This is the Last Thing You'll See When the World Ends

Facade, Commercial building, Metropolitan area, Electric blue, Majorelle blue, Condominium, Mixed-use, Apartment, Headquarters, Tower block,
This is the Last Thing You'll See

In 1980, when Ted Turner launched CNN, the world's first 24-hour cable news network, he made a foreboding declaration: "Barring satellite problems, we won't be signing off until the world ends." And just in case an Armageddon did occur, he created one final video sign-off to be played by whatever brave soul was the last one breathing at the CNN offices.

"We'll be on, and we will cover the end of the world, live, and that will be our last event. We'll play the National Anthem only one time, on the first of June [the day CNN launched], and when the end of the world comes, we'll play 'Nearer My God to Thee' before we sign off."

After 34 years, the film, released by Jalopnik, still exists in CNN's archive system, aptly labeled "TURNER DOOMSDAY VIDEO."

And here for you now is a preview of the very last image you'll see as the meteor comes straight toward your house. That is, if Ben Affleck doesn't save the world by then. If you're feeling weird about watching, we can (almost) assure you that playing it will not result in mass destruction (hopefully). And yes, if you're wondering, that is the song the band fiddled as the Titanic was sinking. If we were Ted, we might have picked something with an up beat—perhaps Donna Summer's "Last Dance," but of course that hadn't come out at the time Ted was planning for a global demise.

Enjoy?

[Via href='http://jalopnik.com/this-is-the-video-cnn-will-play-when-the-world-ends-1677511538' target='_blank">Jalopnik']

You Might Also Like