Media Moguls with Web Barr

About Media Moguls with Web Barr

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.

Publisher

Hi Barr

Category

business · history

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

28 Feb 2025

Latest episode

7 May 2026

Latest episodes

13 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   7 May 2026

   Ted Turner: The Last Media Maverick (1938-2026)

   Today, Ted Turner passed away at the age of 87. In this special episode of Media Moguls, I reflect on the life, legacy, and incredible impact of one of the most important media figures in history. From transforming a struggling Atlanta UHF TV station into the national Superstation TBS via the satellite… to launching CNN and creating the 24/7 news cycle… to revolutionizing sports broadcasting through his Atlanta Braves, Ted Turner repeatedly saw the future before anyone else and capitalized on it. I've also revisted some of my favorite Ted Turner quotes and stories to better explain just who Ted was. Ted Turner wasn’t just a media mogul. He was a force of nature. Rest easy, Ted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2. 

   13 Apr 2026

   The Ted Turner Saga | Part 11: Endgame

   After 10 episodes, nearly 30 hours of audio, and three years of work, the final chapter of Media Moguls: The Ted Turner Saga is here. In the 1990s, the media world went big, and Ted Turner knew he had to keep up. Despite building CNN into a global force and launching TNT, Cartoon Network, and more, Turner Broadcasting was still too small for a rapidly consolidating industry. After failed attempts to buy or merge with ABC, NBC, and CBS, Ted made the biggest move of his career: selling to Time Warner. It worked… until it didn’t. This episode breaks down the deals, the strategy, and the moment when the ultimate media outsider chose to join the establishment, and what it cost him. From there, we follow what happened next, how it looked like a success, and how it slowly unraveled. 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 (0:20:23): State of 90s Media (0:41:00): Ted + ABC (1:14:00): Ted + NBC (1:30:00): Media MergerMania (1:51:00): Ted Time Warner (2:10:00): Fallout (2:40:00): Ted vs. Murdoch (3:05:00): Ted's Influence at TW (3:26:00): AOL Time Warner Sources Books used in Episode 11. 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 Fools Rush In: Steve Case, Jerry Levin, and the Unmaking of AOL Time Warner The Highwaymen (Auletta) The Rise and Fall of WCW Nitro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3. 

   16 Feb 2026

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

   Web Barr explores Ted Turner's expansion of his media empire after the MGM gamble, focusing on the creation of TNT, Cartoon Network, and Turner Classic Movies, and the controversies that arose.

4. 

   6 Jan 2026

   The Ted Turner Saga | Part 9: MGM Nightmares

   Web Barr explores Ted Turner's acquisition of MGM from Kirk Kerkorian in 1985, highlighting the high-stakes gamble involving junk bonds and the reshaping of Turner Broadcasting.

5. 

   3 Nov 2025

   The Ted Turner Saga | Part 8: CBS Takeover Dreams

   Web Barr explores Ted Turner's ambitious yet ultimately unsuccessful attempt to acquire CBS in the 1980s, revealing the impact of Reaganomics and deregulation on the media landscape.

6. 

   1 Oct 2025

   The Ted Turner Saga | Part 7: CNN - Hour 1. Day 1. Year 1. Decade 1.

   Web Barr explores Ted Turner's gamble on CNN, detailing its launch, initial struggles, and pivotal moments like the Reagan assassination attempt and the battle against competitors, revealing CNN's fight for survival.

7. 

   7 Aug 2025

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

   Host Web Barr explores how Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld launched CNN, the first 24-hour news network, revolutionizing news delivery despite industry skepticism and limited resources; this is an interview.

8. 

   30 Jun 2025

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

   Web Barr explores Ted Turner's creation of the Superstation, which challenged established television networks by broadcasting old movies, reruns, and Braves baseball, ultimately reshaping the media landscape.

9. 

   21 May 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

10. 

    23 Apr 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

11. 

    27 Mar 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

12. 

    19 Mar 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

13. 

    28 Feb 2025

    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

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

313,517

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.5 / 5

20 ratings

Spotify

4.2 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 39 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

24

Social presence

0

YouTube

82

Engagement

51

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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