by Tom Brokaw, NBC NEWS
Watch Ted Turner’s acceptance speech
When any long or short history of journalism is recorded, the name Ted Turner should be in bold print in the pantheon of giants in the field. His vision, daring and commitment to the truest values of our profession gave us a revolution in access to news and analysis almost everywhere in the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, week in and week out.
CNN from the very beginning was so much more than the Cable News Network. It was an electronic grid that connected remote corners and international capitals, ordinary households and palatial retreats, small businesses and financial giants with the power of information independently gathered and disseminated.
It is hard to believe now, but Ted and CNN instantly changed our expectations of how and where we get the news that we depend on to make informed decisions about our lives and our common interests. He did nothing less than wire the world and then hover over his unique creation to be sure it was covering the difficult and important developments of the day as well as the incidental and merely entertaining. Ted did that with the same bravado and sure touch he brought to the wheel of his America’s Cup racing yachts, steering through stiff winds and high seas, full speed ahead, leaving his competitors scrambling to catch up.
It wasn’t easy and it was so financially risky that there were times when Ted himself didn’t know whether he’d get to the finish line, but he never wavered. As a result, more people in more places have access to the oxygen of reliable information than anyone could have imagined not so long ago.
As I have come to know personally, Ted’s commitment to the highest values of our profession have not been diminished by his separation from his beloved creation. He’s a constant and persuasive champion of international coverage and foreign policy analysis, believing as he does that in this ever smaller world the imperative for the common language of journalism has never been greater.
I am proud to call him a friend and I never leave his company without thinking, “He’s right; we have to do better.”
One of Ted’s heroes is Rhett Butler who was famous for saying, “Frankly… I don’t give a damn.” That’s where Ted and Rhett part company. Ted does give a damn.