Charles Pathe was a French pioneer of the newsreel industry. He founded the Pathe Frères company in 1896, which became one of the leading film production companies in the world. Pathe was an innovator in the field of film production, introducing synchronized sound and color film. He was also the first to use the newsreel format to report on current events. His newsreels were widely distributed and seen by millions of people around the world.