Ted Turner, CNN Founder and Media Pioneer, Dies at 87
Ted Turner, the media mogul who founded CNN and built a cable television empire, has died at age 87.
Ted Turner, the media entrepreneur who founded CNN and helped shape the modern cable television landscape, died Wednesday at age 87.
Turner launched CNN in 1980 as the country's first 24-hour cable news network, revolutionizing how Americans consumed news and information. The network became a cornerstone of his media empire, which also included cable channels TBS and TNT.
Beyond his media ventures, Turner owned the Atlanta Braves baseball team for 20 years and was known as a significant philanthropist and one of the largest private landowners in the United States. His business acumen and outspoken personality made him a prominent figure in American media and culture for decades.
Turner's media holdings established him as a billionaire and influential figure in the entertainment and news industries. His creation of CNN fundamentally changed the news landscape, introducing the concept of continuous news coverage that would become standard across the industry.
The confirmation of Turner's death was reported by CNN, the network he founded more than four decades ago.