Charles F. Dolan, a transformative figure in the U.S. media landscape and founder of prominent companies including Home Box Office (HBO) and Cablevision, has died at the age of 98. His family confirmed his passing from natural causes in a statement released Saturday.
Dolan's legacy is cemented by his groundbreaking contributions to cable broadcasting. He launched Home Box Office in 1972, which later became HBO, and established Cablevision in 1973. Additionally, he created the American Movie Classics television station in 1984 and News 12 in New York City, the first 24-hour local news cable channel in the U.S.
MSG Entertainment, MSG Sports, and Sphere Entertainment acknowledged Dolan's significant impact. A statement from the entities recognized his vision as the foundation for their current operations and highlighted his continued influence as a board member. Furthermore, the statement clarified that the passing of Dolan was not expected to impact the ownership structure of these companies by the Dolan family.
A native of Cleveland, Dolan's career culminated in the 2016 sale of Cablevision to Altice for $17.7 billion. He also held controlling stakes in entities owning Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the New York Knicks, and the New York Rangers.
His son, James L. Dolan, served as Cablevision CEO prior to the Altice sale, and now leads Madison Square Garden Sports Corp., which owns the Knicks and Rangers franchises. The Newsday publication, initially acquired by Cablevision, is now once again under the leadership of another son, Patrick Dolan, who repurchased controlling shares in 2016 and the remaining stake in 2018.
At the time of his death, Dolan and his family had an estimated net worth of $5.4 billion, according to Forbes. He was also a founder and chairman emeritus of The Lustgarten Foundation, a pancreatic cancer research organization. Dolan is survived by his six children, 19 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. His wife, Helen Ann Dolan, predeceased him in 2023.
