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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.
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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
Sources
Books used in Episode 5. Get em here!
Media Man: Ted Turner's Improbable Empire
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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By Hi BarrThis 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: [email protected]
Listen to Hi Barr’s You Had To Be There podcast!
For business inquiries, please email: [email protected]
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
Sources
Books used in Episode 5. Get em here!
Media Man: Ted Turner's Improbable Empire
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices