Charles Dolan, Founder of HBO and Cablevision, Dies at 98

Charles Dolan, a pioneer in cable television who founded HBO and Cablevision, has died of natural causes at age 98, his family said Saturday.

“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,” the statement reads.

Dolan founded Sterling Manhattan Cable in 1962, which had exclusive agreements with New York pro-sports teams, including the NBA’s Knicks and the NHL’s Rangers.

In 1972, he established Home Box Office, the first premium cable channel. The following year, Dolan founded Cablevision, the cable company of which he was still the Chairman.

Dolan also founded News12 in New York City, the first 24-hour cable channel for local news in the U.S.

He is survived by six children, including James Dolan, the executive director of the New York Knicks and CEO of Madison Square Garden Entertainment, 19 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

His wife, Helen Ann Dolan, died in 2023.

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