Media Moguls with Web Barr

Hi Barr
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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.

Episodes

  1. FEB 16

    The Ted Turner Saga | Part 10: Cable's Cowboy Expands

    In the wake of his MGM gamble and cable bailout, Ted Turner was not just fighting to survive. He was building. As CNN cemented its global authority covering the fall of the Berlin Wall, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the Gulf War in Iraq, Turner used MGM’s massive film library as fuel for expansion. Out of that library came TNT, Cartoon Network, Turner Classic Movies, and more, transforming Turner Broadcasting into a cable powerhouse. But bold moves brought controversy, including the battles over film colorization and growing tension with his own partners. This episode is about survival, reinvention, and how Ted turned crisis into a media empire. More From Hi Barr Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠contact@hibarrmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Listen to Hi Barr’s ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠You Had To Be There⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast! For business inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠contact@hibarrmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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): Bailout! (1:00:48): TNT (1:28:00): Colorization (1:45:00): Time Warner (1:56:00): CNN Rises (2:10:45): CNN in Iraq (2:45:00): Fall of USSR (2:55:00): Cartoon Network (3:05:00): Grow or Die Sources Books used in Episode 10. 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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 ⁠⁠Three Blind Mice⁠ ⁠Born to Be Wired Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    3h 21m

  2. JAN 6

    The Ted Turner Saga | Part 9: MGM Nightmares

    In 1985, fresh off his failed bid for CBS, Ted Turner faced his own Rubicon moment. He could double down on a bigger, more cash-heavy hostile network takeover, or walk away and chase something even bigger and riskier. When billionaire dealmaker Kirk Kerkorian offered him MGM in a lightning-fast, all-cash deal, Ted pivoted to Hollywood, betting everything on the hidden value of film libraries and the future of cable. What followed was one of the riskiest acquisitions in media history, fueled by junk bonds, ambition, and instinct, and it would reshape Turner Broadcasting while nearly destroying it. More From Hi Barr Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠contact@hibarrmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Listen to Hi Barr’s ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠You Had To Be There⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast! For business inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠contact@hibarrmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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): Ted's Rubicon Moment (06:48): Kirk Kerkorian + MGM (28:00): Why MGM (50:00): Kerkorian's Offer (1:06:00): Michael Milken 101 (1:50:00): Inside the Deal (2:20:00): Debt Nightmares Sources Books used in Episode 9. 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 ⁠Triumph of the Yuppies⁠ ⁠Three Blind Mice The Predators’ Ball: The Inside Story of Drexel Burnham and the Rise of the Junk Bond Raiders The Gambler: How Penniless Dropout Kirk Kerkorian Became the Greatest Deal Maker in Capitalist History Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    2h 40m

  3. 11/03/2025

    The Ted Turner Saga | Part 8: CBS Takeover Dreams

    By the early 1980s, Ted Turner had built CNN from scratch, taken his Superstation nationwide, and outlasted the networks’ counterattacks. But there was still one thing he didn’t have — a broadcast network. In this episode, we follow Ted Turner’s audacious bid to buy CBS and how his network dream became possible in a new Wall Street era fueled by Reaganomics, deregulation, junk bonds, and corporate raiders. From secret meetings with CBS executives to the rise of the Yuppies, this episode’s got it all — connecting the dots between media, money, and power, and showing how Ted Turner’s takeover attempt helped shape not just television, but modern media itself. More From Hi Barr Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠contact@hibarrmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Listen to Hi Barr’s ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠You Had To Be There⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast! For business inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠contact@hibarrmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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): Bonfire of the Networks (11:15): Fourth Network Dreams (20:00): Reagan’s Eighties (39:00): Cable’s Rise (49:00): Ted’s Sports Network (54:00): Ted’s MTV Competitor (1:12:00): Cable’s Limitations (1:24:00): Networks in 1984 (1:37:00): ABC + Cap Cities (1:52:00): Ted Prepares His CBS Bid (2:24:00): Ted Announces CBS Bid (2:49:00): War (3:15:00): Onto the Next Deal Sources Books used in Episode 8. 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 Triumph of the Yuppies Three Blind Mice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    3h 37m

  4. 10/01/2025

    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! More From Hi Barr Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for our ⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠contact@hibarrmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠  Listen to Hi Barr’s ⁠⁠⁠⁠You Had To Be There⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast! For business inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠contact@hibarrmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    3h 29m

  5. 08/07/2025

    The Ted Turner Saga | Part 6: The Birth of CNN

    This episode tells the story of how Ted Turner built and launched CNN, the world’s first 24-hour news network, in just 11 months. At a time when network news aired only 30 minutes a night, Turner saw a bigger opportunity. With news veteran Reese Schonfeld, he set out to build a nonstop news operation from Atlanta, using cable and satellites to take on the media establishment. We'll explore how CNN went from a wild idea from a guy known for hating news to a professional operation running on a bare bones budget, despite industry doubts and early setbacks. You’ll hear how Ted pitched CNN, why incumbents like The Washington Post and Time Inc. passed, and how their scrappy team pulled it off. It was risky and chaotic, everything that could go wrong did, but in the end, they changed the world forever. More From Hi Barr Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for our ⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠ Email us: ⁠⁠⁠contact@hibarrmedia.com⁠⁠⁠  Listen to Hi Barr’s ⁠⁠⁠You Had To Be There⁠⁠⁠ podcast! For business inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠contact@hibarrmedia.com⁠⁠⁠ 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): Broadcasting Queen Elizabeth's Coronation (08:30): Ted’s News Pitch (20:00): Why News? (25:30): Reese Schonfeld’s News Dream (31:00): Network Dominance (42:00): How Network News Worked (48:00): Who Else Considered Cable News? (57:00): Ted Pitches CNN to Reese (1:18:00): Ted Pitches CNN to Cable (1:27:00): Reese's News Format (1:34:00): Daniel Schorr (1:45:00): Desperate Negotiations (1:51:00): Announcing CNN (1:55:00): Visiting The Gray Lady (2:00:00): Motivations & Risks (2:05:00): CNN's River of News (2:11:00): Creating the CNN Logo (2:14:00): Funding CNN (2:18:00): Hiring a Leadership Team (2:24:00): News Gathering (2:32:00): Groundbreaking Distribution (2:40:00): CNN's Format (2:43:00): Programming Strategies & Schedule (2:46:00): First Ad Deal (2:51:00): Trouble Selling Ads? Call Ted (2:55:00): New HQ (2:58:00): The Impossible Open Newsroom (3:03:00): Fastnet Drowns CNN? (3:06:00): MISSING! SATCOM III (3:14:00): Ted Goes to 30 Rock (3:26:00): Recruiting CNN’s Staff (3:35:00): Inventing the VJ (3:43:00): CNN College (3:53:00): Predictions (4:00:00): Last Minute Prep (4:08:00): The Final Storm Sources Books used in Episode 6. 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 Staying Tuned: A Life in Journalism (Daniel Schorr) ⁠Going There (Katie Couric's Memoir)⁠ Atomic Habits (James Clear) Paul Krugman on the Internet (1998) Ace Greenberg's PSD Memo (1981) Nike's Breaking2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    4h 13m

  6. 06/30/2025

    The Ted Turner Saga | Part 5: The Superstation Serves a Nation

    This episode follows the rise of the Superstation, the backlash it triggered, and the battles that helped shape the future of television. Ted Turner takes WTCG Channel 17 from a scrappy Atlanta station to a national disruptor, beaming it across the country as America’s first Superstation. With a mix of old movies, classic TV reruns, and Braves baseball, Turner reached millions of viewers from Kansas to Hawaii and cracked the networks’ stranglehold on television—without asking permission. But building a national audience was just the beginning. Facing mounting pressure from Hollywood studios, sports leagues, syndicators, and the Big Three networks, Turner went to war—on Capitol Hill and in the court of public opinion. He positioned TBS not just as a TV station, but as a true alternative to the system itself. And as his rivals scrambled to shut him down, Turner made one thing clear: the toothpaste was already out of the tube. More From Hi Barr Follow us on ⁠⁠X⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠ Sign up for our ⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠ Email us: ⁠⁠contact@hibarrmedia.com⁠⁠  Listen to Hi Barr’s ⁠⁠You Had To Be There⁠⁠ podcast! For business inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠contact@hibarrmedia.com⁠⁠ 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 (03:01): The Superstation Launches (09:30): Ted’s Audience Data Fix (17:00): Competitor Breakdown (29:35): Superstation Schedule (37:00): Sales & Advertising Troubles (1:00:30): Cable’s Better Model (1:14:11): Ted’s Media Star Rises (1:25:30): A REAL Alternative (1:35:00): Incumbents Strike Back (1:58:00): Showdown in Congress Sources Books used in Episode 5. 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 ⁠⁠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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    2h 29m

  7. 05/21/2025

    The Ted Turner Saga | Part 4: The Satellite Brings a Superstation

    This episode explores the boldest gamble of Ted Turner's life to date — launching his scrappy Atlanta TV station, WTCG Channel 17, into orbit via satellite and transforming it into America’s first SUPERSTATION. From Arthur C. Clarke’s 1945 prediction of satellite TV to Telstar I’s first live broadcast to HBO’s 1975 Thrilla in Manila transmission that took the tech to a new level, we land in the mid-1970s, when Turner saw what others missed: satellites weren’t just technology — they were a platform for a much bigger future. With a $1 lease and a million earth station, Ted Turner took on the networks, the government, and the laws of gravity to beam his local TV station's signal to the entire nation. More From Hi Barr Follow us on ⁠X⁠ + ⁠Instagram⁠ + ⁠YouTube⁠ + ⁠Linkedin⁠ Sign up for our ⁠newsletter⁠ Email us: ⁠contact@hibarrmedia.com⁠  Listen to Hi Barr’s ⁠You Had To Be There⁠ podcast! For business inquiries, please email: ⁠contact@hibarrmedia.com⁠ 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 (08:06): Telstar I Goes Up (13:00): First Live International Broadcast (19:00): How Satellites Work (28:31): HBO Takes the Leap (36:30): AT&T Plays Prevent D (41:10): Ted Joins the Race (1:01:11): Southern Satellite System (1:15:30): WTCG Goes National Sources Books used in Episode 4. 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 ⁠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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 26m

  8. 04/23/2025

    The Ted Turner Saga | Part 3: The Atlanta Braves & The Sports TV Revolution

    Long before live sports dominated television and drove billions in media rights deals, the televised sports landscape was limited, local, and low-priority. In this episode, we explore how Ted Turner saw something no one else did: that sports weren’t just games — they were powerful, 162-game-long TV shows. And when he turned the worst team in baseball into a programming goldmine for his upstart UHF station, he didn’t just change his channel — he changed the entire business of sports. From the rise of color TV to the birth of cable, Ted Turner saw that sports could be more than entertainment — they could anchor an entire network. When he bought the Atlanta Braves, it wasn’t for wins; it was for airtime. He packed his station with baseball games, outrageous stunts, and a whole lot of personality, turning a last-place team into the South’s favorite pastime. Along the way, he redefined sports ownership, took on the league’s old guard, and helped lay the groundwork for the 24/7 sports era we live in today. This is the wild, unlikely story of how one media maverick turned a struggling team into a national phenomenon — and rewrote the rules of both television and sports in the process. More From Hi Barr Follow us on X + Instagram + YouTube + Linkedin Sign up for our newsletter Email us: contact@hibarrmedia.com  Listen to Hi Barr’s You Had To Be There For business inquiries, please email: contact@hibarrmedia.com 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 (06:05): Factors in the Sports TV Revolution (18:00): TV Hurts Attendance? (22:20): Technology Improves Sports (32:30): Sports Labor Issues Begin (42:30): Ted's WTCG Gets The Braves (56:45): Ted Buys the Braves (1:05:31): Day 1 as Owner (1:19:00): Ted's Home Game Atmosphere (1:36:00): Role of a Sports Commissioner (1:40:06): Free Agency Begins (1:49:00): Channel 17 Andy Messersmith (1:54:50): Hank Aaron Home Run Race (2:00:00): 1976 World Series Party (2:09:14): Ted Suspended (2:22:00): Ted Turner Manages the Braves (2:37:00): Free Agency Frenzy (2:42:00): Satellite Expansion (2:52:00): Professional Sports Sources Books used in Episode 3. Get em here! The Big Time: How the 1970s Transformed Sports in America How to Watch Basketball Like a Genius: What Game Designers, Economists, Ballet Choreographers, and Theoretical Astrophysicists Reveal About the Greatest Game on Earth The New York Times (01/04/1977) 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 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 Tube of Plenty: The Evolution of American Television Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    2h 58m

  9. 03/27/2025

    The Ted Turner Saga | Part 2: WTCG—Watch This Channel Grow

    How Ted Turner turned the worst TV station in Atlanta into the launchpad for his media empire. In Episode 2 of Media Moguls: The Ted Turner Saga, we dive into the chaotic early days of Ted’s first TV station—his bold move to buy a struggling UHF channel in Atlanta called WJRJ (soon renamed WTCG). It was bleeding cash, had barely any viewers, and wasn’t even available on most TVs. So how did he make sure it didn’t just survive… but thrive? We’ll also explore how cable TV started from pure necessity—built on giant towers and coaxial cable to serve towns the networks ignored. Plus, the fierce resistance cable faced from Hollywood and the Big Three networks—and how Ted zagged while everyone else zigged. With reruns, wrestling, and relentless hustle, he built a scrappy, low-budget station that put viewers first. This is the story of tenacity, vision, and entrepreneurial insanity that changed television forever. For More From Hi Barr Follow us on X + Instagram + YouTube + Linkedin Sign up for our newsletter Email us: contact@hibarrmedia.com  Listen to Hi Barr’s You Had To Be There For business inquiries, please email: contact@hibarrmedia.com 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 (06:31): The Origin Story of Cable (09:50): Is Cable Disruptive? (14:40): Pay TV Visions or Hallucinations? (17:25): Cable Growth Stops (21:45): Ted's TV Opportunity (25:20): Local Television Dreams (27:31): Against All Advice (29:30): UHF Nightmares (37:41): Burning Cash (44:20): Stretching Every Dollar (50:41): Counter-programming (57:00): Ted Visits Hollywood (1:00:00): No Committees (1:03:00): Programming Strategy (1:06:49): Georgia Championship Wrestling (1:09:47): NBC on WTCG (1:12:00): Netflix Before Netflix (1:14:26): TV Programming Innovations (1:17:30): News at 3AM (1:22:30): Sales (1:29:00): Working with Ted (1:33:30): Cable Dreams (1:40:00): Grand Slam Vision (1:47:30): On the Next Episode Sources Books used in Episode 2. 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 Confessions of an Advertising Man Lead Follow or Get Out of the Way: The Story of Ted Turner Tinderbox: HBO's Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers 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 Tube of Plenty: The Evolution of American Television Founder Mode (Essay) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 52m

  10. 03/19/2025

    The Ted Turner Saga | Part 1: Signs of a Revolution

    Season 1 begins with Ted Turner, the media maverick who revolutionized cable television, news, and sports. But before Turner built his media empire, he was just a young man shaped by ambition, discipline, and tragedy—driven by a relentless need to succeed. In this debut episode, longtime media operator and host Web Barr unpacks the pivotal moments that set Ted Turner on his path—from a chaotic childhood to selling advertising for his father’s billboard company, and beyond. We also break down the broadcast TV revolution—how the birth of television changed everything, the slow rise of network news, and how a personal tragedy set Turner on his journey to transform media forever. Media empires aren’t built overnight. They’re forged through ambition, unorthodox thinking, and relentless drive. This is Media Moguls with Web Barr: The Ted Turner Saga. For More From Hi Barr Follow us on  X + Instagram + YouTube + Linkedin Sign up for our newsletter Email us: contact@hibarrmedia.com  Listen to Hi Barr’s You Had To Be There For business inquiries, please email: contact@hibarrmedia.com 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 (06:48): Introducing Media Moguls (08:42): Why Ted Turner (13:34): Early Childhood - Discipline, Grit, & Hard Work (25:08): The Birth of Television (29:40): TV Cities (33:05): Early Signs of TV Advertising Gold (34:30): TV Changes Movie Theaters (36:03): Early Network TV News (43:00): Hollywood Shifts (48:18): TV Changes Politics Forever (50:30): News Doubles From 15 to 30 Minutes (53:40): Ted Grows Up (1:01:30): Ted Joins Turner Advertising (1:05:00): The Deal of a Lifetime Turns Sour (1:12:05): Tragedy (1:15:13): Succession (1:17:20): His Boldest Plan Yet (1:26:00): Billboard Growth (1:31:50): Radio Dreams (1:39:30): Radio Nightmares (1:41:40): On the Next Episode Sources Books used in Episode 1. Get em here! It Ain't As Easy As It Looks: Ted Turner's Amazing Story 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 Up All Night: Ted Turner, CNN, and the Birth of 24-Hour News Ted Turner Speaks: Insights From the World's Greatest Maverick Cable Cowboy: John Malone and the rise of the modern cable-TV business The Powers That Be Me and Ted Against the World: The Unauthorized Story of the Founding of CNN Making News Leadership in War: Lessons from Those Who Made History Tube of Plenty: The Evolution of American Television Hit Makers: How to Succeed in an Age of Distraction Freedom's Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 46m

  11. TRAILER

    Introducing Media Moguls

    They’re risk-takers, rule-breakers, and empire builders. These are the stories of the visionaries who transformed media forever. In the debut season of Media Moguls, longtime media operator Web Barr takes you inside the rise of one of the most daring and unconventional figures in media history—Ted Turner. Media Moguls: The Ted Turner Saga begins on March 19, 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1 min

Trailer

4.5
out of 5
20 Ratings

About

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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