Broadcasting Executive Jamie Kellner, who helped to launch both FOX and the now defunct WB Network passed away this weekend according to multiple reports, including Variety.
In the professional wrestling periphery, Kellner is best known as the executive who took over Turner Broadcasting after parent company Time Warner merged with AOL - making the decision to cancel World Championship Wrestling programming, including Monday Nitro on TNT, Thunder on TBS and WCW Saturday Night.
I mean, was he really influential for good reasons? The two things I know about him are that he killed WCW and he’s responsible for Pinky, Elmyra, and The Brain. Neither speaks well of him.
He worked to bring FOX into existence in the '80s, he helped get Married With Children and The Simpson’s on the air among others. After leaving FOX he helped to create The CW, including shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 7th Heaven, and Felicity, which were almost all big hits in their day. Sure he killed some of the best Cartoons ever, see my avatar… but he was also highly influential in the TV industry long before he killed things I loved. Even towards the end his Acme Group had petitioned the FCC to deny Fox’s renewal of a station in Philly because of their election lies, he wasn’t all bad, he just happened to be the killer of things I liked.
Fuck him for killing WCW…
…but you are correct he gave me Married…with Children and Simpsons, I cannot legally be that mad at the guy.
Huh. There’s a lot there I didn’t know. Thanks!
fox was actually pretty influential in it’s rise, especially though shows like arsenio hall and in living colour. heck, fox and arsenio hall was essentially the reason why bill clinton became president.