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Nickolas Davatzes, CEO Emeritus of A+E Networks, died Saturday at his home in Wilton, Connecticut, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. He was 79.
Davatzes co-founded A+E in 1983 and served as president and CEO of the network until 2005, when he was succeeded by Abbe Raven.
Davatzes created and developed the channel in 1984 as the Arts & Entertainment Network. In a statement, Raven called him “an incredible leader, innovator, mentor, and humanitarian” who “set the standard for excellence in television programming, integrity in business and extraordinary leadership.”
In 1995, Davatzes went on to launch The History Channel. During his career, Davatzes advocated for education and public affairs initiatives in the cable industry. In 2006, he was presented with the National Humanities Medal by George W. Bush.
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“Nick Davatzes made an indispensable contribution to the growth and success of A+E,” said Frank A. Bennack Jr., executive vice chairman and former CEO of Hearst. “Additionally, if any individual can be thought of as the father of The HISTORY Channel, the highly successful franchise born out of A+E, it was Nick. He was an incredibly talented and strongly committed head of both channels for decades when they grew to domestic and international prominence. He was, importantly, for me, for Steve Swartz and all of Nick’s friends at Hearst, a beloved colleague who will be deeply missed. Our condolences go to his wonderful family and all who loved him.”
Bob Iger, executive chairman of The Walt Disney Co., said of Davatzes: “Nick was a towering figure in the early days of cable television, helping build some of the most iconic brands in the media landscape. An incredible leader, Nick was a person of true integrity and was always a wonderful partner to all of us at Disney.”
In November 1999, Davatzes was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame.
Paul Buccieri, president and chairman of A+E Networks Group, also remembered Davatzes in a tribute. “Nick was an extraordinary person and leader, and one of the true giants of the cable industry,” he said. “He launched A&E and The HISTORY Channel, two of the most successful brands in television. Nick believed in the power of media not only to brighten people’s lives, but also to inform and enrich communities. He leaves a tremendous legacy of support for education and the humanities. Nick is at the heart of everything that is A+E Networks and was the soul of our organization. All of us owe a great debt to Nick and he will be sorely missed.”
In Raven’s tribute, he said that Davatzes’ legacy “lives on as A+E Networks continues to reflect his leadership, his values, his passion for entertainment, and his principles.”
Survivors include his wife, Dorothea; sons George and Nicholas Davatzes; and grandchildren Julia, Nicholas, Elias and Lilly.
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