Satellite Czar turns 20

NEARLY TEN years back, the dish antenna was a symbol of gulf war, pictures of exciting exclusivity.

The dish antenna now is commonplace, though it still reminds us of the beginning of a communications revolution in the country.

The antenna in 1991, during the gulf war, was the other name for CNN, the American Channel that brought satellite TV to India. The 24-hours, which is a habitual round-the-clock news-breaker is turning 20 on June 1.

``I am Dave Walker... I am Lois Hart... and here is the news'': these were the first words that came of the tube with the CNN logo in 1980.

The first news story for the fledgling channel was that of Vernon Jordan, director of the National Urban League who was shot in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It brought viewers live coverage from Fort Wayne as a vigil was in progress for Jordan.

The first International story followed, 5000 miles away. As the Israeli cabinet and Prime Minister Menachem Begin were parting the ways, CNN's correspondent Jay Bushinky reported live from Jerusalem.

To mark the day, the channel will air a two-part 20th Anniversary special ``Twenty Years of Stories: This is CNN''. In this programme the viewers will have an opportunity to revisit some of the most momentous news events of the past as seen through the eyes of the CNN journalists who first brought them on the air.

Larry King will interview CNN' founder Ted Turner and speak to some of the news makers who helped to shape those events in these special prime-time programmes.

On that day people all around the world can see the space shuttle `Challenger' explode, the Berlin wall coming down, the terrifying sound of missiles during the live coverage of the Persian Gulf war.

Not only one can see these everlasting images back in the drawing room but also the people connected with it will share their experience in interviews.

Beginning with around 200 employees, it has about 4000 people, has 37 bureaus and 800 affiliates. It reached one billion people around the world.

London, Berlin and Hong Kong are now major production centres with 40 hours of programming a week produced from Europe and 30 hours a week from Asia.

It was only in 1985, CNN posted its first profitable year and now it delivers news in nine languages.

There is trivia galore too associated with a big brand: CNN founder Ted Turner and host Larry King share the same birthday, (November 19).

To keep the cash safely in Baghdad, former CNN correspondent Peter Arnett sewed $100,000 into the lining of his leather jacket.

CNN Chairman and CEO, Tom Johnson, lent Mikhail Gorbachev the pen he used to sign the papers officially dissolving the Soviet Union.

Turner on March 1980 said ``We sign in on June 1, and barring satellite problems in the future, we won't be signing off until the world ends.. we will cover it live... that will be our last event. We will play the National anthem one time and that's all''.

By S. R. Ashok Kumar

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Previous : Novel sites at school
Next     : Ornate portraits