Ted Turner, born Robert Edward Turner III in 1938, transformed from a billboard advertising heir into one of the most influential media moguls of the 20th century. After inheriting his father’s business following a tragic suicide in 1963, Turner expanded it aggressively and ventured into television, where he pioneered innovations that reshaped the industry. His creation of the first “superstation,” the launch of 24-hour news with CNN, and his bold use of satellite technology democratized content distribution, turning cable TV into a powerhouse. Integral to his ascent was professional wrestling, which served as cornerstone programming that boosted viewership, ensured profitability, and helped establish his networks’ national footprint. This installment of The Evolution of Pro Wrestling explores Turner’s groundbreaking contributions to television and how wrestling propelled his media empire.
Turner’s foray into television began in 1970 when he acquired WJRJ, a struggling UHF station in Atlanta, later renamed WTCG. Facing initial losses, he filled airtime with affordable content like old movies, reruns, and sports, including Atlanta Braves games starting in 1973. His masterstroke came in 1975-1976 when he leveraged satellite technology to uplink the signal nationwide via cable providers, rebranding it as WTBS—the first superstation. This move bypassed traditional broadcast limitations, reaching millions of homes and making the Braves “America’s Team.” By acquiring the Braves in 1976 and the Atlanta Hawks in 1977, Turner generated original programming, further solidifying his station’s appeal.
Building on this success, Turner launched the Cable News Network (CNN) in 1980, the world’s first 24-hour all-news channel, initially available in just 1.7 million homes. Skeptics dismissed it as foolhardy, but CNN turned profitable within five years and gained global acclaim, especially during the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War. This innovation spurred a suite of specialized channels, including Headline News, Turner Network Television (TNT), Cartoon Network, and Turner Classic Movies, diversifying content and establishing cable as a viable alternative to broadcast networks. Turner’s aggressive expansion, including a failed bid for CBS in 1985 and the acquisition of MGM Studios (leading to debt but also valuable film libraries), underscored his risk-taking ethos that propelled cable TV’s dominance. His strategies, likened to those of a battlefield general, earned him Time magazine’s Man of the Year in 1991 as the first media figure so honored.
A Business Love Affair with Pro Wrestling
Professional wrestling was not merely filler for Turner’s stations; it was a strategic linchpin that drove audience engagement and financial stability. In the early 1970s, amid WTCG’s struggles, Turner aired wrestling from Vince McMahon Sr.’s Capital Wrestling and convinced the Atlanta ABC Booking Office, owned by Ray Gunkel and Buddy Fuller to move their Saturday night “Live Atlanta Wrestling Show from network affiliate powerhouse, WQXI-TV over to his fledgling WTCG-TV station, securing rights in 1972 for what became Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW). Wrestling quickly emerged as a top draw, alongside reruns like The Andy Griffith Show and Braves games, helping the station achieve profitability by 1973.
A pivotal moment came during Atlanta’s 1972 “promotional war” after promoter Ray Gunkel’s death, when Turner neutrally provided slots for competing groups, creating a two-hour Saturday night block that endured until 2000. This programming anchored WTCG’s growth, attracting viewers that supported its satellite expansion in 1976 and national rebranding as WTBS. In 1984, after Vince McMahon Jr.’s buy out and takeover of GCW’s contract, Turner adapted by airing alternative promotions like Championship Wrestling from Georgia and Mid-South Wrestling, maintaining wrestling’s presence on his network.
Pro Wrestling’s Benefactor
Turner’s commitment deepened in 1988 when he acquired Jim Crockett Promotions for $9 million, rebranding it as World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and integrating it into his empire. Despite initial losses, WCW nationalized wrestling by broadcasting stars like Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes on TBS, exposing regional talent to a nationwide audience. The 1995 launch of Monday Nitro on TNT ignited the “Monday Night Wars” against WWF’s Monday Night Raw, with WCW dominating ratings for 83 weeks and elevating the sport’s popularity. Turner’s financial backing and prime-time slots created a major competitor to WWF, revolutionizing wrestling’s reach and contributing to his media conglomerate’s visibility. However, mismanagement led to WCW’s decline, culminating in its 2001 sale to WWF amid the AOL-Time Warner merger, from which Turner resigned in 2003.
Wrestling’s role in Turner’s rise was multifaceted: it provided low-cost, high-engagement content that sustained his early station, drew audiences to fund expansions like CNN, and demonstrated his knack for leveraging niche programming to build a global empire.
Ted Turner’s legacy as a television pioneer lies in his disruption of the broadcast oligopoly through satellite distribution, specialized channels, and relentless innovation, forever altering how content reaches audiences. Professional wrestling, often overlooked in his narrative, was instrumental serving as a ratings powerhouse that stabilized his ventures and amplified his networks’ influence during critical growth phases. Though his direct control waned after mergers, Turner’s vision endures in modern cable and streaming landscapes, a testament to his bold fusion of entertainment, sports, and news.
It is for all of these reasons and more why I cast a vote for Ted Turner in the non-wrestler category of my ballot for this year’s Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame. I would urge you to consider marking his box as well.
Thank You for Reading
I’m Tony Richards, Pro Wrestling Historian, Author and Storyteller. I share pro wrestling historical items in each issue of the Time Tunnel Pro Wrestling History Newsletter. Thanks for reading! If you enjoy my information on select events, matches and insights, please share it with folks you think might like to be a subscriber!
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Time Warner instead of wanting Thunder on TBS could've kept Saturday Night stronger instead saving WCW money in the long run. Even if TNT wanted to cancel Nitro in 2001, Saturday Night would stay on TBS and be the main show once again.
Great write up on one of wrestling’s most important figures ever. People don’t quite comprehend how important he was to wrestling’s health in a post-WWF expansion world.