PBS Host Stewart Cheifet, Chronicler of the PC Revolution, Dies at 87
▼ Summary
– Stewart Cheifet, creator and host of PBS’s Computer Chronicles, died on December 28, 2025, at age 87.
– His show, which ran from 1983 to 2002, demystified personal computing and the rise of the internet for a general audience.
– Computer Chronicles featured interviews with major tech figures like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs while demonstrating new hardware and software.
– Cheifet also produced the companion series Net Cafe from 1996 to 2002, covering the early internet boom and websites like Google.
– After the show ended, he worked with the Internet Archive to preserve and make publicly available all episodes of his programs.
Stewart Cheifet, the longtime PBS television host and producer who became a trusted guide for millions navigating the dawn of the personal computer age, has died at the age of 87. His passing occurred on December 28, 2025, in Philadelphia. For nearly two decades, Cheifet served as the friendly, knowledgeable face of Computer Chronicles, a groundbreaking public television program that ran from 1983 to 2002. The show played a pivotal role in translating the complexities of emerging technology into accessible information for a mainstream audience, effectively demystifying the digital revolution as it unfolded.
The scope of Computer Chronicles was remarkably broad, chronicling the entire trajectory of modern computing. Episodes explored the earliest iterations of the IBM PC and the original Apple Macintosh, followed the explosive growth of the World Wide Web, and reported on the dizzying dot-com boom. Cheifet’s calm, interview-driven approach brought viewers face-to-face with legendary industry pioneers. He conducted sit-down conversations with figures like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Jeff Bezos, often pairing these discussions with practical demonstrations of new hardware and software to show exactly how these innovations worked.
For the show’s first seven years, Cheifet’s co-host was Gary Kildall, the founder of Digital Research and the creator of the CP/M operating system. This system was a critical precursor to Microsoft’s MS-DOS in the early PC marketplace, and Kildall’s technical expertise complemented Cheifet’s journalistic style. Their partnership provided a unique dual perspective during a formative period for the industry.
As the internet began to reshape society, Cheifet launched a companion series to address the new frontier. From 1996 to 2002, he produced and hosted Net Cafe, a program dedicated to documenting the early internet boom. This series introduced television audiences to then-novel concepts and websites, including search engines like Yahoo and Google, and the online auction house eBay, helping to explain their function and potential impact.
The origins of Computer Chronicles trace back to 1981, when it started as a local weekly program. At the time, Cheifet was serving as the station manager for KCSM-TV, the public television station of the College of San Mateo. Its successful format led to national distribution on PBS beginning in 1983. The show maintained a remarkably consistent structure over its 19-season, 433-episode run, typically featuring product demos, in-depth guest interviews, and a closing news segment titled “Random Access” that provided updates on the latest industry happenings.
Following the conclusion of both series, Cheifet remained dedicated to ensuring this invaluable historical record was not lost. He worked as a consultant with the Internet Archive, actively assisting in the effort to digitize and make publicly available the complete archives of both Computer Chronicles and Net Cafe. This work guarantees that his chronicle of the digital revolution will remain a vital educational resource for generations to come.
(Source: Ars Technica)