Ted Turner, the pioneering American media mogul who revolutionized global journalism by creating the world’s first 24-hour rolling cable news network CNN, has passed away at the age of 87, CNN confirmed in an official announcement.
Turner’s entry into the media industry came long before the launch of CNN. After his father’s death, he took over the family’s already successful billboard business at a young age, before expanding into broadcasting with the purchase of an Atlanta, Georgia radio station. Over 10 years, that single small station grew into the foundation of Turner Broadcasting System (TBS), establishing Turner as one of the most powerful media figures in the United States.
In 1980, Turner made his most iconic mark on media history, launching CNN as the world’s first channel dedicated entirely to nonstop, up-to-date news coverage. The new network faced early financial and operational struggles, but it quickly proved the value of its 24-hour news model through high-stakes breaking coverage. It delivered fast, continuous updates on the 1981 assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan and the 1986 Challenger space shuttle disaster, cementing its reputation as a go-to source for breaking news. CNN reached a new milestone during the 1990-1991 Gulf War, when it became the first outlet to provide live, on-the-ground rolling coverage from Iraq. Its reporting was so respected that even President George H.W. Bush once acknowledged he learned more about global events from CNN than from the Central Intelligence Agency.
CNN’s trailblazing success reshaped the entire global media industry, inspiring a wave of competing 24-hour news channels, including Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News, which launched in 1996. Beyond CNN, Turner built a sprawling television empire that included basic cable channels TBS and TNT, the classic film-focused Turner Classic Movies, and children’s entertainment staple Cartoon Network. His business career included a number of high-profile moves as well: a 1985 $1.5 billion acquisition of MGM film studios that ultimately proved unsuccessful, followed by purchases of major production houses Castle Rock Entertainment and New Line Cinema in the 1990s, before TBS merged with media giant Time Warner.
Outside of media, Turner led a diverse public life. A world-class competitive sailor, he took home sailing’s most prestigious prize, the America’s Cup, in 1977. He also owned three major Atlanta professional sports teams: the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball team, the Atlanta Hawks NBA basketball team, and the Atlanta Thrashers NHL ice hockey team. From 1991 to 2001, he was married to renowned American actress Jane Fonda.
In a statement following Turner’s death, CNN Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson paid tribute to the network’s founder, calling him an intensely dedicated, intrepid leader who was never afraid to trust his own instincts. “He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN,” Thompson said. “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.”