The TV Zone

Roger King - longtime syndicator of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" - has died. In a statement, CBS said he passed away this morning, after suffering a stroke at his home in Boca Raton on Friday.

Who was Roger King? For a good part of the '80s and '90s, arguably the most powerful man in television because he (and his brother, Michael) were the guys who sold "Oprah" to hundreds of TV stations around the country. He was a tough, hard-knuckled, hard-drinking, and very hard-charging salesman - a big, burly Irishman from New Jersey who understood power and knew how to use it, often ruthlessly. He was feared and also respected: No one crossed Roger and lived to talk about it(ahem - professionally speaking, of course.) Did I mention: He also sold "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune," too.

There are many many stories about Roger - many that will probably never be told. Frankly, some of them a little scary. Some of them a little surprising, too, because for every story about how blood-curdling Roger could be, there were three others about his generosity. Let's just say he changed the business and the shows he sold were pretty much the best the syndication business had to offer.

Here's the CBS statement (CBS bought King World some years ago): "Mr. King was one of the most successful executives in the history of television, transforming his family business, King World, into a production and syndication empire with unmatched impact and influence in the broadcasting business over the past 30 years. He leaves behind a legacy of high-quality, high-rated programming that still dominates the airwaves today, as well as a larger-than-life personality that will never be forgotten.

Said Leslie Moonves, President and CEO, CBS Corporation: “Television has lost a legend -- a truly original executive with an unparalleled combination of business acumen, passion and personality. CBS has lost a colleague and a good friend. It's a very sad day for CBS and for all of broadcasting.”

Our deepest sympathies are extended to his wife, Raemali, his three daughters; Kellie, Anna Rose and Lucinda; and to the entire King family."

(Picture: Courtesy CNN.)