Up All Night
A review of

Up All Night

Ted Turner, CNN, and the Birth of 24-Hour News

Lisa Napoli • Abrams Books • 2020

Swashbuckling Television

by David Meyer

Lisa Napoli details the almost unbelievable history of media mogul Ted Turner and his foremost invention: CNN.

Journalist Lisa Napoli details CNN’s saga and the life of its founder, Ted Turner. By emphasizing live reports and broadcasting 24 hours a day, CNN, which was the first all-news cable TV channel, turned the news world upside down. Napoli revels in Turner’s eccentric life and powerful personality. A pioneer in broadcasting, Turner seldom gets the credit he deserves; Napoli sets the record straight.

Ted Turner

Atlanta’s independent TV station, Channel 17, struggled with a tiny audience, few advertisers and monthly losses of $50,000. To rescue his venture, the station owner bought an ad on an Atlanta billboard.

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