The Stories Behind Media’s Biggest Moguls
Behind every media empire is a story of ambition, power, and relentless vision.
Hosted by longtime media operator Web Barr, Media Moguls tells the in-depth stories of the visionaries, entrepreneurs, and innovators who built and shaped the media industry—starting with Ted Turner.
Each season, we’ll explore a different mogul—their wins, losses, and lasting impact—while breaking down the game-changing innovations, paradigm-shifting strategies, and pivotal moments that shaped television, Hollywood, sports, and news over the last century. Along the way, we’ll tell the story of how we got to now.
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The Stories Behind Media’s Biggest Moguls
Behind every media empire is a story of ambition, power, and relentless vision.
Hosted by longtime media operator Web Barr, Media Moguls tells the in-depth stories of the visionaries, entrepreneurs, and innovators who built and shaped the media industry—starting with Ted Turner.
Each season, we’ll explore a different mogul—their wins, losses, and lasting impact—while breaking down the game-changing innovations, paradigm-shifting strategies, and pivotal moments that shaped television, Hollywood, sports, and news over the last century. Along the way, we’ll tell the story of how we got to now.
The Ted Turner Saga | Part 7: CNN - Hour 1. Day 1. Year 1. Decade 1.
Media Moguls with Web Barr
3 hours 28 minutes
1 month ago
The Ted Turner Saga | Part 7: CNN - Hour 1. Day 1. Year 1. Decade 1.
The cameras are rolling, the clock is ticking, and Ted Turner has bet everything he owns on CNN. This episode takes you inside CNN’s first hour, first day, first year, and first decade, from the first broadcast to the first ad, the first breaking news moment, and the first competitors.
We cover the battles that shaped CNN’s early years: lawsuits against the Big 3 and the White House, Reagan’s shooting, major story triumphs and…failures, and the epic showdown with ABC-Westinghouse’s Satellite News Channel, all while CNN fought for relevance and survival. Come along for the ride!
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Credits
Writing, research, and production by Web Barr.
Artwork by Dylan Lathrop.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Chapters
(00:00): Opening Monologue
(10:32): Pre-Launch
(19:30): CNN Launches
(25:15): Opening Words
(34:00): CNN’s First Commercial
(43:00): CNN’s First Misstep
(51:30): Las Vegas Fire
(54:00): John Lennon Assassination
(1:12:30): Reagan Assassination Attempt
(1:52:00): News Competition Emerges
(2:10:00): Ted Plans Counterattack
(2:36:49): CNN 2 Launches
(2:53:00): SNC Launches
(3:00:00): Cable War Fallout
(3:11:00): CNN News Feed
(3:21:00): On The Next Episode
Sources
Books used in Episode 7. Get em here!
It Ain't As Easy As It Looks: Ted Turner's Amazing Story
Up All Night: Ted Turner, CNN, and the Birth of 24-Hour News
Ted Turner Speaks: Insights From the World's Greatest Maverick
CNN: The Inside Story: How a Band of Mavericks Changed the Face of Television News
Confessions of an Advertising Man
Lead Follow or Get Out of the Way: The Story of Ted Turner
Media Man: Ted Turner's Improbable Empire
Clash of the Titans: How the Unbridled Ambition of Ted Turner and Rupert Murdoch Has Created Global Empires that Control What We Read & Watch Each Day
Call Me Ted
Cable Cowboy: John Malone and the rise of the modern cable-TV business
Me and Ted Against the World: The Unauthorized Story of the Founding of CNN
Tinderbox: HBO's Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers
Masters of Enterprise: Giants of American Business from John Jacob Astor and J.P. Morgan to Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey
Roone: A Memoir
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Media Moguls with Web Barr
The Stories Behind Media’s Biggest Moguls
Behind every media empire is a story of ambition, power, and relentless vision.
Hosted by longtime media operator Web Barr, Media Moguls tells the in-depth stories of the visionaries, entrepreneurs, and innovators who built and shaped the media industry—starting with Ted Turner.
Each season, we’ll explore a different mogul—their wins, losses, and lasting impact—while breaking down the game-changing innovations, paradigm-shifting strategies, and pivotal moments that shaped television, Hollywood, sports, and news over the last century. Along the way, we’ll tell the story of how we got to now.
