Charles Dolan, the billionaire creator behind HBO, has passed away at the age of 98. His contributions to the cable television industry began in the 1960s when he was selling unique programming to hotels via his Teleguide service, just as cable TV began to rise in rural areas. In 1964, Dolan secured a deal with New York to wire several Manhattan buildings for cable, paving the way for future entertainment access.
To lure in viewers, he later brokered a deal to broadcast the Knicks and Rangers playoffs. His vision led to the birth of Home Box Office (HBO) and the eventual establishment of Cablevision, a company that brought television and internet into homes across the northeastern US. The Dolan family's empire took a significant leap in 2015 when they sold Cablevision to European firm Altice for an impressive $18 billion.
At the time of his passing, Dolan's net worth stood at around $5.4 billion, as reported by Forbes. Despite his wealth, the Dolan family faced criticism from New Yorkers, primarily due to frustrations over the performance of the Knicks and disputes with networks that impacted programming access for major events like the Academy Awards and World Series.
To lure in viewers, he later brokered a deal to broadcast the Knicks and Rangers playoffs. His vision led to the birth of Home Box Office (HBO) and the eventual establishment of Cablevision, a company that brought television and internet into homes across the northeastern US. The Dolan family's empire took a significant leap in 2015 when they sold Cablevision to European firm Altice for an impressive $18 billion.
At the time of his passing, Dolan's net worth stood at around $5.4 billion, as reported by Forbes. Despite his wealth, the Dolan family faced criticism from New Yorkers, primarily due to frustrations over the performance of the Knicks and disputes with networks that impacted programming access for major events like the Academy Awards and World Series.
