3/4 🧵 His biggest swing came in 1980 with the launch of CNN, the first 24-hour cable news network. At the time, plenty of people thought nonstop news was a ridiculous idea. It wasn’t. CNN changed how wars, elections, disasters, and breaking events were consumed, especially during moments like the Gulf War, when live global coverage became the new standard. Turner kept expanding — MGM’s film library, Cartoon Network, Turner Network Television, and major sports properties including the Atlanta Braves and Hawks all became part of his orbit. Later, after the Time Warner merger diluted his direct control, he shifted more visibly into philanthropy, land conservation, nuclear threat reduction, and the UN, including a massive $1 billion pledge to support United Nations causes. His legacy is simple: modern cable news exists because Ted Turner was arrogant enough to think the world would watch news all day — and annoyingly, he was right.
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