Norm Pattiz, the founder of the Westwood One syndicated programming network, died Dec. 6 at age 79. The cause of death was not revealed by officials at Westwood One parent company Cumulus Media.
Pattiz began as a salesman with Los Angeles television station KCOP (Channel 13), but left there in 1976 to start Westwood One.
In 1985, the company purchased Mutual Broadcasting System, one of the biggest radio networks in the United States. Two years later, the company acquired the NBC Radio Network.
In the early 1990s, control of Westwood One shifted to Mel Karmazin and Infinity Broadcasting (later acquired by CBS Radio).
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