Call Me Ted : The Autobiography of the Extraordinary Business Leader and Founder of CNN

by Turner, Ted; Burke, Bill

• ISBN13: 9780446581899
• ISBN10: 0446581895
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-11-10
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Summary

"Early to bed, early to rise,work like hell and advertise!" These words of fatherly advice helped shape Ted Turner's remarkable life, but they only begin to explain the colorful, energetic, and unique style that has made Ted into one of the most amazing personalities of our time. Along the way - among his numerous accomplishments -- Ted became one of the richest men in the world, the largest land owner in the United States, revolutionized the television business with the creation of TBS and CNN, became a champion sailor and winner of the America's Cup, and took home a World Series championship trophy in 1995 as owner of the Atlanta Braves. An innovative entrepreneur, outspoken nonconformist, and groundbreaking philanthropist, Ted Turner is truly a living legend, and now, for the first time, he reveals his personal story. From his difficult childhood to the successful launch of his media empire to the catastrophic AOL/Time Warner deal, Turner spares no details or feelings and takes the reader along on a wild and sometimes bumpy ride. You'll also hear Ted's personal take on how we can save the world...share his experiences in the dugout on the day when he appointed himself as manager of the Atlanta Braves....learn how he almost lost his life in the 1979 Fastnet sailing race (but came out the winner)...and discover surprising details about his dealings with Fidel Castro, Mikhail Gorbachev, Jimmy Carter, Bill Gates, Jack Welch, Warren Buffett, and many more of the most influential people of the past half century. Ted also doesn't shrink from the darker and more intimate details of his life. With his usual frankness, he discusses a childhood of loneliness (he was left at a boarding school by his parents at the tender age of four), and the emotional impact of devastating losses (Ted's beloved sister died at seventeen and his hard-charging father committed suicide when Ted was still in his early twenties). Turner is also forthcoming about his marriages, including the one to Oscar-winning actress, Jane Fonda. Along the way, Ted's friends, colleagues, and family are equally revealing in their unique "Ted Stories" which are peppered throughout the book. Jane Fonda, especially, provides intriguing insights into Ted's inner drive and character. In CALL ME TED, you'll hear Ted Turner's distinctive voice on every page. Always forthright, he tells you what makes him tick and what ticks him off, and delivers an honest account of what he's all about. Inspiring and entertaining, CALL ME TED sheds new light on one of the greatest visionaries of our time.

Table of Contents

Early Years	p. 1
McCallie	p. 11
College and the Coast Guard	p. 23
Billboards	p. 41
Tragedy	p. 53
Picking Up the Pieces	p. 59
On My Own	p. 67
Sailing Gets Serious	p. 79
WTCG: "Watch This Channel Grow!"	p. 91
The Braves	p. 109
The SuperStation	p. 125
The America's Cup	p. 145
Cable News Network	p. 159
Fastnet	p. 169
CNN Launch	p. 181
A Dagger Pointed at Our Heart	p. 191
World Citizen	p. 207
The Goodwill Games	p. 215
CBS	p. 223
MGM	p. 237
The Cable Operators	p. 249
Meeting Jane Fonda	p. 259
"Give Me Land, Lots of Land"	p. 269
The Gulf War	p. 277
Movies and Cartoons	p. 289
Networking	p. 303
Time Warner Merger	p. 315
The New Time Warner	p. 327
Billion-Dollar Gift	p. 343
Transitions	p. 355
AOL: Phased Out and Fenced In	p. 367
Stepping Away	p. 383
Onward and Upward	p. 399
Appendix	p. 415
Index	p. 419
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.