Weather Channel Founder Frank Batten Sr. Dies at 82 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 09-11-2009, 10:36 PM

Frank Batten Sr., the retired chairman of Landmark Communications (now Landmark Media Enterprises), died Thursday at age 82 in Norfolk, Va., says the New York Times.

Batten started as a copy boy at his uncle’s newspapers and soon was named publisher of his Virginian-Pilot newspaper. Over the years he turned owner Landmark Communications into a TV station and newspaper empire. In 1982, he braved considerable industry skepticism with the launch of a 24-hour cable channel devoted to nothing but the weather.

His instincts proved right; Landmark sold the Weather Channel and its Weather.com Web site to NBC Universal and two private equity firms in 2008 for a reported $3.5 billion.

http://www.tvweek.com/news/cable/

Marvo301 · 09-11-2009, 10:43 PM

Frank Batten Sr.

09-11-2009, 10:36 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	Weather Channel Founder Frank Batten Sr. Dies at 82 Frank Batten Sr., the retired chairman of Landmark Communications (now Landmark Media Enterprises), died Thursday at age 82 in Norfolk, Va., says the New York Times. Batten started as a copy boy at his uncle’s newspapers and soon was named publisher of his Virginian-Pilot newspaper. Over the years he turned owner Landmark Communications into a TV station and newspaper empire. In 1982, he braved considerable industry skepticism with the launch of a 24-hour cable channel devoted to nothing but the weather. His instincts proved right; Landmark sold the Weather Channel and its Weather.com Web site to NBC Universal and two private equity firms in 2008 for a reported $3.5 billion. http://www.tvweek.com/news/cable/
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09-11-2009, 10:43 PM	#2
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,452	Frank Batten Sr.
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