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01/25/2005:

"Turner takes a stand: Maverick mogul blasts big business congloms"

LAS VEGAS -- Alternately wisecracking and whimsical, Ted Turner took several pot shots at media consolidation but largely spared his old colleagues at AOL Time Warner during the opening keynote session at NATPE Tuesday morning.

The maverick mogul told some 750 NATPE delegates that the concentration of media might in the hands of five congloms had made it well-nigh impossible to break into the business -- and, even more perniciously, made the news operations of such companies less critical of government.

But describing himself as "phased out" of the biz, the CNN founder came across to the NATPE contingent as more resigned than riled up. Feisty he was not.

Given war and environmental degradation, he pointed out, there's a tremendous responsibility in running these operations.

"We need to be very well informed. We need less Hollywood news and a little more hard news," Turner said in an opening 10-minute address. That young people get much of their news from sources like Jon Stewart on Comedy Central was, in his view, "frightening."
Full Article: variety.com