Following on from the wonderful world of Rupert Murdoch and News Corp. The only other name that is synonymous with media domination is Ted Turner. Nicknamed ‘The Mouth from the South’ and ‘Captain Courageous’ for his outspoken nature and controversial statements; Ted is never one to shy away from a good fight. For those interested in the machinations of media moguls, especially in the 1990’s, you will be familiar with the rivalry between Rupert Murdoch and Ted Turner.
The rivalry came to a head not in the boardroom of Turner Broadcasting Systems or News Corp but on the water during the 1983 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Rupert Murdoch’s yacht collided and sank Ted Turner’s boat after which Ted challenged Rupert to a good old fashioned Fist fight. Rupert politely declined. However, this attitude to life, obstacles and challenges is a clear indication of Ted’s approach to life.
If Rupert Murdoch is a consummate deal maker then Ted Turner is a visionary. I would pay good money to see them in a boxing ring for the sheer entertainment and monetary value this would generate. Apart from the fact that Rupert or Ted at 81 and 73 respectively would probably have a heart attack. If these two icons of the Media World decided to work together on any project I would bet my last dollar in that venture. It is rare that we see such uniquely skilled yet polar opposite contemporaries in one lifetime.
In 1979 the idea that we, the audience, would be able to watch news unfold 24-hours a day was not a reality. One man, Ted, not only thought that it was possible but made it a reality on June 1st 1980. As usual, Ted Turner lived up to his nickname ‘Captain Courageous’ and took on the World with his US based Cable News Network (CNN). Today in the age of instant news and constant updates on Twitter no one in this generation would realise how truly revolutionary CNN was.
From taking over his father’s billboard company at the age of 24 Ted Turner grew his interests in Media with News Stations, TV Studios, Sports teams, World Wrestling Entertainment and Philanthropy foundations. From US$1 Million in revenue from his father’s business to an estimated fortune of US$3 Billion in 1997 Ted turned his vision into a reality. One could accuse Ted of making his billions by showing bad news 24-hours a day and making his fortune from other’s misfortunes.
CNN US truly came into its own during the 1986 Challenger disaster, which was only shown live by CNN. Every other station in the US showed the CNN live feed. The 1987 the Jessica Mclure saga, of an 18-month old who was rescued from down a well, again put CNN live in the minds of millions of Americans and audiences internationally watched the entire rescue effort. The biggest event, that also cost the lives of thousands of innocent American and Arab lives, the 1991 Gulf War, firmly established CNN as the go to media vehicle of choice. Estimates put the coverage of CNN, as well as the feed being played on other TV stations, at close to a billion viewers worldwide.
So was Ted just luck or was he a visionary who saw the future and made sure he was prepared to take on the unknown World that we know as the 21st century media reality. I think the fact that Ted Turner is reviled and loved in equal measure is almost a sure sign of genius in action. While Rupert Murdoch is just a media genius, Ted Turner’s vision goes beyond just controlling the world but making it a better place. Turner’s staggering US$1 Billion donation to the United Nation to create the United Nations Foundation that is making a different across social issues speaks volumes of the man. More than 1 billion volumes, and counting, to be exact.
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