The Cable News Network (CNN) is an American basic cable and satellite television channel owned by the CNN Worldwide division of Warner Bros. Discovery. Upon its launch, CNN became the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and was the first all-news television network in the United States.
Founded as a subsidiary of Turner Broadcasting System in 1980 by Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld, the channel helped pave the way for other Turner sister networks like Headline News (HLN), the channel with the same acronym TBS, Cartoon Network, etc.Time Warner: Turner Broadcasting Its success set the stage for conglomerate Time Warner's acquisition of the parent company in 1996. Time Warner later became WarnerMedia after AT&T Inc.'s buyout in 2018. However, due to creative differences and debts, AT&T split from WarnerMedia as it merged with Discovery, Inc., forming Warner Bros. Discovery in 2022.
1980–1990: Early history Launch Three and a half years before CNN's launch, in December 1976, Ted Turner turned his Atlanta, Georgia independent station WTCG into one of the original satellite-distributed television channels, leasing a transponder on RCA's Satcom 1 geostationary satellite. The Cable News Network was intended to be distributed on RCA's new Satcom 3, which was lost on its launch date of December 7, 1979. Because replacement transmission capacity was not readily available, the Turner Broadcasting System filed suit against RCA seeking use of another communications satellite and $35.5 million in damages. On March 5, Turner announced that a consent order had been worked out with RCA in federal court, allowing CNN to begin operations on June 1 as scheduled, using a transponder on Satcom 1.
The network launched on Sunday, June 1, 1980, at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time with an original staff of 300 employees based at its headquarters in Atlanta,Reese Schonfeld Bio. (January 29, 2001) MeAndTed.com. Retrieved 2007-06-18. Charles Bierbauer, CNN senior Washington correspondent, discusses his 19-year career at CNN. (May 8, 2000). CNN.com. Retrieved 2007-06-18. and bureaus in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. The station first pictured a shot of the CNN logo on a red background bar with a 750 hertz beep tone followed by silence. Afterwards, the inaugural broadcast on the channel was an introduction by Ted Turner.Turner declared that CNN would only sign on once (at the launch) and would not sign off until the end of the world, which they would cover live. He even commissioned the doomsday tape that would be broadcast by the last employee in the event of a global catastrophe scenario, in which a band played the hymn Nearer, My God, to Thee, which is the song said to have been played on the Titanic when it sank.
Following the introduction and a pre-recorded version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" (which was a tradition whenever a new Turner-owned network launched) that was played afterward officially opening the husband and wife team of Dave Walker and Lois Hart as they news anchored the channel's very first newscast. Among the first segments was an interview with then-President Jimmy Carter by Daniel Schorr. And to let "the undecided voter … hear the issues debated by all three leading candidates" in the second 1980 presidential debate, Schorr read the debate questions to John B. Anderson. CNN then aired Anderson's live responses along with tape delay of Carter and Ronald Reagan's responses, despite technical difficulties. In April 1981, CNN successfully sued the Big Three television networks and the Reagan administration for equal representation in the White House press corps.
On January 1, 1982, the channel launched a spin-off network called CNN2, which was subsequently renamed Headline News (HLN) the following year in January 1983.
Whereas CNN featured a mix of newscasts and specialized topical and feature programs, Headline News was originally formatted to strictly focus on rolling news coverage, featuring half-hour newscasts 24 hours a day with segments scheduled in fixed timeslots each half-hour; as such, it was one of the first news channels to utilize a "wheel" schedule. Headline News would scale back its rolling news coverage in February 2005, with the incorporation of personality-based news discussion programs during its nighttime schedule.
Following the launch of CNN, other cable news channels launched in an attempt to capitalize on the channel's growing success, which often had marginal to no success in competing with CNN. One of the first was Satellite News Channel, which launched on June 21, 1982, with a mix of national and regionally focused newscasts; after the channel ceased operations on October 27, 1983, its satellite transponder slot was subsequently purchased by Ted Turner to expand the distribution of Headline News further into additional homes.
After five years, CNN outgrew its original home, a former country club on the outskirts of midtown Atlanta. In 1985, Turner purchased the Omni International complex from its original developer, Atlanta-based real estate mogul Tom Cousins, and moved CNN's headquarters to the building, rechristening the complex as the CNN Center. As Omni International, the complex had never succeeded. Cousins sold it to Turner, along with the Atlanta Hawks NBA franchise. CNN moved into the end of the tower that once housed The World of Sid and Marty Krofft. Turner was instrumental in the revival of Atlanta's downtown. September 1 that year was the launch of CNN International.
Original programs Moneyline Moneyline premiered in 1980 and was CNN's main financial program for more than 20 years. As the show, hosted by Lou Dobbs, moved more towards general news and economic and political commentary, it was renamed Moneyline with Lou Dobbs, Lou Dobbs Moneyline and then Lou Dobbs Tonight. In 2010, Dobbs – the last remaining original host from the network's launch in 1980 – resigned amid controversy over his questioning of whether President Barack Obama was a native-born U.S. citizen – a qualification for the presidency required under the U.S. Constitution.
Evans & Novak The political discussion show Evans and Novak was created in 1980, with Rowland Evans and Robert Novak as its hosts. It became one of the cable network's most-watched discussion programs. Only a short time after, Al Hunt and Mark Shields joined the show as occasional panelists; the name of the program was eventually changed to Evans, Novak, Hunt & Shields in 1998 when Hunt and Shields were named as permanent members of the show.
Crossfire In June 1982, the channel launched a late night political debate program, Crossfire, which featured discussions on political issues from opposing viewpoints; it was hosted by liberal Tom Braden and conservative Pat Buchanan. The idea of the program came about when Braden and Buchanan debated on a daily radio show in 1978. The show soon became popular and was moved to a primetime slot. In 1985, Buchanan left the show to become the communications director for the Ronald Reagan presidential administration. He was replaced by conservative columnist Robert Novak, who had already co-hosted another political program on CNN, Evans & Novak and was also a regular on The McLaughlin Group at the time. Buchanan returned to the show in 1987, replacing Novak. In 1989, Braden was replaced by Michael Kinsley, a liberal columnist for Time, and magazine editor for The New Republic.
Larry King Live In June 1985, CNN launched a primetime interview show hosted by Larry King. Larry King Live featured interviews with one or more prominent individuals, mainly celebrities, politicians and businesspeople. The show became the longest-running program on CNN, lasting for 25 years until King's retirement from the network in 2010.End Of Qtr Data-Q107 (minus 3 hours).xls It was the highest-rated news show on television until 2000, when The O'Reilly Factor on rival Fox News Channel surpassed Larry King Live in the ratings.
Unlike many interviewers, Larry King had a direct, non-confrontational approach. His interview style was characteristically frank, but with occasional bursts of irreverence and humor. His approach attracted some guests who would not otherwise appear. King, who was known for his general lack of pre-interview preparation, once bragged that he never pre-read the books of authors who appeared on his show. Critics have claimed that Larry King asked "soft" questions in comparison to other interviewers, which allowed him to reach guests who would be averse to interviewing on "tough" talk shows.
On February 24, 1987, King suffered a major heart attack and had to undergo a quintuple-bypass surgery. It was a life-altering event as previously, smoking was one of his trademarks and he was unashamed of his addiction. King was a three-pack-a-day smoker and kept a lit cigarette during his interviews, so he would not have to take time to light up during breaks. After the incident, he encouraged curbing smoking to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Variety shows Sports Tonight (1980–2001) People in the News Style with Elsa Klensch (1980–2000) Business Morning CNN Daybreak (1980–2005)
Early coverage Space Shuttle Challenger disaster On January 28, 1986, CNN was the only TV network news to provide live coverage of the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger to the public. However, NASA TV provided the live coverage to schools nationwide , and HBO (Home Box Office) carried the live feed without commentary as well (before its normal broadcast, at that time, of films beginning in the late afternoon) . The Space Shuttle Challenger abruptly disintegrated just 73 seconds after lift-off. Seven astronauts, including schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe, were killed in the disaster.
Then President Ronald Reagan postponed the State of the Union Address that evening. He addressed the nation in the time of tragedy and grief from the Oval Office. On January 31, 1986, two days after the tragedy, CNN provided live coverage of the memorial service for the Challenger crew members at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Baby Jessica rescue On October 14, 1987, 18-month-old toddler Jessica McClure fell down a well in Midland, Texas. CNN quickly reported on the story, and the event helped make its name. New York Times columnist Lisa Belkin wrote a retrospective article in 1995 on the impact of live video news:
1990–2001: Leadership under Tom Johnson In 1990, Tom Johnson, who formerly served as publisher of the Los Angeles Times for 13 years, was named as the president of CNN.
Under Johnson, CNN expanded its reach with the launches of a number of cable and satellite television networks, both domestic and internationally. Two specialized closed-circuit networks launched in 1991: CNN Airport Network, which provides a mix of original content and simulcasts of CNN International to national and world airports; and CNN Checkout Channel, a customized channel made available to grocery stores which shut down in 1993. 1996 saw the debuts of two specialty news channels: CNNSI, a sports news channel created in partnership with co-owned magazine Sports Illustrated, and CNNfn, a business news channel created as a competitor to CNBC (CNNSI shut down in 2002, while CNNfn shut down in December 2004; CNN continues to maintain a partnership with Sports Illustrated through CNNSI.com).