Turner Broadcasting tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Turner Broadcasting tower |
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Steel lattice television tower |
| Location | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Coordinates | 33°46′57″N 84°23′19″W / 33.7825°N 84.388611°W |
| Completed | 1967 |
| Destroyed | 2010 |
| Height | 314.3 m (1,031 ft) |
The Turner Broadcasting Tower was a very tall structure in Atlanta, Georgia. It stood about 314 meters (1,031 feet) high. This made it one of the tallest towers of its kind. The tower was made of a strong metal frame, shaped like a triangle from above.
It was built in Midtown, a busy part of Atlanta. The tower was special because it was the tallest freestanding structure ever taken down on purpose in the United States. It was also the second tallest in the world to be removed this way.
Building the Tower: A Look at Its History
When the Turner Broadcasting Tower was finished in 1967, it was one of the ten tallest freestanding structures in the world. Only a few other famous towers, like the Eiffel Tower and the Tokyo Tower, were taller.
A company called GE helped pay for the tower. They also provided the first equipment for broadcasting TV Channel 17. The first TV show was broadcast from the tower on September 1, 1967. The tower's great height helped TV signals reach homes much better. This was very important for channels like 17 at that time.
In 1969, the company that owned the tower joined with Turner Communications Corporation. After this, the tower was officially named the Turner Broadcasting Tower. Even though Turner Broadcasting System owned the tower, the land it stood on was rented from another company, Comcast.
Why the Tower Was Taken Down
The Turner Broadcasting Tower was taken apart in late 2010. This happened because TV broadcasting was changing. Older TV signals, called analog, were being turned off. New digital TV signals were taking their place.
The law said that analog TV had to stop in June 2009. Because of this, the tower was no longer needed for its main purpose. The agreement for the land said the tower had to be removed if it wasn't used for broadcasting anymore.
Today, the Turner Broadcasting Tower is still known as the tallest tower of its kind ever taken down in the USA. It is also the tallest freestanding structure ever removed on purpose in the country.
