You Had To Be There

CNN Launches the 24/7 News Cycle

On Sunday, June 1st, 1980, Ted Turner pressed a button—and CNN went live, beaming 24/7 news into homes across America and changing the media landscape forever, while shrinking time and space forever.In this episode, we sent Julia Thompson to track down and interview people who were at CNN’s Atlanta headquarters on day one. What follows is the story of a visionary who dared to build a 24-hour news network on a tight budget—in a world dominated by 30-minute broadcasts and networks spending over $100 million a year on their news. With his own money and a vow to stay on the air “until the world ends,” Ted Turner took on the giants. It’s a modern-day David and Goliath tale—driven by technology, entertainment, risk, and pure tenacity. This is how CNN was born.This episode features interviews with: Richard Roth (CNN original. Covered Gulf War, Berlin Wall fall, Tiananmen Square protests, and more) John Huey (former Time Inc. Editor-in-Chief, Fortune Editor. WSJ journalist covering CNN's launch) Jack Lechner (TV/Film Producer. Professor. Multiple-Time Jeopardy! Winner) Steven Livingston (Author, The CNN Effect. Professor) Web Barr Listen to Hi Barr's newest podcast, Media Moguls with Web Barr on your favorite podcast app now. CREDITS'You Had To Be There' is a Hi Barr production.Created by Hi Barr.'CNN Launches the 24/7 News Cycle' was written and hosted by Julia Thompson.Produced by Julia Thompson and Web Barr.Edited by Julia Thompson.Edit, Sound Mix, and engineering by Vishal Nayak.Original score by Teeny Lieberson.  Artwork created by Dylan Lathrop.Special thanks to our parents, friends and chosen family. And most importantly, thank you to the artists who’ve inspired us because they had to do it.MORE FROM HI BARRSign up to receive our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram and YouTube.For business inquiries, please email: contact@hibarrmedia.com.Were you at one of the events covered on the show? If so, we'd love to talk! Please get in touch via email and/or social media channels like Instagram or X. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Garry Kasparov vs. Deep Blue: The Chess Match That Changed Everything

In May 1997, the world watched as Garry Kasparov, the greatest chess player of all time, faced off against IBM’s supercomputer, Deep Blue. It was man vs. machine—a defining moment in the evolution of artificial intelligence and a turning point for chess.To revisit this historic showdown, we’ve given producer and director Julia Thompson a 48-hour challenge: track down and interview someone who was there when technology changed the game forever.This episode features interviews with: David Shenk Dylan Loeb McClain Murray Campbell  CREDITS'You Had To Be There' is a Hi Barr production.Created by Hi Barr.'Garry Kasparov vs. Deep Blue' was written and hosted by Julia Thompson.Produced by Julia Thompson and Web Barr.Edited by Julia Thompson.Edit, Sound Mix, and engineering by Vishal Nayak.Original score by Teeny Lieberson.  Artwork created by Dylan Lathrop.Special thanks to our parents, friends and chosen family. And most importantly, thank you to the artists who’ve inspired us because they had to do it.Listen to Hi Barr's newest podcast, Media Moguls with Web Barr on your favorite podcast app now. FOR MORE ON HI BARRSign up to receive our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram and YouTube.For business inquiries, please email: contact@hibarrmedia.com.Were you at one of the events covered on the show? If so, we'd love to talk! Please get in touch via email and/or social media channels like Instagram or X. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Miracle on Ice

To celebrate the 45th anniversary of Team USA’s stunning ice hockey upset over the Soviet Union, better known as the ‘Miracle on Ice,’ we’ve given producer and director Julia Thompson a 48-hour challenge: find and interview someone who was at that historic game in Lake Placid on February 22, 1980.This episode features interviews with: Curt Chaplin Gerald Eskenazi John Harrington  Denice Fredericks  CREDITS'You Had To Be There' is a Hi Barr production.Created by Hi Barr.'Miracle on Ice' was written and hosted by Julia Thompson.Produced by Julia Thompson and Web Barr.Edited by Julia Thompson.Edit, Sound Mix, and engineering by Vishal Nayak.Original score by Teeny Lieberson.  Artwork created by Dylan Lathrop.Special thanks to our parents, friends and chosen family. And most importantly, thank you to the artists who’ve inspired us because they had to do it.Listen to Hi Barr's newest podcast, Media Moguls with Web Barr on your favorite podcast app now. WANT MORE FROM HI BARR?!Sign up to receive our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram and YouTube.For business inquiries, please email: contact@hibarrmedia.com.Were you at one of the events covered on the show? If so, we'd love to talk! Please get in touch via email and/or social media channels like Instagram or X. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jaws: On Set of Steven Spielberg's Groundbreaking Blockbuster

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jaws, we've given producer and director Julia Thompson a 48-hour challenge: track down and interview someone who was on set during the famously chaotic production of Spielberg’s groundbreaking film on Martha’s Vineyard between May and October 1974.This episode features interviews with: David Bolen Bill Petrotta Jude Villa CREDITS'You Had To Be There' is a Hi Barr production.Created by Hi Barr.'JAWS' was written and hosted by Julia Thompson.Produced by Julia Thompson and Web Barr.Edited by Julia Thompson.Edit, Sound Mix, and engineering by Vishal Nayak.Original score by Teeny Lieberson.  Artwork created by Dylan Lathrop.Special thanks to our parents, friends and chosen family. And most importantly, thank you to the artists who’ve inspired us because they had to do it.Listen to Hi Barr's newest podcast, Media Moguls with Web Barr on your favorite podcast app now. WANT MORE FROM HI BARR?!Sign up to receive our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram and YouTube.For business inquiries, please email: contact@hibarrmedia.com.Were you at one of the events covered on the show? If so, we'd love to talk! Please get in touch via email and/or social media channels like Instagram or X. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parental Advisory: Frank Zappa, John Denver, & Dee Snider vs. the PMRC

Producer and director Julia Thompson takes on a 48-hour challenge to track down and interview someone who witnessed the iconic September 19, 1985 Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing where Twisted Sister's Dee Snider, Frank Zappa, and John Denver defended their lyrics before Congress and the PMRC.This episode features interviews with: Larry Stein Mark Weiss Chuck Eddy Kembrew McLeod  CREDITS'You Had To Be There' is a Hi Barr production.Created by Hi Barr.'Parental Advisory: Frank Zappa, John Denver, & Dee Snider vs. the PMRC' was written and hosted by Julia Thompson.Produced by Julia Thompson and Web Barr.Edited by Julia Thompson.Edit, Sound Mix, and engineering by Vishal Nayak.Original score by Teeny Lieberson.  Artwork created by Dylan Lathrop.Special thanks to our parents, friends and chosen family. And most importantly, thank you to the artists who’ve inspired us because they had to do it.Listen to Hi Barr's newest podcast, Media Moguls with Web Barr on your favorite podcast app now. WANT MORE FROM HI BARR?!Sign up to receive our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram and YouTube.For business inquiries, please email: contact@hibarrmedia.com.Were you at one of the events covered on the show? If so, we'd love to talk! Please get in touch via email and/or social media channels like Instagram or X. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices