The New York Times
By Stuart Elliot
Ted Turner is known for his pioneering efforts in cable television, founding channels like CNN and TBS. He was honored on Tuesday for his leadership role involving other types of screens.
Mr. Turner was feted on Tuesday morning at the start of the fifth annual Digital Media Summit, taking place at the New York Hilton and sponsored by the Digital Place-Based Advertising Association. He was honored with the first award presented by the association to someone its members deem an industry visionary.
The association’s members are companies in the field of what is called place-based media – that is, firms that seek to reach consumers with advertising that appears in locations like stores, airports, health clubs, taxicabs and malls.
In the early 1990s, Mr. Turner’s company, Turner Broadcasting System, was in the forefront of place-based media. It started networks, broadcasting programming and commercials, that included the Checkout Channel, in supermarkets; CNN Accent Health, in doctors’ offices; CNN Airport Network; CNN College Television Network, now the MTVU unit of Viacom; and McDTV, inside McDonald’s restaurants.
