Reese Schonfeld facts for kids

Reese Schonfeld (born November 5, 1931 – died July 28, 2020) was a very important person in American television. He was a journalist and a leader who helped create two famous TV channels: CNN and Food Network. Even though he studied to be a lawyer, he found his true calling in news and media.

Early Life and School

Reese Schonfeld was born in Newark, New Jersey, on November 5, 1931. His family had come from other countries and spoke Yiddish. His father, Philip, worked with glass and mirrors, and his mother, Sarah, managed their home and helped with office work. Reese got his nickname because his younger sister couldn't say "Maurice" properly.

He went to Weequahic High School. After that, he studied at Dartmouth College, where he earned a degree in political science in 1953. He continued his education at Columbia University, getting two more advanced degrees. Even with all this schooling, he decided not to become a practicing lawyer.

Building a Career in News

Schonfeld started his career in 1956 at United Press Movietone News. He later became a vice president at United Press International Television News. In 1974, he joined Television News Inc. (TVN) for a year.

After TVN closed in 1975, Reese Schonfeld started his own company called the Independent Television News Association. This company helped independent television stations get news coverage by using satellites. This was a new and exciting way to share news quickly across the country.

Creating CNN: A 24-Hour News Channel

Ted Turner, a famous media owner, talked to Schonfeld about using satellites. Schonfeld told him how much it would cost, and Turner was surprised it wasn't more! About a year later, Turner asked Schonfeld to help him start a news channel that would broadcast for 15 hours a day. Schonfeld convinced him to make it a 24-hour news channel instead.

Schonfeld figured out that they could run a 24-hour news channel with about 300 people. They would use new electronic systems for news and satellites to send all their broadcasts. It would cost a lot to start, but it was possible. In 1979, Turner sold one of his TV stations to get the money needed. He set up the main office in Atlanta because it was less expensive there.

Reese Schonfeld became the first president and chief executive of the new channel, which was called Cable News Network (CNN). He hired many talented people to help him. While at CNN, Schonfeld is known for coming up with the idea of a 24-hour cable news channel, which changed how people got their news forever. In 1982, after some disagreements, Ted Turner took over as CEO, and Burt Reinhardt became president.

After CNN: New Channels and Ideas

After leaving CNN, Schonfeld didn't stop creating. He joined Cablevision Systems in New York and helped start News 12 Long Island. This was the first 24-hour local news service on a cable system.

He also worked on a TV show for CBS called People Magazine on TV. He helped develop "News Channel 8" for another company. Schonfeld also worked with Time Warner to plan the International Business Channel.

In 1993, he designed and started the Medical News Network, which was an interactive TV news service. He also served on the board of Robert Halmi International.

Then, in 1992, Schonfeld began working on what would become Food Network. This channel launched on November 23, 1993. He was the president of the network. Food Network was later sold to different companies, and Schonfeld sold his share in 1999. Even after that, he continued to advise on media projects and sometimes wrote for The Huffington Post.

Family Life

Reese Schonfeld was married to Pat O'Gorman, who was the sister of a poet named Ned O'Gorman. They had one child, Juliette. Before that, he was married to Karen Lamberti, and they had five children together: Alexander, Ellen, Orrin, William, and Ida.

Schonfeld wrote a book called Me and Ted Against the World, which tells the story of how CNN was created and its early days. He also wrote an essay called "The Global Battle for Cultural Domination."

Reese Schonfeld passed away on July 28, 2020, at his home in Manhattan. He was 88 years old and had been dealing with complications from Alzheimer's disease.