"There's plurality in the Indian media"

Ted Turner, media mogul, on his charity work.

What motivated you to start the UN Foundation?
I founded the UN Foundation in 1998 to help improve the social and economic conditions of the impoverished people of the world. I have earmarked one billion dollars from my personal fortune for this cause and decided that tying up with the UN would be the best option.

Why are you focusing on South-East Asia?
That is because S-E Asia has the largest number of people in the world.

What major programmes are you going to launch in India?
Already the UN Foundation has invested about $28 million dollars in projects like eradicating polio, AIDS/HIV prevention, conservation of natural resources and developing clean energy.

Why have you chosen Narayan Murthy as a member in your board of directors?
There are lot of similarities between Murthy and myself. He started with seven colleagues, and I with 35. He set out with 250 dollars and I with one more. But seriously, he is one the best minds in the world and he can give a terrific representation for India to the Foundation.

Being the founder of CNN, what's your view about the Indian media?
When I founded the CNN, there were very few media outlets, but things have changed and the competition is stiff. I can see a plurality in the Indian media akin to the US scene.