Ted Turner, CNN founder dies at 87. Who was he?

Ted Turner, the outspoken media visionary who founded CNN and transformed television journalism with the world’s first 24-hour news channel, died at the age of 87 on Wednesday (May 6). Turner passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, according to a statement released by Turner Enterprises. Over the course of his extraordinary career, the Ohio-born businessman built a media empire that stretched from cable television and sports franchises to environmental activism and global philanthropy. Nicknamed “The Mouth of the South” for his bold personality and larger-than-life public image, Turner became one of the most influential figures in modern media. Beyond founding CNN, he launched pioneering television networks including TNT, Cartoon Network, TCM, and the cable superstation WTBS. He also owned professional sports teams such as the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks.

Turner's defining moment

Turner’s defining achievement came in 1980 when CNN went live as the first 24-hour television news network. The concept was widely mocked at the time, but Turner believed audiences wanted news beyond the limited evening broadcasts available on traditional television. “I worked until 7 o’clock, and when I got home the news was over,” Turner once said. “So I missed television news completely. And I figured there were lots of people like me.”

That vision reshaped journalism forever. CNN’s real-time coverage during major global events, especially the Persian Gulf War, proved the power of nonstop news and established the network as a global force. Turner later expanded the brand internationally and created multiple cable channels that would define television for decades.

In a tribute following his death, CNN Worldwide chairman and CEO Mark Thompson described Turner as the spirit behind the network. “Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless, and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement,” Thompson said. “He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN.”

Also Read: ‘Much higher than before’: Trump threatens ‘intense’ bombing if Iran refuses to open Strait of Hormuz

Who was Ted Turner? Know about his family members

Born Robert Edward Turner III in Cincinnati in 1938, Turner’s early life was marked by tragedy and hardship. After his father’s suicide in 1963, the 24-year-old inherited the family billboard business and aggressively expanded it into a media operation. He later bought radio stations before entering television with the acquisition of a struggling Atlanta station that would eventually become WTBS.

Turner’s personal life also remained heavily in the spotlight, particularly his marriage to actress Jane Fonda. The pair became one of America’s most high-profile couples after marrying in 1991, though they separated a decade later. Despite the divorce, the two remained close friends. Outside media, Turner devoted much of his later life to philanthropy, environmental conservation, and nuclear disarmament efforts. He pledged $1 billion to the United Nations in 1997 and became one of the largest private landowners in North America.

Turner also played a key role in restoring bison populations in the American West and launched initiatives, including the Captain Planet Foundation and Nuclear Threat Initiative. In 2018, Turner revealed he had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, a progressive neurological disorder. Earlier in 2025, he was hospitalised with a mild case of pneumonia before recovering.

He is survived by his five children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Turner’s impact on journalism, television, and global media remains unmatched, with CNN continuing to stand as the most enduring symbol of his ambition and innovation.