The Desk appreciates the support of readers who purchase products or services through links on our website. Learn more...

John Malone working on second tell-all biography

"Born to Be Wired" examines the business and personal relationships forged between Malone and some of the TV and tech industry's biggest players.

"Born to Be Wired" examines the business and personal relationships forged between Malone and some of the TV and tech industry's biggest players.

John Malone. (Photo courtesy Warner Bros Discovery, Graphic by The Desk)
John Malone. (Photo courtesy Warner Bros Discovery, Graphic by The Desk)

Cable television pioneer John Malone is working with the biographer of his book “Cable Cowboy” to write a new memoir that takes a deeper dive into the complex relationships forged during some of his biggest business deals.

The book, “Born to Be Wired,” is expected to debut in bookstores on September 2 and will examine a number of business launches and transactions — from the formation of TCI Cable and the subsequent sale to AT&T (and, later, Comcast), to the development of the Discovery Channel and QVC.



Malone also discusses working with some of the television and media industry’s biggest power players, including News Corporation and Fox Broadcasting founder Rupert Murdoch, Turner Broadcasting and CNN founder Ted Turner, Barry Diller of IAC, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta and Reed Hastings of Netflix. He also explores the formation of Liberty Global and his subsequent investments in brands and services like Formula 1 and SiriusXM.

“Meta. After a lifetime of media deals, he reveals the relationships that shaped him, the strategies that sustained him, and the challenges that will define the future of the industry,” the summary of the book read on a Simon and Schuster webpage. Simon and Schuster is publishing the book in the United States at a retail price of $30.



It will be Malone’s second biography in two decades. In 2002, he worked with author Mark Robichaux on the story of his life, captured in the book Cable Cowboy, which is available on Amazon.

The book is available to pre-order on Amazon. There, the hardback version of the book is priced at $30, while the Kindle e-book edition is just $15. Kindle books can be read through the free Kindle app on iPhones, iPads, Android phones, Android tablets and most desktop and laptop computers.



An audiobook version is also in the works, though it is expected to be released on platforms like Audible shortly after the physical book is available.

Get stories like these in your inbox, plus free email alerts on breaking tech and media news.

Photo of author

About the Author:

Matthew Keys

Matthew Keys is a nationally-recognized, award-winning journalist who has covered the business of media, technology, radio and television for more than 11 years. He is the publisher of The Desk and contributes to Know Techie, Digital Content Next and StreamTV Insider. He previously worked for Thomson Reuters, the Walt Disney Company, McNaughton Newspapers and Tribune Broadcasting. Connect with Matthew on LinkedIn by clicking or tapping here.