Tributes and memories continued for Charles Dolan, the media pioneer who founded HBO and Cablevision, after his death on Saturday.
Dolan, the patriarch of a billionaire media family with significant holdings in the New York metropolitan area, has died at the age of 98 of natural causes. During his extraordinary decades-long career in media, he helped create the pay-TV era by envisioning the idea of HBO, building a major cable provider and launching the first regional sports and news networks. His family also continued to control several valuable assets in New York City, including the NBA's Knicks, the NHL's Rangers, and their home stadium, Madison Square Garden. Cablevision was sold in 2016 to Altice in a deal valued at $17.7 billion.
In a statement provided to Deadline, AMC Networks (operator of AMC and other networks, which spun off from Cablevision in 2011 and remains under the Dolans' control) said it “mourns the loss of our founder and longtime Chairman of the Board.” The statement continued that Dolan was “a visionary, a bold and courageous businessman, and most importantly, a wonderful family man.” His dedication and perseverance have led him to build companies that have profoundly reshaped media and technology. He realized early on that the quality of the television distribution business is only as good as the quality and variety of programming it delivers to viewers. Through Rainbow Media – which later became AMC Networks – he sought to redefine and raise that bar in many ways as the industry grew and evolved. His wise spirit will live on through the brands and companies he created in programming and the people who embodied the values he held so dear.
Dolan sold his stake in HBO in 1974 to Time Inc., which would go on to form Time Warner before evolving into its current parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.
WBD CEO David Zaslav called Dolan “a visionary creator, extraordinary business leader, and great friend. The creation of HBO forever changed the quality and status of storytelling on television. His influence is still felt today at HBO, Warner Bros. Discovery and across our entire industry.” “We will miss him greatly. We send our condolences to the entire Dolan family.”
Tributes also spread online. Ben Tata, a press executive who spent 10 years at Cablevision, wrote in a LinkedIn post that Dolan's legacy “is not only etched in the evolution of television, but also in the hearts and minds of those who knew him. His lifelong commitment to innovation and family serves as a constant source of inspiration. As we grieve In his loss, we also celebrate a life that had a tremendous impact on the world of entertainment and the countless lives he touched.
Stan Fischler, a Hall of Fame NHL broadcaster who worked at SportsChannel, the pioneering regional sports network that Dolan launched in the 1970s, paid tribute to the late executive on X. He called him “a gentleman, a scholar, a visionary, and best of all.” -Just a great guy to work for and know. “Rest in peace, boss.”
Dolan and his family became established on Long Island, the suburban heartland east of New York City where Cablevision had long been headquartered. “Chuck was a highly successful business leader, philanthropist, veteran, and proud Nassau resident, who will be greatly missed,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blackman wrote on X.
