Sumner Redstone

Sumner Redstone – Life, Career, and Memorable Quotes

Explore the life of Sumner Redstone (1923–2020), American media magnate and businessman who built and led a media empire including Viacom and CBS. Learn about his rise, business strategy, controversies, and memorable quotes.

Introduction

Sumner Murray Redstone was one of the most powerful and controversial figures in the American media world. Born on May 27, 1923, he transformed a modest family theater business into a global media empire encompassing Viacom, CBS, Paramount, MTV, and many other entertainment assets. His tenacity, strategic vision, and confrontational style made him a legend in boardrooms and courtrooms alike. Though his later years were marred by legal battles and health decline, Redstone’s impact on the structure and consolidation of modern media is enduring.

Early Life and Education

Birth & Family: Redstone was born as Sumner Murray Rothstein on May 27, 1923 in Boston, Massachusetts.
His father, Michael “Mickey” Rothstein, was involved in movie theaters and nightclubs; his mother was Belle Ostrovsky.
When Redstone was about 17, the family name was anglicized from “Rothstein” to “Redstone” (“red stone” as a translation) to better fit business and social settings.
He attended Boston Latin School, where he graduated first in his class, before enrolling at Harvard College.
During World War II, Redstone served in the U.S. Army in a signals intelligence role, decoding Japanese communications.
After his service, he earned a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard (1944) and later a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Harvard Law School (1947).

Career and Achievements

From Theater Business to Media Empire

Redstone entered the family business by joining National Amusements (formerly Northeast Theatre Corporation) in the 1950s, which operated drive-in and indoor movie theaters.
He was named President of National Amusements in 1967 and eventually grew its scale significantly.
Redstone used the theater business as a platform and springboard into larger media investments and acquisitions.

Strategic Acquisitions & Consolidation

In 1985, his company began buying shares in Viacom, seeing it as a natural extension of his distribution and content interests.
By a hostile takeover in 1987, Redstone gained control of Viacom.
Later, in 1994, he acquired Paramount Communications, which included the Paramount film studio and other entertainment assets.
He also played a crucial role in merging CBS into the media fold. Viacom and CBS were merged in 2000 (and later split, then merged again) under his influence.

Leadership, Later Years & Succession

Redstone continued to wield control over his media holdings through National Amusements, which served as his controlling vehicle.
As he aged, issues about his health and mental competency surfaced, leading to court-ordered examinations.
In 2016, at the age of 92, Redstone stepped down as chairman of CBS and Viacom.
His daughter Shari Redstone became a central figure in ongoing governance and succession debates, with conflicts over control of the media empire.

Legacy and Influence

Redstone’s role in consolidating media assets shaped how modern entertainment conglomerates are formed and controlled.
He was among the last of the old guard of media moguls who combined ownership of theaters, content production, and broadcasting under one vision.
His insistence on controlling leverage and ownership structure through National Amusements remains a model in media holding strategies.
His tenure saw the production and distribution of globally significant films and television franchises under Paramount, CBS, MTV, and others.
He donated extensively, particularly in health, education, and philanthropy (e.g. gifts to medical research, children’s causes, and law schools).
His later years also brought controversies around elder care, lawsuits, and family feuds—reminders of the challenges inherent in dynastic media empires.

Notable Quotes

Here are several well-known statements attributed to Sumner Redstone:

“Success is not built on success. It’s built on failure. It’s built on frustration. Sometimes it’s built on catastrophe.” “But you must have confidence that you will ultimately prevail … If you start to lose confidence in your ability, you had better quit.” “Murdoch paid too much for the Wall Street Journal even when he didn’t have any competition.” “The Internet is a powerful way to make lots of money… But we are not going to buy Yahoo!” “The newspaper is dying. I’m not sure there will be newspapers and it’s one business I’d never be in.” “We all have to decide how we are going to fail, by not going far enough or by going too far.” “I’ve always had that obsessive will to win and a commitment to excellence.”

These quotes reflect Redstone’s philosophy: that risk, perseverance, confidence, and aggressive ambition are central to his worldview.

Lessons from Sumner Redstone’s Life

Build from the ground up. Redstone’s journey from theater operator to media titan demonstrates how incremental control and platform expansion can lead to vast influence.
Control through structure. His use of a holding company (National Amusements) gave him leverage even against corporate challenges and takeover threats.
Embrace boldness—and accept volatility. Many of his moves were high-stakes, and he accepted that failure and controversy were part of the formula.
Succession matters. The later years show how vital clear governance and legacy planning are in family-controlled empires.
Vision must match tenacity. His ability to see media trends (e.g. consolidation, vertical integration) was matched by his willingness to fight for that vision.

Conclusion

Sumner Redstone’s life is a dramatic tale of ambition, control, transformation, and conflict. From modest theater beginnings, he built one of the most consequential media conglomerates in modern history. Though his later years were marked by disputes and health challenges, his influence over how media companies are structured, controlled, and consolidated remains significant.

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