Ralph J. Roberts
More about Ralph J. Roberts at:
Ralph J. Roberts was a cable television pioneer who was responsible for founding Comcast in 1963. He served as chairman emeritus; his son, Brian Roberts, became the president of the company in 1990 and CEO in 2002.
The cable giant, which is also the parent company of NBCUniversal, is one of the industry’s largest media conglomerates. It began with the purchase of a small cable company in Mississippi, and through aggressive acquisitions the company expanded from its initial 1,200 subscribers to the largest broadband cable provider in the nation. Originally named American Cable Systems, it was renamed Comcast in 1969 and had its initial public offering in 1972.
Born in New York City, Ralph Roberts moved to Pennsylvania as a teenager and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business in 1941. Upon completion of his studies, he served in the U.S. Navy for four years. Prior to Comcast, Roberts was president and CEO of the men’s clothing company Pioneer Industries. He was also a vice president at Muzak Corporation and was an account executive at the Aitken Kynett Advertising Agency.
Ralph J. Roberts was a cable television pioneer who was responsible for founding Comcast in 1963. He served as chairman emeritus; his son, Brian Roberts, became the president of the company in 1990 and CEO in 2002.
The cable giant, which is also the parent company of NBCUniversal, is one of the industry’s largest media conglomerates. It began with the purchase of a small cable company in Mississippi, and through aggressive acquisitions the company expanded from its initial 1,200 subscribers to the largest broadband cable provider in the nation. Originally named American Cable Systems, it was renamed Comcast in 1969 and had its initial public offering in 1972.
Born in New York City, Ralph Roberts moved to Pennsylvania as a teenager and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business in 1941. Upon completion of his studies, he served in the U.S. Navy for four years. Prior to Comcast, Roberts was president and CEO of the men’s clothing company Pioneer Industries. He was also a vice president at Muzak Corporation and was an account executive at the Aitken Kynett Advertising Agency.
He was also a philanthropist and served on the advisory boards of the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition and Penn Medicine Board of Trustees.
Roberts died June 18, 2015, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was 95.
The Television Academy database lists prime-time Emmy information. Click here to learn more