Cable Pioneer Bleier Dies at 94

Cable Pioneer Bleier Leveraged Looney Tunes, Built Warner Cable Empire

Edward Bleier, notable figure in the rise of cable television, has passed away at 94. Known for his forward-thinking mentality, Bleier played key roles in the expansion of Warner Bros. and Time Warner Cable.
Bleier started his career in media during the 1950s, recognizing early on the potential impact of cable television. Transitioning from newspapers and radio, he strove to create fresh content for this new market.
In his tenure as president of Warner Bros. and Time Warner Cable, Bleier developed basic cable networks like Nickelodeon, MTV, and The Movie Channel, achieving record-breaking sales of reruns of vintage movies and older television series.
Bleier is also credited for reimagining the Looney Tunes classics. He licensed and repackaged the vintage cartoons, making them staple offerings for Saturday morning children's TV viewing.
Beyond the realm of cable TV, Bleier remained a veritable visionary, continuing to explore new digital media markets, including on-demand content delivered over the internet, even after retiring.