Charles Dolan, the inventive entrepreneur who revolutionized television with the creation of HBO and Cablevision, passed away at the age of 98 this Saturday and was reported by his family to have died of natural causes. According to AP News, Dolan’s legacy is the founding and creation of Home Offices in 1972, widely recognized as HBO and Cablevision in 1973. Dolan’s family released a statement announcing his passing: “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.”

HBO first started by providing viewers worldwide with premium content and groundbreaking original series and has further evolved throughout the years to be one of the top most-watched channels. Cablevision was a robust streaming service for people in the northeastern U.S. It is currently owned by Altice USA and renamed Optimum TV. According to AP News, along with these two, Dolan had also launched News 12, which was the first cable channel to stream 24 hours of news within the U.S.

Another statement was released by AP News, which states, “Mr. Dolan’s vision built the foundation for the companies we are today, and as a member of our Boards he continued to help shape our future. The impact he made on the media, sports, and entertainment industries, including as the founder of Cablevision and HBO, is immeasurable. We do not expect this to directly or indirectly change ownership by the Dolan family.”

It was stated that Dolan and his family had accumulated a net worth of 5.4 billion. Beyond his business ventures, Dolan was a philanthropist, supporting various charitable causes. He leaves behind a lasting legacy as a pioneer in the media industry, whose innovations continue to shape how we consume entertainment today. Dolan is survived by his six children, 19 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.