Pioneering CNN founder Ted Turner dead at 87

Ted Turner, the visionary media pioneer who revolutionized the global landscape of journalism by founding CNN, has died at the age of 87. A flamboyant entrepreneur, champion yachtsman, and prolific philanthropist, Turner passed away following a battle with Lewy Body Dementia. His death marks the end of an era for the industry he fundamentally transformed when he launched the world’s first 24-hour news network in 1980.

Beyond his "mustached Southerner" persona, Turner was a titan of cable television whose empire expanded far beyond news to include networks like TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, and Turner Classic Movies. His influence was so profound that even his former business rivals, such as Rupert Murdoch, acknowledged him as a "trailblazer" who left an "indelible mark" on the cultural landscape. Even President Trump, a frequent critic of the network Turner founded, praised him on social media as "one of the Greats of All Time."

Turner’s career was defined by bold risks and an uncanny ability to turn struggling ventures into gold. After taking over his father's failing billboard company, he moved into television by purchasing a small Atlanta station in 1970. A decade later, he defied industry skeptics by launching CNN, which achieved definitive global status through its round-the-clock coverage of the Gulf War in the early 1990s. This success paved the way for the modern era of non-stop digital and broadcast news.

In addition to his media dominance, Turner was a significant figure in professional sports and conservation. He owned the Atlanta Braves during their 1995 World Series victory and successfully skippered a yacht to win the 1977 America's Cup. As one of the largest private landowners in the United States, he became a dedicated environmentalist and famously donated $1 billion to the United Nations in 1998 to establish the UN Foundation, a move UN Secretary-General António Guterres described as a testament to his "audacious spirit."

His family remembered him not only for his historic achievements but for his warmth and lack of conceit, noting that he preferred to be called "Ted" rather than "Mr. Turner." He is survived by his five children and leaves behind a legacy as a man who, in the words of CNN Chairman Mark Thompson, was "the giant on whose shoulders we stand."