CNN founder Ted Turner easily could be considered the godfather of cable television - lukeford.net photo

Video Beat EXTRA EXTRA - CNN FOUNDER TED TURNER on CNBC TITANS

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Turner easily could be considered the godfather of cable television. Without his vision and determination International cable television wouldn't be what it is today - America's Next Top Model final - AUSTRALIA NETWORKS FUTURE EXPRESS - Recommended TV Listings

Monday November 15, 2010

THE MASTERMIND OF CABLE TELEVISION

This past weekend CNBC Titans rebroadcast CNBC Titans featuring CNN founder Ted Turner. The program traces Turners life from birth to his after life on his ranch after Time Warner hijacked his company. Most insightful at the top of the show Titans profiles Turners father who was instrumental in giving his son the drive to be a winning businessman.

The Titans program doesn't leave many questions to ask about the colorful Turner who easily could be considered the godfather of cable television. Without his vision and determination International cable television wouldn't be what it is today.

When Turner took on the big three networks who tried to stifle his efforts to compete he Turner went at it with vigor and the balls of an elephant while the networks in their smug way went at it overly confident with the balls of a flea. The result being Turner won that war with the monsters of the airwaves and his cable television business was on its way to success.

In a clip within the CNBC Titans show when Turner was a guest on the Tom Snyder talk show program in the USA Turner told Snyder that when you watch NBC (one of the only three networks in the USA at that time) it made you DUMBER. He added that when watching the two other networks CBS and ABC the results were the same… it made the viewer DUMBER. Turner was spot on and those network poor programming examples continue today.

In Titans Turner explained why he was so intent in launching a fourth network by using satellite distribution for his very small under powered UHF station in Atlanta. The three networks lobbied in congress not to grant Turner an FCC license to do so. Turner pleaded his case that the three networks virtually had control of a monopoly.

Turner received the government's approval and WTBS was born. His first coup was paying for the rights to telecast the MLB (Major League Baseball) Atlanta Braves baseball games. The result was the stations ratings increased and its being received throughout the USA gave WTBS national presence. Turner later purchased the Braves and the NBA's Atlanta Hawks also resulting in more home grown programming, increased ratings and more national exposure for WTBS.

Turner continued to make all the right moves and became a billionaire. He donated a billion dollars to the UN and noted that it was only a small part of his wealth.

The CNBC Titans show explored the Turner Broadcasting System, Inc merger with Time Warner, Inc. on October 10, 1996, with Turner holding the position as vice chairman and head of Time Warner's cable networks division. The Turner Broadcast Networks included all of Turners creations WTBS, CNN 1, CNN2, TNT and the Cartoon Network. On January 11, 2001 Time Warner merged with AOL to be known as AOL Time Warner.

Turner was Time Warner's biggest stock holder but lost control of the company. It is estimated he lost as much as $7 billion when the stock collapsed in the wake of the merger. His worth tumbled at a rate of $10 million A DAY.

The AOL catastrophe is described to be one of the biggest business mistakes ever. Turner went against his better judgment he acquiesced and permitted AOL to purchase Time Warner knowing that Time Warner had for more assets than AOL.

The company then offered him a position for a million dollars a year. After he asked what his duties would be he was informed NOTHING he replied (with disgust) that they were firing personnel who made $30,000 a year and he told them to stuff their million dollars.

He stepped down as vice chairman in 2006. When asked about buying back his former assets, he replies that he can't afford them now.

At the age of 72 this November 19th Ted Turner is far from being down and out he's just on cruise control. He's not a pauper either now with a worth of $1.9 billion.

Turner has marched on and s now recognized as an environmentalist. He is America's largest private landowner, owns 15 ranches in Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and South Dakota. With approximately two million acres (8,000 km²), greater than the land areas of the US states of Delaware and Rhode Island combined.

According to documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, Turner's land has a higher gross domestic product than Belize. He has the largest private bison herd, with 50,000 head. In 2002, Turner co-founded Ted's Montana Grill, a burger restaurant chain specializing in bison meat. According to his Ted's Montana Grill website, "Turner Enterprises' mission is to manage Turner lands in an economically sustainable and ecologically sensitive manner, while conserving native species."

As he said of his mistake with the Time Warner/AOL and his fall from financial fall grace that the on the way down that he pulled the chord and the parachute, "didn't open."

For anyone in business or interested in the television history this CNBC Titans featuring /Turner is a MUST WATCH/SEE. Ted Turner is a true pioneer and without his innovative daring ideas coming to fruition television wouldn't have advanced to the global popularity that it has today.

NOTE:

For you America's Next Top Model fans the final winner's episode airs this week. The Star World Network has caught the AXN staggered scheduling disease so you have to research it yourself for the time in your area.

AUSTRALIA NETWORKS FUTURE EXPRESS

A worth watch is Future Express a program that travels through various countries by train interviewing its residents about their personal lives and culture. The program airs on the Australia Network. This week Future Express travels through Albania with the theme being We Are the Future. From 1948 until 1991, Albania was completely isolated from the rest of the world. Dictator Enver Hoxha, a friend and admirer of Joseph Stalin, called his country a paradise on earth. Traveling was taboo, private property was abolished, and the outside world was considered to be the enemy. Hoxha had the whole country covered with 750.000 concrete bunkers. Every family had to be able to defend itself from a bunker two meters in diameter. Albania was gray and desperate then, but has become much more colorful in recent years. Half of the population is younger than 20 years of age. In the train, they invite the world to come and get to know them.

Air times in the Cambodia/Thailand time zone

Future Express - Albania - We Are the Future

Tuesday, 16 November 2010 at 17:00

Tuesday, 16 November 2010 at 21:00

Wednesday, 17 November 2010 at 12:00

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Note: The shows listed are for the Cambodia/Thailand time zone. Check our chart or your local listings for time in your area.

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