The definitive, wild inside story of how Ted Turner changed the world. An NPR Best Book of the Year.
With the passing of media titan Ted Turner, the world is looking back at the "Mouth of the South"—the visionary, yachtsman, and philanthropist who fundamentally disrupted how humanity consumes information. But before he was a global icon, he was a billboard magnate with a "lunatic" idea: a 24-hour news channel launched from the basement of an abandoned Atlanta country club.
In Up All Night, journalist Lisa Napoli delivers a breezy, anecdote-rich account of the birth of CNN. It's a story of high-stakes gambles, a motley crew of non-union newbies, and the charismatic, uncontrollable founder who turned a struggling UHF station into a global empire.
How did we move from a world of three networks and a half-hour nightly broadcast to the era of the "breaking news" crawl? The answer lies in Turner's relentless ambition and his refusal to accept that "no news is good news."
Up All Night honors the legacy of a man who succeeded beyond his own wildest imaginings, paving the way for the digital age and the 24/7 world we live in today.
Praise
“This detailed account of the birth and life of live 24/7 coverage unfolds with great energy. It tells the story of how journalism was transformed by a cast of quirky and brilliant characters with lots of vision and hard work. This book shows how important it is to understand CNN's history and backstory to fully appreciate where we are today in cable news and fast journalism.”journalist, CEO Soledad O’Brien Productions, Soledad O’Brien
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“… an artful, anecdote-rich account of Mr. Turner and CNN.”The Wall Street Journal
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“…a breezy, tightly-written origin story.”The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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“A page-turning hybrid of biography, media analysis, and business history.”Kirkus Reviews
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“The book is fast-paced and chock-full of fascinating tidbits and hilarious anecdotes.”The National Book Review
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"It’s a fun and instructive read that will give you more respect for what the network has become."senior associate producer, NPR's Here & Now, Emiko Tamagawa
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