Edmund Ansin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edmund Ansin
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| Born |
Edmund N. Ansin
March 9, 1936 Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.
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| Died | July 26, 2020 (aged 84) Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
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| Education | B.A., University of Pennsylvania, B.S., Wharton School |
| Occupation | businessman |
| Known for | co-founder of Sunbeam Television |
| Spouse(s) | Toby Lerner (divorced) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) |
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Edmund N. Ansin (born March 9, 1936 – died July 26, 2020) was a very successful American businessman. He helped start a company called Sunbeam Television. Edmund Ansin was known for changing how TV news was made. He didn't follow the old rules, and his new ideas worked really well, first in Miami and later in Boston.
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Edmund Ansin's Early Life and School
Edmund Ansin was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, in a Jewish family. He grew up nearby in Athol, Massachusetts. In 1936, his father, Sidney D. Ansin, started a shoe factory called Anwelt Shoe.
In 1941, Edmund's family moved to Florida. His parents helped start Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach. Edmund went back to Massachusetts for high school at Andover Academy. After studying at Harvard University for two years, he graduated in 1957 from the University of Pennsylvania. He earned a degree in economics.
Building a TV News Empire
Starting Sunbeam Television
In 1962, Edmund Ansin and his father started Sunbeam Television Corporation. His father bought the license for a TV station in Miami called WCKT. It was an NBC-affiliated station. Edmund became an important leader at Sunbeam. After his father passed away in 1971, Edmund became the president of the company.
Changing WSVN News
In 1983, WCKT changed its name to WSVN. By the end of 1988, WSVN lost its connection with NBC. Edmund Ansin decided to make WSVN a station focused on local news. Instead of showing old kids' shows or game shows, he wanted to make news exciting.
He and his news director, Joel Cheatwood, created a new "Miami News style." This style had:
- Fast-paced reporting
- Lots of stories about crime
- Live updates when things were happening
- Friendly presenters
People started saying, "If it bleeds, it leads," meaning that exciting, often crime-related, stories would be shown first. This new way of doing news was a huge success! WSVN news quickly became the most popular news station in Miami.
Expanding to Boston
In 1993, Edmund Ansin bought another TV station, WHDH Channel 7, in Boston. He used the same successful ideas there. He made news stories shorter and used more videos and sounds. He also focused on "on-the-spot" reporting, which means reporting live from where events were happening.
Later, in 2006, Sunbeam Television bought another Boston station called WLVI. This station was connected to CW Television Network.
Other Businesses
Sunbeam Television also had a company called Sunbeam Properties. This company built a very large business park in Broward County, Florida, called Miramar Park of Commerce. It covers 400 acres!
Helping Others: Philanthropy
Edmund Ansin was very generous. He was the only person to receive the United Way's Alexis de Tocqueville Award for giving to charity in three different cities. He gave $1 million to help build a radio station and a technical building at Emerson College. Edmund and his brother Ron also donated $2.6 million to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston.
Edmund Ansin's Family Life
Edmund Ansin was divorced from his wife, Toby Lerner Ansin. She started the Miami City Ballet. They had three children:
- Andrew Ansin, who works at Sunbeam Properties.
- James Ansin, who works at Sunbeam Television.
- Stephanie Ansin, who is an artistic director for a theater group.
Edmund Ansin passed away on July 26, 2020, at his home in Miami. He was 84 years old. His sons, Andrew and James, are expected to continue leading the Sunbeam Television businesses.
