Early Life
Donald Edward Newhouse was born in 1929 in New York City. He is the son of Samuel Irving Newhouse Sr., who founded Advance Publications in 1922. His mother, Mitzi Epstein, was an arts patron and philanthropist. Newhouse attended Syracuse University but did not graduate.
Rise to Success
Donald Newhouse joined the family business and, along with his brother, Si, took control of Advance Publications after their father's death in 1979. Donald focused on the newspaper division, overseeing operations of various newspapers across the United States. Under his leadership, Advance Publications expanded its portfolio to include Condé Nast, cable television, and digital media ventures.
Key Business Strategies
Key strategies include adapting to the changing media landscape through strategic digital investments, such as acquiring stakes in Discovery Communications and Reddit. He has overseen the management of the newspaper division while expanding and diversifying Advance Publications' assets. He also played a key role in adapting the company to the changing media landscape.
Philanthropy
Newhouse has been a significant philanthropist, donating $75 million to Syracuse University's S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 2020. He also launched a fund at the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) with a $20 million donation in 2021.