NEW YORK (AP) - Laurence A. Tisch, who took control of CBS in the face of a hostile takeover but whose tenure was marked by accusations that he had tarnished the network's reputation, died Saturday. He was 80.
Tisch, a self-made billionaire who also helped found the Loews Corp., was suffering from cancer, said Candace Leeds, a Loews spokeswoman.
From 1986-95, Tisch served as chief executive officer and chairman of the board of CBS Inc., a period when the "Tiffany Network" saw its nightly newscast fall to third place and lost NFL football to the upstart Fox Network.
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CBS Inc. was the target of several hostile takeover attempts in 1986, and Tisch was then praised for stepping in to seize control by spending $800 million for a 24.9 percent stake of the company.
Tisch was survived by his wife, Wilma; four sons, Andrew, Daniel, James and Thomas; and his brother. There was no word on funeral arrangements.
James is the current president and chief executive officer of Loews, a position he assumed from his father in 1999.
