December 29, 2024: Charles Dolan, a pioneering figure in the cable television industry and the founder of HBO and Cablevision, passed away at the age of 98 on December 28, 2023. His family confirmed his death, stating that he passed away from natural causes. Dolan’s legacy as a visionary mogul has left a lasting impact on both the cable television and media industries.
Dolan is perhaps best known for founding HBO in 1972, a groundbreaking move that revolutionized television and ushered in the era of premium cable. Just a year later, he launched Cablevision, which grew into one of the largest cable operators in the United States. In 2017, Cablevision was sold to Altice for an impressive $17.7 billion.
In 1986, Dolan’s vision led to the creation of News 12 Long Island, which became the first 24-hour regional cable news channel in the U.S. This innovation helped to shape the landscape of local news broadcasting, and the News 12 Networks expanded into a group of local news channels throughout the New York metropolitan area.
Dolan continued to be a force in the media industry until his retirement, stepping down in 2020 as the executive chairman of AMC Networks, a company that was spun off from Cablevision in 2011.
Dolan’s family, including his son Patrick Dolan, who runs Newsday (a newspaper once co-owned by Charles Dolan), and his other children, expressed their deep sorrow at his passing in a statement to Newsday. The Dolan family described him as a “beloved father and patriarch,” highlighting his visionary contributions to the entertainment and media world.
Charles Dolan is survived by six children, including James Dolan (CEO of Madison Square Garden Company) and his wife, AMC Networks CEO Kristin Dolan, as well as Patrick Dolan. His brother, Larry Dolan, is the principal owner of the Cleveland Guardians baseball team. Dolan’s wife, Helen, passed away earlier in August 2023 at the age of 96.
Throughout his life, Charles Dolan was a driving force in transforming the media and entertainment landscape, and his contributions continue to influence the way television is consumed around the world.
