Ted Turner took shots at the media for its coverage of sex and violence, at himself for losing control of the news network he founded, and at the Bush administration for going to war in Iraq.

The outspoken billionaire made his comments as he was being honoured yesterday for promoting global understanding. ‘‘There’s an awful lot of superfluous news, the pervert of the day and someone that shot seven people at a fraternity party,’’ said Turner. ‘‘Who needs it all?’’ Turner, 67, said he regrets losing control of CNN, which he founded in 1980, to Time Warner Inc after its merger with America Online. ‘‘I had a sacred trust there and I let it go,’’ he said.

As for President George W Bush, Turner did not mince words. ‘‘We can’t afford the war in Iraq,’’ Turner said. ‘‘This is a big waste of time.’’

‘‘I wish we would say, ‘We won and we are going home’. We shouldn’t be there. Bombing isn’t a way of changing people’s minds. You do that with education.’’ Bush lacks a true understanding of the world, he added.