Because the Federal Communications Commission required “community service” type programming, he gave Tush a chance to do an overnight news show with nearly zero budget. When Turner purchased the independent station WTCG (which would become Superstation WTBS), he cobbled together classic films, ancient sitcoms and wrestling as cheaper counter-programming to the big three networks. His 1970s yachting exploits are intertwined with his rise in the media world. He preferred scripted fare, old movies especially. He found the nightly news too depressing. Long before CNN came to be, Turner was not a fan of news, Napoli discovered. Bernie Shaw wouldn’t have happened if Bill Tush hadn’t happened. I don’t think anybody thought to do that. I also merged the history of Channel 17 with CNN. “The obstacles he faced and the people he assembled were interesting as well. “How Turner got into the business was interesting,” Napoli said. Napoli recounts his wild, womanizing, carousing ways, his infectious personality, his innate desire to do things bigger and better. Nonetheless, Turner is the star of the book, the raison d’etre, so to speak.
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