Ted Turner, the outspoken media mogul who founded CNN and revolutionized cable, died peacefully today at his home near Tallahassee, Florida. He was 87.
Turner Enterprises confirmed the news in a statement, saying he passed surrounded by family. No specific cause of death was immediately released, though Turner had publicly battled Lewy body dementia since revealing his diagnosis in 2018.
He was also hospitalized with pneumonia in early 2025 before recovering.
Born Robert Edward Turner III on November 19, 1938, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Turner moved to Georgia as a child. After his father’s suicide in 1963, he took over the family’s billboard business and transformed it into a broadcasting empire.
He purchased a struggling Atlanta UHF station in 1970, which became WTBS cable television’s first “superstation” that beamed programming nationwide via satellite.
In 1980, Turner launched CNN, the world’s first 24-hour cable news network. The bold gamble faced skepticism but proved transformative, providing real-time global coverage and changing how audiences consumed news from the Gulf War to major breaking events.
He later expanded his portfolio with TNT (1988), Turner Classic Movies, and Cartoon Network (1992), which became cultural staples for generations of viewers.
Beyond news and entertainment, Turner owned the Atlanta Braves (leading them to the 1995 World Series), the Hawks, and briefly WCW wrestling.
A passionate environmentalist and philanthropist, he reintroduced bison to the American West on his vast ranches he was one of the largest private landowners in the U.S. and pledged $1 billion to the United Nations in 1997. He co-created the animated series Captain Planet and the Planeteers to promote environmental awareness.
Known as the “Mouth of the South” for his brash, colorful personality, Turner was married three times, most notably to actress Jane Fonda from 1991 to 2001.
He is survived by five children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. A private family service is planned, with a public memorial to follow.
Tributes from loved ones
Tributes poured in quickly. CNN Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson called Turner “an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch.” Wolf Blitzer and other longtime colleagues remembered his visionary risk-taking that shaped modern media.
Turner’s influence extended far beyond business. He helped usher in the cable era, democratizing access to diverse programming and establishing the template for nonstop news.
While later mergers including Turner Broadcasting’s acquisition by Time Warner diluted some of his direct control, his foundational impact on entertainment and journalism remains undisputed.
In his later years, despite health challenges, Turner remained an advocate for nuclear disarmament, environmental causes, and progressive issues. He once carried a personal card outlining his “11 Voluntary Initiatives,” a personal ethical guide.
The entertainment world mourns a larger-than-life figure whose bold ideas turned a regional billboard company into a global media force.
From Cartoon Network marathons to CNN’s round-the-clock coverage, Ted Turner’s legacy is woven into the daily fabric of how the world watches and understands itself.
READ ALSO: Pope Leo To Visit Spain
