Ted Turner was an American businessman, television producer, philanthropist, and media pioneer best known for founding CNN, the world’s first 24-hour cable news network. Turner revolutionized television journalism and changed the way people consumed news across the globe.
Age, Early Life and Education
Ted Turner was born Robert Edward Turner III on November 19, 1938, in Cincinnati. He later grew up in Savannah, where his father operated a successful billboard advertising business called Turner Advertising.
Turner attended Brown University and studied economics. However, he did not graduate after being expelled from the university. Despite leaving college early, Turner later became one of the most powerful figures in the media world.
After his father died in 1963, Turner took over the family business while still in his twenties. He quickly expanded the company and later entered the broadcasting industry.
Relationship
Ted Turner was married three times during his life. One of his most famous relationships was with actress Jane Fonda. The couple married in 1991 and divorced in 2001 after nearly a decade together.
According to BBC News, Turner and Fonda remained close even after their divorce. Turner was also known for his larger-than-life personality, earning nicknames such as “Captain Outrageous” and “The Mouth of the South.”
He had five children and several grandchildren.
Career and CNN Ownership
Turner began building his media empire in the 1970s after buying a struggling television station in Atlanta. He transformed the station into a national “superstation,” which later became TBS.
In 1980, Turner launched CNN, the world’s first 24-hour news network. Many critics doubted the idea and mocked it as the “Chicken Noodle Network,” believing people would never watch news all day long.
However, CNN soon proved its value during major world events. The network gained global attention for its nonstop coverage of the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan in 1981 and the Challenger space shuttle disaster in 1986. CNN later became internationally respected for its live reporting during the 1990-1991 Gulf War from Baghdad.
Turner later expanded his television empire by launching channels including TNT, Turner Classic Movies, and Cartoon Network. He also owned sports teams such as the Atlanta Braves baseball team and the Atlanta Hawks basketball team.
In 1996, Turner sold Turner Broadcasting to Time Warner in a massive business deal that changed the media landscape.
Philanthropy
Beyond television, Turner became one of America’s best-known philanthropists. He donated $1 billion to support United Nations programs and environmental causes. He also invested heavily in clean energy and wildlife conservation projects.
Turner became one of the largest private landowners in the United States and worked to protect the American bison population.
Death
Ted Turner died on May 6, 2026, at the age of 87. Earlier in life, he publicly revealed that he had Lewy body dementia, a degenerative neurological disease that affected his health in later years.
Tribute and Legacy
Following his death, tributes poured in from journalists, politicians, and television personalities around the world. Current CNN chairman Mark Thompson described Turner as “the giant on whose shoulders we stand” and called him the “presiding spirit of CNN.”
According to BBC News, President Donald Trump described Turner as “one of the greats of broadcast history” and praised him for always being willing to “fight for a good cause.”
Veteran CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour wrote that Turner “created an unstoppable media revolution for the benefit of all humankind.” Television personality Piers Morgan also paid tribute, describing Turner as an “extraordinarily bold buccaneer.”
Former CNN executive Walter Isaacson called Turner “the most fearless journalist” he had ever seen.
Ted Turner’s legacy continues through CNN and the global television industry he helped create. His vision of nonstop news permanently changed journalism and modern broadcasting forever.
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