Ted Turner, the outspoken media entrepreneur who transformed television news by creating CNN and building a massive broadcasting empire, has died at the age of 87.
Turner’s death was confirmed Wednesday by Turner Enterprises. He died surrounded by family, marking the end of a career that dramatically reshaped modern media, sports broadcasting, and cable television.
Born Robert Edward Turner III in 1938, Turner rose to prominence after taking over his father’s billboard company following his father’s death. He later expanded into television by purchasing a struggling Atlanta UHF station in 1970, which eventually became the foundation for Turner Broadcasting System.
In 1980, Turner launched CNN, creating the world’s first 24-hour cable news network. The move revolutionized journalism and permanently changed how people consumed news. CNN gained global recognition during major international events such as the Gulf War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the Tiananmen Square protests, establishing around-the-clock news coverage as the industry standard.
Turner continued expanding his media empire by creating or acquiring networks including TNT, TBS, Cartoon Network, Turner Classic Movies, and Headline News. His influence stretched beyond news into entertainment, movies, and sports programming.
Outside of television, Turner became well known for his ownership of professional sports teams, including the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks. Under his ownership, the Braves won the 1995 World Series and grew into one of baseball’s most recognizable franchises. He also helped launch the Goodwill Games as an effort to ease Cold War tensions through international athletic competition.
Turner developed a reputation for his bold personality and controversial remarks, earning nicknames such as “The Mouth of the South” and “Captain Outrageous.” Despite his sometimes unpredictable public image, he was widely recognized as a visionary businessman willing to take risks others avoided.
In 1996, Turner sold Turner Broadcasting System to Time Warner in a massive media deal that reshaped the entertainment industry. Although the merger made him one of the most influential figures in media, reports later indicated he regretted losing control of the company he built.
Beyond business, Turner became known for his philanthropy and environmental work. In 1998, he pledged $1 billion to support United Nations causes, leading to the creation of the United Nations Foundation. He also co-founded the Nuclear Threat Initiative to help reduce global nuclear threats and spent years focused on conservation efforts across his vast land holdings in the American West. Turner became one of the largest private landowners in the United States and helped restore large bison populations on his properties.
Turner was also open about his health struggles later in life. In 2018, he revealed that he had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, a progressive neurological disorder that caused memory issues and fatigue. He was hospitalized with pneumonia in 2025 before recovering at a rehabilitation facility.
Throughout his career, Turner remained one of the most influential and recognizable figures in television history. Media executives, journalists, and public figures praised him for fundamentally changing global broadcasting and creating the nonstop news format that still dominates modern media today.
Turner is survived by his five children, grandchildren, and extended family. His legacy continues through the networks, media innovations, and philanthropic organizations he helped create over decades in the public eye.
Source: Fox10 Phoenix
