CNN Founder Ted Turner died peacefully on Wednesday, surrounded by family, according to a statement from Turner Enterprises.
Turner, who was born in Ohio and later based in Atlanta, built a media business that included a cable superstation, film and cartoon channels, and professional sports teams such as the Atlanta Braves. He was also known for his work as a yachtsman, philanthropist and conservationist, including efforts to reintroduce bison to parts of the United States.
He founded the United Nations Foundation and supported campaigns against nuclear weapons. He also created the “Captain Planet” cartoon to promote environmental awareness.
Turner became widely known for launching CNN on June 1, 1980, the first 24-hour television news network. The idea of round-the-clock news was initially doubted, but it later changed how global events were covered.
In 1991, he was named Time magazine’s Man of the Year for his influence on global news coverage.
Turner later sold his media business to Time Warner but continued to speak about CNN as the “greatest achievement” of his life.
“Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement,” Mark Thompson, Chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide, said in a statement. “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.”
In 2018, Turner revealed he had Lewy body dementia. He was also treated for a mild case of pneumonia in early 2025 before recovering.
He is survived by his five children, 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
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Turner began his career at 24, taking over his father’s billboard company after his father’s death. He later expanded into radio and television, buying an Atlanta station in 1970 and turning it into a national superstation in 1976.
He invested in sports broadcasting, acquiring rights to Atlanta Braves games, and later bought the team, as well as the Atlanta Hawks.
Despite having little experience in journalism, Turner pushed ahead with his plan for a 24-hour news channel. He hired experienced professionals, including CNN’s first president, Reese Schonfeld.
“I worked until 7 o’clock, and when I got home the news was over, I missed television news completely. And I figured there were lots of people like me,” he once said.
CNN expanded with additional networks, including CNN2, later known as HLN, and CNN International. Turner also launched entertainment channels such as TNT, Turner Classic Movies and Cartoon Network.
During the 1990 Gulf War, CNN’s live coverage showed the value of continuous news broadcasting to a global audience.
Turner sold his company to Time Warner in 1996 and later stepped down from leadership roles after the company’s merger with AOL, which led to major financial losses.
Away from business, Turner experienced personal challenges, including the death of his father and sister at a young age.
He married actress Jane Fonda in 1991, and they later divorced after 10 years, though they remained close.
“I would never love anyone like I love him,” she said. “But I just couldn’t keep moving in his world, along the surface for the rest of my life. I knew that I would get to the end of my life and regret not doing the things that I also needed to do for me.”
After leaving the media business, Turner focused more on philanthropy. In 1997, he pledged $1 billion to the United Nations, completing the donation years later.
He owned large areas of land across North America and built one of the largest private bison herds. His work also included support for environmental and humanitarian causes through several foundations.
Reflecting on his life, Turner once said: “I lost Jane. I lost my job here. I lost my fortune, most of it. Got a billion or two left. You can get by on that if you economize.”
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