Call Me Ted
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''Call Me Ted'' is an
autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life. It is a form of biography. Definition The word "autobiography" was first used deprecatingly by William Taylor in 1797 in the English peri ...
written by American businessman
Ted Turner Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American entrepreneur, television producer, media proprietor, and philanthropist. He founded the Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24-hour United States cable news, cable news ch ...
, released on November 10, 2008. The book was written over the course of three years with the help of Bill Burke, a former executive for TBS.


Overview

After dropping out of college, Turner began working for his father's billboard company, slowly turning it into an international media empire, including the creation of the first 24-hour news channel ''
CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by the M ...
''. Also discussed are some of Turner's more controversial business moves, such as the disastrous
merger Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are business transactions in which the ownership of companies, other business organizations, or their operating units are transferred to or consolidated with another company or business organization. As an aspect ...
of his corporation
Time Warner Warner Media, LLC ( traded as WarnerMedia) was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate. It was headquartered at the 30 Hudson Yards complex in New York City, United States. It was originally established in 1972 by ...
with
AOL AOL (stylized as Aol., formerly a company known as AOL Inc. and originally known as America Online) is an American web portal and online service provider based in New York City. It is a brand marketed by the current incarnation of Yahoo (2017â ...
. The book delves into Turner's personal life, including the death of his teenage sister, the suicide of his father, and his ten-year marriage to
Jane Fonda Jane Seymour Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is an American actress, activist, and former fashion model. Recognized as a film icon, Fonda is the recipient of various accolades including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, sev ...
, an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
winning actress.


Reception

''Call Me Ted'' received fairly positive reviews. Some critics noted that his desire not to dwell in the past raises inherent difficulties when writing an autobiography. The details of his business transactions earned praise. ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' said that "Turner's personality infuses every page of ''Call Me Ted''," and named it "One of the best business books of 2008." ''
The Economist ''The Economist'' is a British weekly newspaper printed in demitab format and published digitally. It focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture. Based in London, the newspaper is owned by The Econo ...
'' said that "Mr. Turner is surprisingly candid... There is a remarkable lack of regret in Mr. Turner's writing, or of defensiveness... Mr. Turner's mantra seems to be to keep moving on." ''
The Daily Beast ''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008. It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...
'' said, "The new memoir ''Call Me Ted'' makes the Mouth of the South seem like a pleasant-even modest!-creature."


References

2008 non-fiction books American autobiographies Turner Broadcasting System {{US-bio-book-stub