William
Paley was born in Chicago on 28th September
1901. After attending the University of Chicago (1918-19) and the
University of Pennsylvania (1922) he inherited his father's successful
cigar business.
Paley
was in charge of publicity and impressed by the response that was
generated by radio advertising he invested in the small radio network,
the Columbia Phonographic Broadcasting System (CPBS) in September
1928. The company was later renamed the Columbia Broadcasting System
(CBS).
During
the Second World War Paley developed CBS's news
organizations and recruited broadcasters such as Edward
Murrow, William L. Shirer, Walter
Cronkite and
Howard K. Smith. Paley also joined the
United States Army and was deputy chief
of the psychological warfare division.
After the war CBS moved
into television. Some of Paley's most successful shows include I
Love Lucy, The
Ed Sullivan Show and All In the
Family. William
Paley
died in 1991.
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