Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Gen. David Sarnoff Honored for His Contributions to Judaism
- #news
- #headline
Figure timeline
David Sarnoff
David Sarnoff was an American businessman who played an important role in the American history of radio broadcasting and television. He led the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) for most of his career in various capacities from shortly after its founding in 1919 until his retirement in 1970.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
business · American businessman (1891–1971) · entrepreneur · engineer · also David Sarnoff, Sarnoff
Born 27 February 1891 · Died 12 December 1971 · Q360106
40 published statements · 0 followers
See & hear
Photos & media
5 photos
Media from Wikimedia Commons, hotlinked at the source under its own licence — see each file for author and terms.
Live now
In the news
Pulling headlines from trusted outlets — this usually takes a few seconds
Checking the wires…
Feed scan
These are live links, not archived citations — they only join the timeline once a collect run verifies and archives them.
Live pulse
Recent highlights
Most recent outstanding titles, awards, and quotes
- Award
- Award
2025· 2 entries
Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Jewish Fraternity Convention Presents Award to David Sarnoff
- #news
- #headline
2024· 1 entry
Twice: CTA Centennial Part 2: David Sarnoff
- #news
- #headline
2022· 1 entry
insider.si.edu: David Sarnoff (1891-1971) as Seen by TV Viewers at the 1939 World's Fair
- #news
- #headline
2021· 1 entry
Radio World: SMPTE Honors David Sarnoff
- #news
- #headline
2013· 1 entry
Awarded New Jersey Hall of Fame (2013).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
2005· 1 entry
According to Baer's 2005 autobiography, Sarnoff called a vice president at NBC at 6 A.M. and ordered him to find Baer "a job by 9 o'clock" that same morning.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #life
- #family-life
1971· 1 entry
Died 1971-12-12.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #death
1970· 1 entry
At the age of 79 and died the following year, aged 80
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1967· 1 entry
Awarded Freedom Award (1967).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
1966· 1 entry
David's son Robert was named president and chief operating officer of RCA and two years later also became chief executive officer
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1962· 1 entry
Awarded Trustees Award (1962).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
1959· 2 entries
Awarded IEEE David Sarnoff Award (1959).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Sarnoff was a member of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund panel to report on U
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1955· 1 entry
Sarnoff received The Hundred Year Association of New York's Gold Medal Award "in recognition of outstanding contributions to the City of New York
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1953· 2 entries
The FCC approved RCA's system as the new standard
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Won IEEE Founders Medal (1953).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #trophy
- #achievement
1951· 1 entry
RCA demonstrated a fully functional all-electronic color TV system and became the leading manufacturer of color TV sets in the US
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1950· 1 entry
But Sarnoff filed an unsuccessful suit in the United States district court to suspend that ruling
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1947· 1 entry
Lobbied Secretary of State George Marshall to expand the roles of Radio Free Europe and Voice of America
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1945· 1 entry
Sarnoff thereafter insisted on being called "The General" and addressed as "General Sarnoff"
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1943· 1 entry
Tried to influence Secretary of State Cordell Hull to include radio broadcasting in post-war planning
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1941· 1 entry
Differed from RCA's standard, but RCA quickly became the market leader of manufactured sets and NBC became the first television network in the United States, connecting their New York City station to stations in Philadel
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1938· 1 entry
Received an honorary degree Doctor of Commercial Science from Oglethorpe University
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1936· 1 entry
RCA demonstrated to the press a working iconoscope camera tube and kinescope receiver display tube (an early cathode-ray tube), two key components of all-electronic television
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1930· 3 entries
Sarnoff became president of RCA, succeeding General James Harbord
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Career landmark: president (1930).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #milestone
For his solution to broadcasting moving pictures
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1929· 2 entries
And concluded operations seven calendar days later
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Sarnoff engineered the purchase of the Victor Talking Machine Company, the nation's largest manufacturer of gramophone records and phonographs, merging radio-phonograph production at Victor's large manufacturing facility
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1926· 1 entry
RCA purchased, from AT&T, its recently formed Broadcasting Company of America subsidiary, which included its New York City station, WEAF, and associated "WEAF Chain" network operations
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1918· 1 entry
Sarnoff (1918–1997) succeeded his father at the helm of RCA in 1970.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #life
- #family-life
1917· 1 entry
Sarnoff married Lizette Hermant, the daughter of a French immigrant family of Jewish descent who settled in the Bronx as one of his family's neighbors
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1915· 2 entries
Or in 1916 he proposed to the company's president, Edward J
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Of long-distance wireless telephony inspired the first of many memos to his superiors on applications of current and future radio technologies
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1911· 1 entry
Installed and operated the wireless equipment on a ship hunting seals off Newfoundland and Labrador, and used the technology to relay the first remote medical diagnosis from the ship's doctor to a radio operator at Be
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1906· 2 entries
And started a career of over 60 years in electronic communications
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
When he was 15 years , his father became incapacitated by tuberculosis, and Sarnoff went to work to support the family
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1900· 1 entry
At the age of 9, where he helped support his family by selling newspapers before and after his classes at the Educational Alliance
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1891· 1 entry
Born 1891-02-27.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #birth