Lauded as the "father of cable television," Bill Daniels created the foundation of an entire burgeoning industry, primarily by continuously convincing the financial community to invest in it.
Visionary, deal-maker, innovator, military hero, sports tycoon, super salesman, humanitarian: each of these defines a dimension of his character. Above all, though, Daniels is a self-proclaimed "people person" who also exhibits unswerving integrity.
Using his astute people skills and sales acumen, he convinced oil men to invest in his first cable television station, brought together hundreds of cable buyers and sellers over the years, lobbied tirelessly for the industry, launched regional sports programming networks, and started the first charter bank for young people.
His innovations brought many "firsts" to the cable industry, including the first 24-hour news channel, a brokerage firm, management company, investment banking firm, and the use of microwave technology.
A fair and generous employer, Daniels believes in rewarding loyalty and hard work. When he sold $100 million worth of cable properties in 1980, for example, he distributed nearly $13 million of the profits in cash bonuses to his employees.
In addition, he strongly believes in giving back to his community, as evidenced by his contributions to countless charities, assistance to former convicts, and support of financial educational programs for youth. During the past decade, he has donated $22 million to the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business—now his namesake—despite his considerable reluctance to permit the naming of any institution in his honor.
But Daniels is a man who also admits his weaknesses. Such was the case in 1985, when he sent an extraordinary letter to his employees stating he was entering the Betty Ford Center to treat alcohol abuse. He lives by Winston Churchill’s words: "To succeed is not final; and to fail is not fatal. What matters is courage."
Although several of Bill Daniels’ fortunes have come and gone, his commitment to the cable industry and the promotion of ethics in the business community have been steadfast.
The industry thrived with his assistance in financial, media, and governmental circles. A 1990 economic study of the cable television industry reflects the fruits of his career-long efforts. The industry contributed one percent to the U.S. job growth during the previous four years, created 561,000 jobs, generated $18.2 billion, and accounted for more than $42 billion of 1990’s gross national product. Indeed, Bill Daniels’ lifework has enhanced the community both economically and philanthropically.
"I have a reputation for my integrity and for being ethical That’s by far the biggest accomplishment of my life because it’s something you don’t get overnight. That [reputation] has taken 50 years to build." —BD, 1997
