CNN Founder Ted Turner Dies at 87, Media World Pays Tribute to a Broadcasting Pioneer
Ted Turner, the media entrepreneur who changed global television by creating CNN, has died at the age of 87.
His death was confirmed on Wednesday, May 6, by Turner Enterprises, the company he founded. Turner, also known for his environmental work and high-profile marriage to actress Jane Fonda, was remembered as a bold and unconventional leader.
CNN CEO Mark Thompson paid tribute in a statement, describing Turner as a defining force 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. 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.”
Born Robert Edward Turner III in Cincinnati on November 19, 1938, he later moved to Savannah, Georgia, where his father ran a billboard advertising business.
After his father’s passing in 1963, Turner took control of the family company, Turner Advertising.
His entry into media began in 1970 when he acquired a struggling television station in Atlanta, marking the start of what would become a major broadcasting empire.
By 1975, Turner had introduced the idea of the “superstation,” using satellite technology to broadcast local television nationwide. That venture became Turner Broadcasting System, known widely as TBS.
He also expanded into sports ownership, purchasing the Atlanta Braves in 1976, a move that allowed him to broadcast baseball games on his network.
Turner’s most influential achievement came in 1980 with the launch of CNN, the world’s first 24-hour news channel. The network went on to reach hundreds of millions of viewers globally and reshaped how news was consumed.
Over time, his company expanded into multiple channels including CNN Headline News, CNN International, TNT, Cartoon Network, and Turner Classic Movies.
In 1996, Turner sold Turner Broadcasting to Time Warner in a deal valued at $7.3 billion in stock. He remained vice chairman until 2003 and later stepped down from the board in 2006, closing a defining chapter in modern media history.
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