable Association senior VP, industry & association affairs Rob Stoddard, who worked with Stengel when the latter was NCTA's VP for public affairs, as well as when both worked for Continental Cablevisoin, called him a distinguished veteran and "cable great."

Before teaming with Sachs on the consulting group, Stengel was senior vice president of programming and advertising for MediaOne Group and its predecessor, Continental Cablevision.

He was also on the boards of a host of cable programming nets, including E! Entertainment Television, Outdoor Life, Speedvision, The Golf Channel, and The Food Network, according to Bloomberg, as well as American Public Television and DataTV Networks.

His consulting clients included ESPN, Comcast, DirecTV, MTV Networks, Discovery, Scripps TV Networks and Turner.

Survivors, according to the Stowe Reporter, included his wife, Valerie Crane; daughter Amy Stengel, and son Alexander Stengel.

Services were held July 13.