DENVER-The communications industry lost a leader and a pioneer with the death of Bill Daniels on March 7.
Daniels, known as the father of cable television, began his storied life in Greeley, Colo., in 1920.
After attending various schools, Daniels graduated from the New Mexico Military Institute in 1941 as Cadet Captain of the Corps. While at the Institute, Daniels was voted Outstanding Athlete, and for two years was the undefeated Golden Gloves Champion of New Mexico.
After graduation, Daniels entered the navy and fought in both World War II and the Korean War. As a naval fighter pilot, Daniels was credited with destroying 11 enemy aircraft and retired as a Full Commander of the U.S. Navy.
In 1952, Daniels began his life in communications when he constructed a Community Antenna Television system in rural Wyoming. While it was not the first cable system in the nation, it was the first to relay a broadcast signal via microwave technology.
Four years later, Daniels was selected as the second chairman of the National Cable Television Association and established the organization’s Washington D.C. lobbying office.
In 1958, Daniels founded Daniels & Associates to match buyers and sellers of cable television properties and facilitate investment in the cable industry. His company laid the ground work for the cable revolution that soon swept the communications industry. The company later expanded to include brokering for telecommunications companies including wireless.
The selection of Denver as the headquarters of his company aided in the development of the city as the “cable television industry capital of the world.”
Daniels continued to grow his business but saw the need to give back to the community that gave him so much. Daniels opened up a bank dedicated to teaching kids fiscal responsibility and helped fund the University of Denver’s MBA program to focus on ethics and communications as well as numerous civic projects. Daniels even ran for Governor of Colorado in 1974.
Throughout the rest of his life, Daniels received numerous awards both from the communications industry and for his civic leadership in numerous communities.
Having suffered from poor health for some time, Daniels passed away at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., surrounded by family and friends, at the age of 79.
