It's a sad day for the world of news, business, and sports.
Ted Turner, a man who became a media mogul based on his intense innovation and hard work, died today at the age of 87 due to Lewy Body Dementia.He built "the Superstation" TBS into a cable powerhouse. That translated into TNT, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, and the revolutionary CNN. Turner single-handedly changed cable television forever.
Turner Broadcasting System merged with Time Warner in 1996, which merged with America Online on January 11, 2001, which was the biggest, at the time, corporate merger ever.
On top of that, he was the owner of the Atlanta Braves, who won the 1995 World Series Championship. Turner made baseball history when, on May 11, 1977, he managed a game for the Braves after sending home skipper Dave Bristol for ten days.
A philanthropist, Turner donated $1 billion to found the United Nations Foundation, and actually created Captain Planet, a 1990s superhero teaching kids how to appreciate the environment. Truly one of a kind.
For wrestling fans, this really is the end of an era.
Had Ted Turner not purchased Jim Crockett Promotions in 1988, World Championship Wrestling would not have existed, the Monday Night Wars would not have happened, and wrestling wouldn't have hit its mainstream zenith in the late 1990s.
The fact is that Turner loved what pro wrestling did for his business. According to "Billionaire" Ted, TBS's success was built off Andy Griffith reruns, Atlanta Braves baseball, and pro wrestling, going back to Georgia Championship Wrestling in the 1970s. Purchasing JCP from financial peril in November 1988 really helped save the business and prevented the WWF from being the only show in town back then.
One of the best stories ever told was when the purchase was made, Turner called Vince McMahon and told him, "I'm in the rasslin' business." Legendary stuff.
I know in my heart that had the AOL Time Warner merger never happened, Turner wouldn't have lost his power, and there'd still be a chance that WCW would still be around today, at least for another few years.
Most importantly, had he not purchased WCW, this domain and lore would've never existed. A complete and utter blip on the radar, but it had to be said.
There needs to be more revolutionary businessmen in the modern times similar to Ted Turner. He was a rebel, a renegade, a true innovator.
There will never be another one like him.
Thank You, Ted Turner.
Bankie Bruce
BankieBruce@gmail.com
Add comment
Comments