William S. Paley

William Samuel Paley (September 28, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois - October 26, 1990 in New York City, New York) was a Jewish-American executive who built CBS from a small radio network to the dominant television network in America.

Related Topics:
September 28 - 1901 - Chicago - Illinois - October 26 - 1990 - New York City - New York - Jewish-American - CBS - Television network

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Paley became interested in radio through developing ads for his family's cigar business. He, and several partners, invested in Columbia Phonographic Broadcasting System, a small radio network, and became its president in 1928. Paley gave affiliated stations free programming in return for their agreement to broadcast sponsored shows at particular times, expanding the network from 22 stations to 114 stations in a decade.

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CBS expanded into TV and early through Paley's strong, some would say ruthless, maneuvering rode the post-World War II boom in that medium to pass NBC, which had dominated radio. Paley became the best-known executive in network television, personifying the control and vision which marked the industry through its heydey of the 1980s.

Related Topics:
World War II - NBC

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CBS was bought by Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1995, and by Viacom Inc. in 2000.

Related Topics:
Westinghouse Electric Corporation - Viacom

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