Reese Schonfeld
Encyclopedia
Maurice "Reese" Schonfeld is an American
television journalist
who was co-founder of CNN
and the Food Network
.
Schonfeld grew up in Newark, New Jersey
, graduated from Dartmouth College
and received an M.A. and a law degree from Columbia University
.
He began his career with United Press Movietone News
in 1956. Later he became Vice President of United Press International
Television News. In 1975, he founded the Independent Television News Association, a service that provided independent television station
s with pooled news coverage delivered via satellite
.
In 1979 he became one of the founders of the Cable News Network (CNN), serving as its first president and chief executive until Ted Turner
took over CNN's leadership in 1982. While at CNN, Schonfeld is credited with originating the 24-hour
cable news
concept. Schonfeld was succeeded as president by CNN's executive vice president, Burt Reinhardt
.
After leaving CNN, Schonfeld joined Cablevision Systems in New York
, where he developed and oversaw the first 24-hour all-news service on a local TV station, "News Twelve" on Long Island
. Schonfeld also produced "People Magazine on TV" for CBS
and helped to develop "News Channel 8" for Allbritton Communications Company
.
Schonfeld then worked with Time Warner
in planning the International Business Channel. In 1993 he designed and implemented the Medical News Network, an interactive TV news service, for Whittle Communications. He also served on the board of Robert Halmi International prior to its sale to Hallmark
In 1992, Schonfeld began developing Food Network
(originally called the TV Food Network), which launched on November 23, 1993. He served as president of the network, which was sold to Belo Broadcasting
in 1996 and was later resold to the E.W. Scripps Company. In 1999 Schonfeld sold his interest in the Food Network to Scripps.
Currently, Schonfeld is on the advisory board of Matter Network and the Culture Change Institute. He consults to various media projects and contributes a blog
to The Huffington Post
.
He is the author Me and Ted Against the World, an account of the development and early history of CNN, and “The Global Battle for Cultural Domination,” an essay in Developing Cultures, Essays on Cultural Change.
Reese has a granddaughter named Jacqueline Reverend who currently attends Northern Valley Regional High School in Demarest.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
who was co-founder of CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and the Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
.
Schonfeld grew up in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, graduated from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
and received an M.A. and a law degree from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
He began his career with United Press Movietone News
Movietone News
Movietone News is a newsreel that ran from 1928 to 1963 in the United States, and from 1929 to 1979 in the United Kingdom.-History:It is known in the U.S. as Fox Movietone News, produced cinema, sound newsreels from 1928 to 1963 in the U.S., from 1929 to 1979 in the UK , and from 1929 to 1975 in...
in 1956. Later he became Vice President of United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
Television News. In 1975, he founded the Independent Television News Association, a service that provided independent television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
s with pooled news coverage delivered via satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
.
In 1979 he became one of the founders of the Cable News Network (CNN), serving as its first president and chief executive until Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
took over CNN's leadership in 1982. While at CNN, Schonfeld is credited with originating the 24-hour
24-hour news cycle
The 24-hour news cycle arrived with the advent of television channels dedicated to news, and brought about a much faster pace of news production with increased demand for stories that can be presented as news, as opposed to the day-by-day pace of the news cycle of printed daily newspapers...
cable news
United States cable news
Cable news refers to television channels devoted to television news broadcasts, with the name deriving from the proliferation of such networks during the 1980s with the advent of cable television. In the United States, early networks included CNN in 1980, Financial News Network in 1981, and CNN2 ...
concept. Schonfeld was succeeded as president by CNN's executive vice president, Burt Reinhardt
Burt Reinhardt
Burton "Burt" Reinhardt was an American journalist and news executive, who served as executive Vice President of CNN from 1980 to 1982 and the second President of CNN from 1982 to 1990...
.
After leaving CNN, Schonfeld joined Cablevision Systems in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he developed and oversaw the first 24-hour all-news service on a local TV station, "News Twelve" on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. Schonfeld also produced "People Magazine on TV" for CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
and helped to develop "News Channel 8" for Allbritton Communications Company
Allbritton Communications Company
The Allbritton Communications Company is an owner of television stations and other media, based in Arlington, Virginia. All of its stations are affiliated with ABC after signing an affiliation agreement in 1997.-Currently owned:...
.
Schonfeld then worked with Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
in planning the International Business Channel. In 1993 he designed and implemented the Medical News Network, an interactive TV news service, for Whittle Communications. He also served on the board of Robert Halmi International prior to its sale to Hallmark
Hallmark
A hallmark is an official mark or series of marks struck on items made of precious metals — platinum, gold, silver and in some nations, palladium...
In 1992, Schonfeld began developing Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
(originally called the TV Food Network), which launched on November 23, 1993. He served as president of the network, which was sold to Belo Broadcasting
Belo
Belo Corp. is a Dallas-based media company that owns 20 commercial broadcasting television stations and two regional 24-hour cable news television channels. The company was previously known as A.H. Belo Corp. after one of the early owners of the company, Alfred Horatio Belo, now the name of the...
in 1996 and was later resold to the E.W. Scripps Company. In 1999 Schonfeld sold his interest in the Food Network to Scripps.
Currently, Schonfeld is on the advisory board of Matter Network and the Culture Change Institute. He consults to various media projects and contributes a blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
to The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
.
He is the author Me and Ted Against the World, an account of the development and early history of CNN, and “The Global Battle for Cultural Domination,” an essay in Developing Cultures, Essays on Cultural Change.
Reese has a granddaughter named Jacqueline Reverend who currently attends Northern Valley Regional High School in Demarest.