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{{Short description|Welsh businessman}}{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Short description|Welsh businessman (born 1942)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| pre-nominals = [[Sir]]
| pre-nominals = [[Sir]]
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| birth_place = [[Cardiff]], [[Wales]], United Kingdom
| birth_place = [[Cardiff]], [[Wales]], United Kingdom
| education = [[University of Oxford]]
| education = [[University of Oxford]]
| alma_mater = [[Merton College, Oxford]]<ref name="did">{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pnlt4 |title=BBC Radio 4 – Desert Island Discs, Sir Howard Stringer }}</ref><ref name="MCreg">{{cite book|editor1-last=Levens|editor1-first=R.G.C.|title=Merton College Register 1900–1964|date=1964|publisher=Basil Blackwell|location=Oxford|page=535}}</ref>
| alma_mater = [[Merton College, Oxford]]<ref name="did">{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pnlt4 |title=BBC Radio 4 – Desert Island Discs, Sir Howard Stringer }}</ref><ref name="MCreg">{{cite book|editor1-last=Levens|editor1-first=R.G.C.|title=Merton College Register 1900–1964|date=1964|publisher=Basil Blackwell|location=Oxford|page=535}}</ref><br>[[Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama]]
| occupation = Non-executive director of the [[BBC]]
| occupation = Non-executive director of the [[BBC]]
| net_worth =
| net_worth =
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}}
}}


'''Sir Howard Stringer''' (born 19 February 1942) is a Welsh businessman. He served as chairman of the board, chairman, president and CEO of [[Sony]] Corporation.<ref>http://www.sony.com/SCA/bios/stringer.shtml, Sony</ref> He is also the head of the board of trustees of the [[American Film Institute]] and now serves as a non-executive director of the [[BBC]].
'''Sir Howard Stringer''' (born 19 February 1942) is a Welsh-American businessman. He had a 30-year career at [[CBS]], culminating in him serving as the president of [[CBS News]] from 1986 to 1988, then president of CBS from 1988 to 1995. He served as chairman of the board, chairman, president and CEO of [[Sony]] Corporation from 2005 to 2012.<ref>http://www.sony.com/SCA/bios/stringer.shtml, Sony</ref> He is also the head of the board of trustees of the [[American Film Institute]] and now serves as a non-executive director of the [[BBC]]. He was [[Knight Bachelor|knighted]] in 1999.


==Personal life==
==Early life==
Stringer was born in [[Cardiff]], Wales, the son of Marjorie Mary (née Pook), a Welsh schoolteacher, and Harry Stringer, a sergeant in the [[Royal Air Force]].<ref name=elp>{{Cite news|last=Schindehette|first=Susan|title=Howard Stringer|work=People|date=5 April 1993|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20110100,00.html|access-date=7 October 2010}}</ref> In July 1978, he married<ref name=enz>{{cite journal|last=Diamond|first=Edwin|title=Television's New Fall Lineup: the Changing Guard at the Big Three...|journal=New York|volume=21|issue=33|pages=110|publisher=New York Media, LLC|date=22 August 1988|issn=0028-7369}}</ref><ref name=ecn/> Jennifer A. Kinmond Patterson. They have two children.
Stringer was born in [[Cardiff]], Wales, the son of Marjorie Mary (née Pook), a Welsh schoolteacher, and Harry Stringer, a sergeant in the [[Royal Air Force]].<ref name=elp>{{Cite news|last=Schindehette|first=Susan|title=Howard Stringer|work=People|date=5 April 1993|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20110100,00.html|access-date=7 October 2010|archive-date=10 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110173622/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20110100,00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>


His younger brother, [[Rob Stringer]], was president of [[Sony Music]] Label Group.<ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2006-06-01-sony-new-chief_x.htm "Sony Music Label Group U.S. gets new chief as top 2 execs resign"], ''[[USA Today]]'', 1 June 2006</ref>
His younger brother, [[Rob Stringer]], was president of [[Sony Music]] Label Group.<ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2006-06-01-sony-new-chief_x.htm "Sony Music Label Group U.S. gets new chief as top 2 execs resign"], ''[[USA Today]]'', 1 June 2006</ref>


Stringer attended [[Oundle School]] in Northamptonshire and 11 other secondary schools by the time he was 16.<ref name="did"/> He received a [[Master of Arts (Oxbridge and Dublin)|Master of Arts]] from the [[University of Oxford]] in [[Modern History]].<ref name=bweek1 /> He was [[Knight Bachelor|knighted]] by [[Queen Elizabeth II]] on 31 December 1999, and appeared on [[Desert Island Discs]]<ref name="did"/> in 2013.
Stringer attended 11 secondary schools by the time he was 16, including [[Oundle School]] in Northamptonshire.<ref name="did"/>{{dubious|date=September 2023}} He received a [[Master of Arts (Oxbridge and Dublin)|Master of Arts]] from the [[University of Oxford]] in [[Modern History]].<ref name=bweek1 />


==Career==
==Career==
Stringer moved to the United States in 1965. After working at [[CBS]]'s flagship station [[WCBS-TV]] for six weeks, he was [[conscription in the United States|drafted]] into the [[United States Army]], and served as a [[Military Police Corps (United States)|military policeman]] in [[Ho Chi Minh City|Saigon]] for ten months in the [[Vietnam War]].<ref name=ecn>{{Cite web|title=Howard Stringer Biography (1942–)|publisher=Filmreference.com|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/22/Howard-Stringer.html|access-date=7 October 2010}}</ref><ref name="schindehette19930405">{{cite news | url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20110100,00.html | title=Howard Stringer | work=People | date=5 April 1993 | access-date=9 May 2014 | author=Schindehette, Susan | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701102401/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20110100,00.html | archive-date=1 July 2015 }}</ref><ref>Grifiths, Katherine. "[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/sir-howard-stringer-us-head-of-sony-sonys-knight-buys-tinseltown-dream-546718.html Sir Howard Stringer, US Head Of Sony: Sony's knight buys Tinseltown dream]." ''[[The Independent]]'', 18 September 2004.</ref><ref>"[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/the-interview-howard-stringer-8821.html The Interview: Howard Stringer.]" ''The Independent'', 21 March 2005.</ref> He did not serve in combat, but was awarded the [[Army Commendation Medal]] for meritorious achievement. Stringer returned to CBS, where he had a 30-year career. He started in a series of lowly jobs, including answering backstage phones for ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]''.<ref>{{Cite news| url = http://www.nbcnews.com/id/13188855/ns/business-cnbc_tv/t/sony-ceo-howard-stringer-transcript/ |title=Sony CEO Howard Stringer transcript|author= Michael Eisner|author-link= Michael Eisner|publisher=[[MSNBC]] |date =28 March 2006}}</ref> He then became a journalist, producer and senior executive. He became a naturalised American citizen in 1985. He served as president of CBS from 1988 to 1995, where he was responsible for all the broadcast activities of its entertainment, news, sports, radio and television stations.<ref name=bweek1 />
Stringer moved to the United States in 1965. After working at [[CBS]]'s flagship station [[WCBS-TV]] for six weeks, he was [[conscription in the United States|drafted]] into the [[United States Army]], and served as a [[Military Police Corps (United States)|military policeman]] in [[Ho Chi Minh City|Saigon]] for ten months in the [[Vietnam War]].<ref name=ecn>{{Cite web|title=Howard Stringer Biography (1942–)|publisher=Filmreference.com|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/22/Howard-Stringer.html|access-date=7 October 2010}}</ref><ref name="schindehette19930405">{{cite news | url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20110100,00.html | title=Howard Stringer | work=People | date=5 April 1993 | access-date=9 May 2014 | author=Schindehette, Susan | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701102401/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20110100,00.html | archive-date=1 July 2015 }}</ref><ref>Grifiths, Katherine. "[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/sir-howard-stringer-us-head-of-sony-sonys-knight-buys-tinseltown-dream-546718.html Sir Howard Stringer, US Head Of Sony: Sony's knight buys Tinseltown dream]." ''[[The Independent]]'', 18 September 2004.</ref><ref>"[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/the-interview-howard-stringer-8821.html The Interview: Howard Stringer.]" ''The Independent'', 21 March 2005.</ref> He did not serve in combat, but was awarded the [[Army Commendation Medal]] for meritorious achievement.


Stringer returned to CBS, where he had a 30-year career. He started in a series of lowly jobs, including answering backstage phones for ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]''.<ref>{{Cite news| url = https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna13188855 |title=Sony CEO Howard Stringer transcript|author= Michael Eisner|author-link= Michael Eisner|publisher=[[MSNBC]] |date =28 March 2006}}</ref> In 1976, he became executive producer of the documentary series ''[[CBS Reports]]''.<ref name="imdb01">[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1242341/bio Biography for Howard Stringer] – [[IMDb]]</ref> Then, from 1981 to 1984, he was executive producer of the ''[[CBS Evening News with Dan Rather]]''.<ref name="imdb01"/> In 1986, he became president of [[CBS News]] as a whole.<ref name="imdb01"/> He then served as president of CBS from 1988 to 1995, where he was responsible for all the broadcast activities of its entertainment, news, sports, radio and television stations.<ref name=bweek1 /> During Stringer's tenure, CBS gained the services of [[David Letterman]] with his ''[[Late Show with David Letterman|Late Show]]'' but also lost [[National Football League]] rights to the upstart [[Fox Broadcasting Company]], leading several CBS affiliates to align with the latter.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Kicked While It's Down |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,982639,00.html |magazine=Time |date=March 6, 1995}}</ref>
===Highlights of his career at CBS===
* Executive producer of "CBS Reports" (1976–1981)<ref name="imdb01">[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1242341/bio Biography for Howard Stringer] – [[IMDb]]</ref>
* Executive producer of "CBS Evening News with Dan Rather" (1981–1984)<ref name="imdb01"/>
* President of CBS News (1986–1988)<ref name="imdb01"/>
* President of CBS, Inc. (1988–1995)<ref name="imdb01"/>


=== TELE-TV ===
=== Tele-TV ===
[[File:Howard Stringer.jpg|150px|thumb|Howard Stringer in 2008]] Stringer left CBS in 1995 to set up [[TELE-TV]], a media and technology company formed by US telecoms Bell Atlantic, NYNEX, Pacific Telesis, and Creative Artists Agency in February 1995. He left two years later to join Sony.<ref name="GRIFFITHS2004">Griffiths, Katherine. "[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/sir-howard-stringer-us-head-of-sony-sonys-knight-buys-tinseltown-dream-546718.html Sir Howard Stringer, US Head Of Sony: Sony's knight buys Tinseltown dream.]" ''[[The Independent newspaper|The Independent]]'', 18 September 2004</ref>
[[File:Howard Stringer.jpg|150px|thumb|Howard Stringer in 2008]] Stringer left CBS in 1995 to become CEO of [[Tele-TV]], a newly created media and technology company formed by US telecoms [[Bell Atlantic]], [[NYNEX]] and [[Pacific Telesis]], as well as [[Creative Artists Agency]]. Tele-TV represented an early attempt at a [[video on demand]] service, which streamed content over the phone network. The company was unsuccessful, and shut down most of its operations in early 1997, after having spent roughly $500 million. Stringer left at that time.<ref name="GRIFFITHS2004">Griffiths, Katherine. "[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/sir-howard-stringer-us-head-of-sony-sonys-knight-buys-tinseltown-dream-546718.html Sir Howard Stringer, US Head Of Sony: Sony's knight buys Tinseltown dream.]" ''[[The Independent newspaper|The Independent]]'', 18 September 2004</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Bells may shutter Tele-TV |url=https://money.cnn.com/1996/12/06/technology/teletv/ |work=CNNMoney |date=December 6, 1996}}</ref>


===Sony===
===Sony===
Stringer began work at Sony in May 1997 as president of its US operational unit ([[Sony Corporation of America]]). He was made a Sony group executive officer in May 1998.<ref name="GRIFFITHS2004"/>
Stringer began work at Sony in May 1997 as president of its US operational unit ([[Sony Corporation of America]]). He was made a Sony group executive officer in May 1998.<ref name="GRIFFITHS2004"/>


Since June 2005, he served as Chairman of Sony, overseeing businesses such as [[Sony Computer Entertainment]], [[Sony Music Entertainment]], [[Sony Electronics]], [[Sony Pictures Entertainment]] and [[Sony Financial Holdings]]. On 1 April 2009, he became president of Sony Corporation and ousted [[Ryoji Chubachi]] in what was seen as prelude to broader corporate restructuring.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=abG3HJOvfta0&refer=asia |title=Sony's CEO Stringer Ousts Chubachi in Overhaul of Management |access-date=27 February 2009 |last=Suzuki |first=Hiroshi |author2=Masaki Kondo |publisher=Bloomberg L.P. |date=27 February 2009 }}</ref> Stringer also served as executive chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Corporation of America, and as president of Sony Broadband Entertainment Corporation since March 2000.<ref name=bweek1 />
Since 22 June 2005, Stringer has served as Chairman of Sony, overseeing businesses such as [[Sony Computer Entertainment]], [[Sony Music Entertainment]], [[Sony Electronics]], [[Sony Pictures Entertainment]] and [[Sony Financial Holdings]], succeeding [[Nobuyuki Idei]].<ref name="NYT2005">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/23/business/worldbusiness/sonys-chief-pledges-to-halt-company-slide.html |title=Sony's Chief Pledges to Halt Company Slide |access-date= 24 November 2022 |last=Zaun |first= Todd |work= New York Times |date= 23 June 2005}}</ref> On 1 April 2009, he became president of Sony Corporation and ousted [[Ryoji Chubachi]] in what was seen as prelude to broader corporate restructuring.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=abG3HJOvfta0&refer=asia |title=Sony's CEO Stringer Ousts Chubachi in Overhaul of Management |access-date=27 February 2009 |last1=Suzuki |first1=Hiroshi |last2=Kondo |first2=Masaki |publisher=Bloomberg L.P. |date=27 February 2009 }}</ref> Stringer also served as executive chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Corporation of America, and as president of Sony Broadband Entertainment Corporation since March 2000.<ref name=bweek1 />


Stringer was promoted to the company's top position as the corporation overall was having trouble with losses and was facing increasing competition from rivals such as [[Samsung]], [[Sharp Corporation|Sharp]], [[Apple Inc.]] and [[Panasonic]]. With his experience primarily in the media industry, Stringer was responsible for the media business of Sony in the U.S. by overseeing the release of the [[Spider-Man]] film series, among others.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}
Stringer was promoted to the company's top position as the corporation overall was having trouble with losses and was facing increasing competition from rivals such as [[Samsung]], [[Sharp Corporation|Sharp]], [[Apple Inc.]] and [[Panasonic]].<ref name="NYT2005" /> With his experience primarily in the media industry, Stringer was responsible for the media business of Sony in the U.S. by overseeing the release of the [[Spider-Man]] film series, among others.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/28/business/yourmoney/28sony.html |title=Howard Stringer, Sony's Road Warrior |access-date= 24 November 2022 |last1=Siklos |first1= Richard |last2=Fackler |first2=Martin |work= New York Times |date= 28 May 2006}}</ref>


As CEO, Stringer's initial focus was on streamlining Sony's electronics business, such as through its [[Bravia (brand)|Bravia]] TV joint venture with [[Samsung Electronics|Samsung]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/28/business/yourmoney/28sony.html|title=Howard Stringer, Sony's Road Warrior|last=Fackler|first=Martin|date=28 May 2006|work=The New York Times|access-date=19 November 2018}}</ref> Stringer was instrumental in arranging Sony's investment in [[Spotify]], which earned Sony a profit of nearly $1&nbsp;billion upon Sony's partial exit in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Sony-reaps-rewards-of-Stringer-legacy-with-983m-profit-on-Spotify|title=Sony reaps rewards of Stringer legacy with $983m profit on Spotify|website=Nikkei Asian Review|access-date=19 November 2018}}</ref> Nonetheless, Sony's share price fell by 60 per cent from when Stringer assumed the role of group chairman until his resignation as CEO was announced in 2012, due in part to exchange rates and the effects of the [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami|2011 Tohoku earthquake]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS203751836620120106|title=Report: Kaz Hirai to Replace Howard Stringer as Sony President|last=Orzeck|first=Kurt|date=6 January 2012|work=Reuters|access-date=19 November 2018}}</ref>
As CEO, Stringer's initial focus was on streamlining Sony's electronics business, such as through its [[Bravia (brand)|Bravia]] TV joint venture with [[Samsung Electronics|Samsung]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/28/business/yourmoney/28sony.html|title=Howard Stringer, Sony's Road Warrior|last=Fackler|first=Martin|date=28 May 2006|work=The New York Times|access-date=19 November 2018}}</ref> Stringer was instrumental in arranging Sony's investment in [[Spotify]], which earned Sony a profit of nearly $1&nbsp;billion upon Sony's partial exit in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Sony-reaps-rewards-of-Stringer-legacy-with-983m-profit-on-Spotify|title=Sony reaps rewards of Stringer legacy with $983m profit on Spotify|website=Nikkei Asian Review|access-date=19 November 2018}}</ref> Nonetheless, Sony's share price fell by 60 per cent from when Stringer assumed the role of group chairman until his resignation as CEO was announced in 2012, due in part to exchange rates and the effects of the [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami|2011 Tohoku earthquake]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS203751836620120106|title=Report: Kaz Hirai to Replace Howard Stringer as Sony President|last=Orzeck|first=Kurt|date=6 January 2012|work=Reuters|access-date=19 November 2018}}</ref>
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While serving as the chief of Sony in Tokyo, Stringer maintained a home in New York while his family lived in England.<ref name=":0" />
While serving as the chief of Sony in Tokyo, Stringer maintained a home in New York while his family lived in England.<ref name=":0" />


In a 2014 speech, Stringer expressed his frustrations with his time at Sony, saying, "Running a big company is like running a cemetery: there are thousands of people beneath you, but no one is listening. It was a bit like that at Sony." He specifically lamented that Sony had a "[[not invented here]]" mentality that did not suit an increasingly digital world, and which Stringer was unable to shake off.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ex-Sony CEO Howard Stringer on Sony's Failures and Time Inc.'s Big Challenges |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/sony-ceo-howard-stringer-opines-743982/ |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=October 25, 2014 |first=Jonathan |last=Handel}}</ref>
⚫
==Awards and honours<ref name=bweek1>{{cite web |url=http://investing.businessweek.com/businessweek/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=631152&symbol=SNE |title=BusinessWeek Executive Profile: Howard Stringer |access-date=28 February 2009 |work=Bloomberg BusinessWeek}}</ref>==

⚫
* He received the [[Commendation Medal|U.S. Army Commendation Medal]] for meritorious achievement while serving in the [[Republic of Vietnam]].
==Awards and honours==
* In 1996, he was awarded the First Amendment Leadership Award by the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation.

* In 1996, he was also inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame.
⚫
Stringer has received the following awards and honours:<ref name=bweek1>{{cite web |url=http://investing.businessweek.com/businessweek/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=631152&symbol=SNE |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013183858/http://investing.businessweek.com/businessweek/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=631152&symbol=SNE |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 October 2007 |title=BusinessWeek Executive Profile: Howard Stringer |access-date=28 February 2009 |work=Bloomberg BusinessWeek}}</ref>
⚫
* In May 1999, he received the UJA-Federation of New York's Steven J. Ross Humanitarian Award.
⚫
* [[Commendation Medal|U.S. Army Commendation Medal]] for meritorious achievement during the [[Vietnam War]]
⚫
* In November 1999, he was inducted into the Royal Television Society's Welsh Hall of Fame.
* Radio and Television News Directors Foundation's First Amendment Leadership Award, 1996
⚫
* On 31 December 1999, he received the title of [[Knight Bachelor]] from Her Majesty [[Queen Elizabeth II]].
* ''[[Broadcasting & Cable]]'' Hall of Fame, 1996
⚫
* In February 2007, the Museum of Television and Radio awarded him with its Visionary Award for Innovative Leadership in Media and Entertainment.
⚫
* [[UJA]]-Federation of New York's Steven J. Ross Humanitarian Award, May 1999
⚫
* He has been honoured by Lincoln Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, The New York Hall of Science and The American Theatre Wing.
⚫
* [[Royal Television Society]] Welsh Hall of Fame, November 1999
* He received Honorary Doctorates from the [[University of Glamorgan]] in Wales and University of the Arts London.
⚫
* [[Knight Bachelor]], from Her Majesty [[Queen Elizabeth II]], December 1999
* In 2000, he received an honorary fellowship from [[Merton College, Oxford]].
⚫
* [[Museum of Television and Radio]] Visionary Award for Innovative Leadership in Media and Entertainment, February 2007
* In 2001, he received an honorary fellowship from the [[Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama]].
* [[Merton College, Oxford]] honorary fellowship, 2000
* [[Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama]] honorary fellowship, 2001

⚫
He has also been honoured by Lincoln Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, The New York Hall of Science and The American Theatre Wing, and has received Honorary Doctorates from the [[University of Glamorgan]] in Wales and [[University of the Arts London]].

{{Infobox COA wide
|motto = <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/baz_manning/52346361000/in/photostream/ |publisher=Baz Manning |access-date=11 September 2022 |title= Merton College Oxford, benefactors' arms, 2018. |date=15 February 2022 }}</ref>}}

==Personal life==
In July 1978, Stringer married Jennifer A. Kinmond Patterson.<ref name=enz>{{cite journal|last=Diamond|first=Edwin|title=Television's New Fall Lineup: the Changing Guard at the Big Three...|journal=New York|volume=21|issue=33|pages=110|publisher=New York Media, LLC|date=22 August 1988|issn=0028-7369}}</ref><ref name=ecn/> They have two children.

He became a naturalised American citizen in 1985.

He was [[Knight Bachelor|knighted]] by [[Queen Elizabeth II]] on 31 December 1999.

==In popular culture==
Stringer was portrayed by [[Peter Jurasik]] in the 1996 [[HBO]] film ''[[The Late Shift (film)|The Late Shift]]'', about the conflict between [[Jay Leno]] and [[David Letterman]] during Stringer's tenure at CBS in the early 1990s.


He appeared on the BBC radio programme ''[[Desert Island Discs]]'' in 2013.<ref name="did"/>
==See also==
* ''[[The Late Shift (film)|The Late Shift]]''


==References==
==References==
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{{commons category}}
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.sony.com/SCA/bios/stringer.shtml "Howard Stringer biography"] – Sony Corporation website
* [http://www.sony.com/SCA/bios/stringer.shtml "Howard Stringer biography"] – Sony Corporation website
*{{C-SPAN|Howard Stringer}}
*{{C-SPAN|29313}}


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[[Category:American television producers]]
[[Category:American television producers]]
[[Category:Businesspeople awarded knighthoods]]
[[Category:Businesspeople awarded knighthoods]]
[[Category:ViacomCBS people]]
[[Category:Paramount Global people]]
[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]
[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]
[[Category:People educated at Oundle School]]
[[Category:People educated at Oundle School]]

Latest revision as of 11:15, 17 September 2024

Sir
Howard Stringer
Stringer at opening night of the 2009 Metropolitan Opera
Born (1942-02-19) 19 February 1942 (age 82)
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
EducationUniversity of Oxford
Alma materMerton College, Oxford[1][2]
Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
OccupationNon-executive director of the BBC
SpouseJennifer A. Kinmond Patterson
FamilyRob Stringer (brother)
Military career
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service / branch United States Army
Years of service1965–1967
Battles / warsVietnam War

Sir Howard Stringer (born 19 February 1942) is a Welsh-American businessman. He had a 30-year career at CBS, culminating in him serving as the president of CBS News from 1986 to 1988, then president of CBS from 1988 to 1995. He served as chairman of the board, chairman, president and CEO of Sony Corporation from 2005 to 2012.[3] He is also the head of the board of trustees of the American Film Institute and now serves as a non-executive director of the BBC. He was knighted in 1999.

Early life

[edit]

Stringer was born in Cardiff, Wales, the son of Marjorie Mary (née Pook), a Welsh schoolteacher, and Harry Stringer, a sergeant in the Royal Air Force.[4]

His younger brother, Rob Stringer, was president of Sony Music Label Group.[5]

Stringer attended 11 secondary schools by the time he was 16, including Oundle School in Northamptonshire.[1][dubious – discuss] He received a Master of Arts from the University of Oxford in Modern History.[6]

Career

[edit]

Stringer moved to the United States in 1965. After working at CBS's flagship station WCBS-TV for six weeks, he was drafted into the United States Army, and served as a military policeman in Saigon for ten months in the Vietnam War.[7][8][9][10] He did not serve in combat, but was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious achievement.

Stringer returned to CBS, where he had a 30-year career. He started in a series of lowly jobs, including answering backstage phones for The Ed Sullivan Show.[11] In 1976, he became executive producer of the documentary series CBS Reports.[12] Then, from 1981 to 1984, he was executive producer of the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather.[12] In 1986, he became president of CBS News as a whole.[12] He then served as president of CBS from 1988 to 1995, where he was responsible for all the broadcast activities of its entertainment, news, sports, radio and television stations.[6] During Stringer's tenure, CBS gained the services of David Letterman with his Late Show but also lost National Football League rights to the upstart Fox Broadcasting Company, leading several CBS affiliates to align with the latter.[13]

Tele-TV

[edit]
Howard Stringer in 2008

Stringer left CBS in 1995 to become CEO of Tele-TV, a newly created media and technology company formed by US telecoms Bell Atlantic, NYNEX and Pacific Telesis, as well as Creative Artists Agency. Tele-TV represented an early attempt at a video on demand service, which streamed content over the phone network. The company was unsuccessful, and shut down most of its operations in early 1997, after having spent roughly $500 million. Stringer left at that time.[14][15]

Sony

[edit]

Stringer began work at Sony in May 1997 as president of its US operational unit (Sony Corporation of America). He was made a Sony group executive officer in May 1998.[14]

Since 22 June 2005, Stringer has served as Chairman of Sony, overseeing businesses such as Sony Computer Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Electronics, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Financial Holdings, succeeding Nobuyuki Idei.[16] On 1 April 2009, he became president of Sony Corporation and ousted Ryoji Chubachi in what was seen as prelude to broader corporate restructuring.[17] Stringer also served as executive chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Corporation of America, and as president of Sony Broadband Entertainment Corporation since March 2000.[6]

Stringer was promoted to the company's top position as the corporation overall was having trouble with losses and was facing increasing competition from rivals such as Samsung, Sharp, Apple Inc. and Panasonic.[16] With his experience primarily in the media industry, Stringer was responsible for the media business of Sony in the U.S. by overseeing the release of the Spider-Man film series, among others.[18]

As CEO, Stringer's initial focus was on streamlining Sony's electronics business, such as through its Bravia TV joint venture with Samsung.[19] Stringer was instrumental in arranging Sony's investment in Spotify, which earned Sony a profit of nearly $1 billion upon Sony's partial exit in 2018.[20] Nonetheless, Sony's share price fell by 60 per cent from when Stringer assumed the role of group chairman until his resignation as CEO was announced in 2012, due in part to exchange rates and the effects of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake.[21]

On 1 February 2012, Sony announced that Stringer would step down as president and CEO, effective 1 April to be replaced by Kazuo Hirai, executive deputy president and chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment.[22] Stringer relinquished his title of chairman of Sony and became chairman of the board of Sony in June ('Chairman of Sony' and 'Chairman of the Board of Directors' are separate positions at Sony). In June 2013, Stringer retired as chairman of the board of Sony.[23]

While serving as the chief of Sony in Tokyo, Stringer maintained a home in New York while his family lived in England.[19]

In a 2014 speech, Stringer expressed his frustrations with his time at Sony, saying, "Running a big company is like running a cemetery: there are thousands of people beneath you, but no one is listening. It was a bit like that at Sony." He specifically lamented that Sony had a "not invented here" mentality that did not suit an increasingly digital world, and which Stringer was unable to shake off.[24]

Awards and honours

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Stringer has received the following awards and honours:[6]

He has also been honoured by Lincoln Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, The New York Hall of Science and The American Theatre Wing, and has received Honorary Doctorates from the University of Glamorgan in Wales and University of the Arts London.

Coat of arms of Howard Stringer
Motto
[25]

Personal life

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In July 1978, Stringer married Jennifer A. Kinmond Patterson.[26][7] They have two children.

He became a naturalised American citizen in 1985.

He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II on 31 December 1999.

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Stringer was portrayed by Peter Jurasik in the 1996 HBO film The Late Shift, about the conflict between Jay Leno and David Letterman during Stringer's tenure at CBS in the early 1990s.

He appeared on the BBC radio programme Desert Island Discs in 2013.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "BBC Radio 4 – Desert Island Discs, Sir Howard Stringer".
  2. ^ Levens, R.G.C., ed. (1964). Merton College Register 1900–1964. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. p. 535.
  3. ^ http://www.sony.com/SCA/bios/stringer.shtml, Sony
  4. ^ Schindehette, Susan (5 April 1993). "Howard Stringer". People. Archived from the original on 10 January 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  5. ^ "Sony Music Label Group U.S. gets new chief as top 2 execs resign", USA Today, 1 June 2006
  6. ^ a b c d "BusinessWeek Executive Profile: Howard Stringer". Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
  7. ^ a b "Howard Stringer Biography (1942–)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  8. ^ Schindehette, Susan (5 April 1993). "Howard Stringer". People. Archived from the original on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  9. ^ Grifiths, Katherine. "Sir Howard Stringer, US Head Of Sony: Sony's knight buys Tinseltown dream." The Independent, 18 September 2004.
  10. ^ "The Interview: Howard Stringer." The Independent, 21 March 2005.
  11. ^ Michael Eisner (28 March 2006). "Sony CEO Howard Stringer transcript". MSNBC.
  12. ^ a b c Biography for Howard Stringer – IMDb
  13. ^ "Kicked While It's Down". Time. 6 March 1995.
  14. ^ a b Griffiths, Katherine. "Sir Howard Stringer, US Head Of Sony: Sony's knight buys Tinseltown dream." The Independent, 18 September 2004
  15. ^ "Bells may shutter Tele-TV". CNNMoney. 6 December 1996.
  16. ^ a b Zaun, Todd (23 June 2005). "Sony's Chief Pledges to Halt Company Slide". New York Times. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  17. ^ Suzuki, Hiroshi; Kondo, Masaki (27 February 2009). "Sony's CEO Stringer Ousts Chubachi in Overhaul of Management". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 27 February 2009.
  18. ^ Siklos, Richard; Fackler, Martin (28 May 2006). "Howard Stringer, Sony's Road Warrior". New York Times. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  19. ^ a b Fackler, Martin (28 May 2006). "Howard Stringer, Sony's Road Warrior". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  20. ^ "Sony reaps rewards of Stringer legacy with $983m profit on Spotify". Nikkei Asian Review. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  21. ^ Orzeck, Kurt (6 January 2012). "Report: Kaz Hirai to Replace Howard Stringer as Sony President". Reuters. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  22. ^ "Sony names Kazuo Hirai as President and CEO; Sir Howard Stringer to become Chairman of the Board of Directors". Sony Corporation. 1 February 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  23. ^ "Sony chairman Sir Howard Stringer to retire". BBC News. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  24. ^ Handel, Jonathan (25 October 2014). "Ex-Sony CEO Howard Stringer on Sony's Failures and Time Inc.'s Big Challenges". The Hollywood Reporter.
  25. ^ "Merton College Oxford, benefactors' arms, 2018". Baz Manning. 15 February 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  26. ^ Diamond, Edwin (22 August 1988). "Television's New Fall Lineup: the Changing Guard at the Big Three...". New York. 21 (33). New York Media, LLC: 110. ISSN 0028-7369.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Howard Stringer.
Business positions
Preceded by Chairman of Sony Corporation
2005–2012 		Succeeded by
Preceded by President of Sony Corporation
2009 – March 2012 		Succeeded by
Preceded by CEO of Sony Corporation
2005 – March 2012 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chairman of the Board of Sony Corporation
27 June 2012 – 20 June 2013 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
 CEO of Sony Corporation of America
1998 – June 2012 		Succeeded by
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