"It's very, very logical for us to be in that business," Turner told reporters at the Goodwill Games. "I can't set any timetable and I have nothing specific in the works now but I'm just expressing a desire." Asked about reports that he was planning to try to acquire CBS, Turner said "I can't comment directly on that. I think basically all three of them are available for the right deal."
Turner's Atlanta-based company is the leading U.S. supplier of entertainment and news programming for the cable television industry. Turner inaugurated the Goodwill Games in Moscow in 1986 to allow U.S. and Soviet athletes to compete with each other after successive Olympic boycotts.
Turner said acquiring either CBS, ABC or NBC would give TBS a broadcast network. "We would be in the same position that ABC is with ESPN (an American cable sports network) in sports. We would have both cable networks and broadcast networks and there is a lot of synergy," he said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.