Ted Turner Forms New Film Company
Saturday June 16, 7:48 am Eastern Time
ATLANTA (Reuters) - Media mogul Ted Turner, frustrated by his gradual loss of control over the media empire he sold to Time Warner in 1996, has set up his own new production company in Atlanta, a spokeswoman said on Friday.
Ted Turner Productions, located near the CNN headquarters that once was the center of Turner's media empire, will produce feature-length films and documentaries, Turner spokeswoman Maura Donlan said.
The studio will work closely with AOL Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:AOL - news), which is now home to the various properties that once made up Turner Broadcasting System, she said. However, the new studio also will develop projects on its own or possibly with other studios if AOL Time Warner is not interested, she said.
In particular, the new venture will focus on productions related to Turner's long-standing interest in the United Nations, the threat of nuclear war and the Civil War.
The new company will be led by Robert Wussler, co-founder of CNN and former president of CBS television, who confirmed that Turner has several projects in mind and that one feature-length film is now in the pre-production stage.
``He's focused on certain things about improving the quality of life, saving this planet and preserving history,'' Wussler said in a statement.
Turner, 62, sold his media empire to Time Warner in 1996. Time Warner was then acquired by America Online earlier this year to form AOL Time Warner.
Turner remains vice chairman and senior adviser to AOL Time Warner, but was reportedly frustrated at his shrinking role in the company's media division, whose various properties were consolidated earlier this year under former WB television network chief Jamie Kellner.
biz.yahoo.com |
