Joseph J. Collins, a leading cable executive as the pay-TV platform became a dominant part of the media industry in the late 20th century, has died. He was 81.
A family representative said Collins died April 2 at his home in Weekapaug, RI, of unspecified causes.
Collins held senior exec posts at Time Warner Cable, Comcast and other foundational players in the cable ecosystem. In 1984, he was appointed president of HBO.
Later, as chairman and CEO of American Television and Communications, Collins shepherded a merger with Time Warner Cable, serving as CEO of the combined entity. The stint at ATC was his second, following an earlier one beginning in 1972 when he became marketing director in Orlando, FL, and culminating a decade later with him being named president.
Collins’ career covered a period when early cable operators positioned themselves to become broadband providers. TWC, whose
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