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Cable Pioneer Charles Dolan, Founder of HBO and Cablevision, Dies at 98; Cablevision Sold for $17.7 Billion

Dec 29, 2024, 05:47 AM

Charles Dolan, a pioneering figure in the cable television industry and the founder of HBO and Cablevision, has passed away at the age of 98. Dolan, who died of natural causes on December 28, 2024, leaves behind a legacy that transformed the media landscape. In 1972, he launched Home Box Office (HBO), the first premium cable channel, and later founded Cablevision in 1973, which became one of the largest cable operators in the United States. Cablevision was sold for $17.7 billion in 2016. Dolan also founded Sterling Manhattan Cable in 1962 and played a key role in the creation of AMC Networks, News 12, and SportsChannel, the first regional sports network in the U.S. His ventures extended beyond cable, as his family retained controlling stakes in Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers, and Radio City Music Hall. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Dolan began his career in telecommunications in the 1950s and was instrumental in introducing innovative programming and distribution methods. His family's net worth is estimated at $5.4 billion. He is survived by his six children, 19 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. His wife, Helen Ann Dolan, passed away in 2023.