Charles Dolan, the pioneering founder of HBO and Cablevision Systems Corp., has passed away at the age of 98. His family announced his death on Saturday, stating, “It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved father and patriarch, Charles Dolan, the visionary founder of HBO and Cablevision.” He reportedly died of natural causes.
Dolan’s contributions to cable television transformed the industry.
In 1972, he launched HBO, followed by the creation of Cablevision in 1973 and American Movie Classics (AMC) in 1984. He also introduced News 12, the first 24-hour local news channel in the U.S., revolutionizing regional news coverage.
Beyond television, Dolan held significant stakes in prominent properties such as Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the New York Knicks, and the New York Rangers. His son, James Dolan, now oversees these assets as CEO of The Madison Square Garden Company.
Dolan’s legacy extends to the media realm, as his son Patrick Dolan took over Newsday in 2008 when Cablevision acquired the Newsday Media Group.
Charles Dolan is survived by five children, 19 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. His wife, Helen Ann Dolan, passed away in 2023.
Reflecting on his achievements in a 2013 interview with the Annenberg School for Communication Library Archives, Dolan expressed pride in founding HBO. He recounted its beginnings as a service to distribute commercial films via a wired system in New York hotels, which evolved into a groundbreaking television network serving Manhattan residents.
Dolan’s vision and innovation cemented his legacy as a trailblazer in media and entertainment.
