Marc B. Nathanson

Marc B. Nathanson was born in Los Angeles on May 12, 1945. His family moved to Minneapolis during his infancy, and he later grew up in Illinois. His father worked in advertising.⁠[1]

Nathanson entered the University of Denver in 1963, initially studying media before turning to political science and international relations. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1967. In summer 1966, he visited Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands on Professor Robert Eckelberry’s Scandinavian government course, developing a lasting interest in Norway and international affairs.⁠[2][3]

After graduating in 1967, Nathanson earned a master’s degree in political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he was a National Science Foundation Fellow.⁠[4]

In 1969, he joined Burt Harris’s Harriscope in marketing and also managed its Malibu cable system.⁠[1]

In 1973, he joined TelePrompTer as vice president of marketing and programming.⁠[1]

After leaving TelePrompTer in April 1975, Nathanson founded Falcon Cable TV in May. The company focused on areas with poor broadcast reception, and he led Falcon and its predecessors until the business was sold in 1999.⁠[1][3][4]

President Bill Clinton appointed him to the Broadcasting Board of Governors in 1995. He became chairman in 1998 and served until his successor was confirmed in 2002, spanning the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations. The board supervised U.S. government-supported nonmilitary international broadcasting, including Voice of America.⁠[4][5]

In 1999, Nathanson established Mapleton Investments. Its real estate division, Mapleton Properties, belongs to the Nathanson family-owned business and holds properties across several western U.S. states.⁠[4][6]

On November 12, 1999, Charter Communications completed its acquisition of Falcon’s cable operations in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at approximately $3.6 billion. Falcon served about one million subscribers and passed approximately 1.6 million homes, with major markets in California, the Pacific Northwest and several central and southern states. Nathanson became Charter’s vice chairman after the sale.⁠[7][8]

Nathanson was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame in 2010.⁠[4]

In November 2021, the University of Denver reported that President Joe Biden had nominated Nathanson as U.S. ambassador to Norway, pending Senate confirmation. He connected the nomination to his university-era interest in Norway and discussed plans to strengthen governmental and people-to-people cooperation.⁠[2]

In testimony submitted to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on April 7, 2022, he outlined three priorities: shared security and defense on NATO’s northern flank; international norms and common challenges, including in the Arctic; and cooperation on energy, the environment, trade and investment with an emphasis on the green transition. These were goals presented during his nomination process.⁠[5]

On June 16, 2022, Nathanson presented his credentials to King Harald V of Norway as U.S. ambassador. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry announcement used his full name, Marc Bennett Nathanson. His ambassadorship ended in February 2024.⁠[9][10]

In June 2024, Nathanson returned to the University of Denver to address undergraduate graduates, discussing risk-taking, choosing a suitable career path and valuing relationships. He and his wife, Jane, received honorary doctorates that year. They also established the Nathanson Fellows Program linking DU’s Korbel School and the Aspen Institute to provide students with learning and work opportunities.⁠[3][8][10]

In 2025, Nathanson joined the advisory board of U.S. aerospace and defense technology company Shield AI.⁠[8]

As of October 2026, his institutional biography lists him as chairman of Mapleton Investments, which invests in real estate, private equity and direct investments.⁠[8]

In a School of Hard Knocks interview in Beverly Hills, Nathanson reflected on building and selling his cable business. He emphasized supporting debt payments with operating cash flow, respecting frontline employees such as installers and customer-service staff, and encouraging young people to pursue less-traveled paths.⁠[11]

Mapleton Properties: Official website: https://mapletonproperties.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[6]