Making the News - Ted Turner and CNN | The News Will Continue | 2

Business Movers

Wondery

History, Business, Entrepreneurship

4.8 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 20 March 2025

⏱️ 41 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Reese Schonfeld transforms tragedies into triumph as CNN becomes America’s primary source of breaking news.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Want to get more from business movers?
0:02.2	Subscribe to Wondry Plus for early access to new episodes,
0:05.7	ad-free listening, and exclusive content you can't find anywhere else.
0:09.6	Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.
0:14.3	Wonderly.
0:15.0	The Wondry! It's the afternoon of June 1, 1980, at cable news network headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
0:35.6	41-year-old media tycoon Ted Turner struts across the wide lawn in front of the building with a glass
0:41.3	of champagne gripped in his hand. Nearly 200 guests are here enjoying drinks and hors d'oeuvres
0:46.6	to celebrate the launch of Ted's 24-hour news channel, CNN. It's a big moment in Ted's life,
0:53.0	and he's determined to enjoy it. So as soon as he finishes
0:56.5	one glass of champagne, the waiter hands Ted another. He scans the crowd, lifting his glass in
1:02.8	cheers, winking, smiling, and then he feels a tap on his shoulder. Ted turns, ready with his
1:08.9	most charming smile, but the person standing behind him isn't a
1:12.2	guest. It's Reese Schoenfeld. The man Ted's appointed as chief executive is CNN, and he looks anxious.
1:19.2	Two minutes, Ted. For you, Reese, I've got five. No, you've got two minutes, less than that,
1:24.4	before we go live. Oh, is it that time already? Come on, we got to get
1:28.1	you in front of the camera. Reese hurries Ted toward a stage and lectern that's been set up on the lawn.
1:33.5	You know what you're going to say? I'm not just about. Oh, God, Ted, relax. It's all up here.
1:38.9	Ted taps his forehead. Reese looks even more nervous. Ted, you're about to broadcast live into nearly two million homes.
1:45.8	You can't get up there and just start rambling.
1:48.1	I never ramble.
1:49.5	Oh, come on, Ted, are you ready or what?
	...

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