Business
Business

Big shift coming for TV? Kill some networks, CEO says

What if the folks at a TV network had a system in place that could vary programming by viewer and TV set? That’s part of what John Martin sees ahead as CEO of Turner, which controls some of the most popular networks on cable. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Credit: Hyosub Shin

Credit: Hyosub Shin

What if the folks at a TV network had a system in place that could vary programming by viewer and TV set? That’s part of what John Martin sees ahead as CEO of Turner, which controls some of the most popular networks on cable. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM
By Matt Kempner
May 19, 2017

The head of one of the nation’s biggest cable TV empires says it’s time to say goodbye to a bunch of competing television networks.

Turner CEO John Martin, who oversees TBS, CNN, Cartoon Network, TNT and other channels, is continuing calls for cable providers to slash how many networks they carry, perhaps leaving only 60.

>> Which ones should disappear? Find out more, including how Martin intends to 'sniff" out more information about viewers and launch "personalized" TV, in my latest Unofficial Business column on MyAJC.com.

AJC Unofficial Business columnist Matt Kempner offers you a unique look at the business scene in metro Atlanta and beyond. You'll find more on myAJC.com, including these columns:

Never miss a minute of what's happening in local business news. Subscribe to myAJC.com.

About the Author

Matt Kempner is an award-winning journalist who seeks out intriguing twists about people and subjects beyond what the AJC might typically cover. A former columnist and editor, his past assignments have included business investigations, energy, the economy, entrepreneurs, big business, consumer spending, politics, government and the environment.

Follow Matt Kempner on facebookFollow Matt Kempner on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Lt. Gov. Burt Jones — pictured speaking at his first governor campaign rally in August — faced criticism in 2023 for trying to change the rules governing where hospitals can be built, which would have cleared a path for proposed 100-bed hospital on a Butts County development property. In 2024, Jones helped push through a bipartisan bill that accomplished many of the same goals. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)

Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com

$10B hospital project backed by Burt Jones includes sea of data centers

Computer storage warehouses are envisioned to comprise the bulk of a $10 billion Butts County megaproject site along I-75 owned by Burt Jones’ father, according to a filing.

7m ago

Timber merger brings HQ to Atlanta, creates Georgia’s largest private landowner

Two timberland giants will merge, bringing a new headquarters to Atlanta and forming the state's largest private landowner.

Atlanta airport will not air TSA video that blames Democrats for the shutdown

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will not display the Department of Homeland Security’s newest video for airport security screening checkpoints.

The Latest

Some owners cite the Subaru Forester's oversized sunroof as one of their favorite features. (Courtesy of Subaru)

Credit: Source: Subaru

Why are Subarus so popular?

OPINION

Is this the Corvette of the future?

OPINION

Mountain weekend ready: Tips, all-wheel drive picks for Blue Ridge getaways

Featured

Mathew Palmer, a former Delta Air Lines employee, at his home in Atlanta on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. Palmer was fired less than two weeks after writing a post on social media about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Natrice Miller/AJC)
EXCLUSIVE

Delta flight attendant fired for Kirk-related social post speaks out

Mathew Palmer, a Delta flight attendant, was suspended by the airline the day after writing a Facebook post about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Marjorie Taylor Greene’s voters are sticking with her through her political evolution

Congresswoman Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s supporters are sticking with her even as she splits from Republican Party leadership

Truck driver arrested after 8th victim found in wreckage of I-85 crash

A tractor-trailer struck the back of a Dodge van, causing the van to go up in flames. The crash involved 6 vehicles, one of which was a van transporting 37 cats to a shelter.