Roone Arledge
(President ABC Sports '68-'86)

Roone Arledge is regarded as a visionary in the broadcast industry. During his tenure at ABC, where he served as president of sports from 1968-86, Arledge produced 10 Olympic Games and developed the enormously successful properties ABC's Wide World of Sports and Monday Night Football. In 1977, he was promoted to president of ABC News, where he programmed World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, Nightline, 20/20, Primetime Live and This Week with David Brinkley. In 1997, Arledge was named chairman of ABC News. Arledge has earned 36 Emmy® Awards and 20 Peabody Awards. In 1990, he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame and was the first television executive to be honored with the Medal of the Olympic Order from the International Olympic Committee. He retired from ABC News in 1998. Arledge currently serves as a Columbia University Trustee, and serves on The Council on Foreign Relations and the boards of Arts & Entertainment Networks, The History Channel and ESPN.