CNN founder Ted Turner dies at age of 87
Photo: CNN founder Ted Turner (Getty Images)
CNN founder and media mogul Ted Turner has died at the age of 87. He made a real revolution in television news, according to CNN.
Revolutionary in the media world
As the outlet reported, Ted Turner passed away peacefully on Wednesday, surrounded by his family. The Atlanta-based businessman built a major media empire that included the first cable superstation, movie and cartoon channels, as well as professional sports teams.
In 1980, he launched the first 24-hour news channel, CNN, which made it possible to broadcast news in real time. Many considered the idea crazy, but Turner saw an untapped niche and managed to bring it to life.
"What Ted made happen was just as important as the Internet revolution," said former Turner Broadcasting CEO Terry McGuirk.
Legacy and memory
In 1991, Time magazine named Turner "Man of the Year." He later sold his networks to Time Warner, but he always took pride in his main achievement — CNN.
"Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement... He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN. Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we will all take a moment today to recognize him and his impact on our lives and the world," said CNN Worldwide Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson.
Turner was also a well-known philanthropist and conservationist — he helped bring bison back from the brink of extinction and created the largest private herd.
"It may be hard for two people to live together, but I can’t ever forget the reasons that made me fall in love with him," said Turner’s former wife, actress Jane Fonda.
A little over a month before Ted Turner's 80th birthday in 2018, he revealed that he had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia — a progressive brain disease.
In early 2025, he was hospitalized with a mild form of pneumonia, but he recovered in a rehabilitation center. Overall, his life was filled with both major professional achievements and personal challenges.
