Ted Turner, the unconventional media mogul and philanthropist who founded CNN, passed away on Wednesday, according to a statement from Turner Enterprises. He was 87 years old.
The Ohio-born Atlanta businessman was nicknamed “The Mouth of the South” because of his impulsive and outspoken nature, he built a media empire that included the first cable television superstation, popular movie and cartoon channels, and professional sports teams such as the Atlanta Braves, as reported by CNN.
Turner was also an internationally recognized sailor, a philanthropist who founded the United Nations Foundation, an activist who sought the global elimination of nuclear weapons, and an environmentalist, becoming one of the largest landowners in the United States. He was instrumental in reintroducing bison to the American West, and even created the “Captain Planet” cartoon to educate children about the environment.
However, it was his bold vision of broadcasting news from around the world in real time at all hours that really made him famous – once his idea finally managed to take hold. In 1991, Turner was named “Person of the Year” by Time magazine for “influencing the dynamics of events and turning viewers in 150 countries into direct witnesses to history.” Eventually, Turner sold his networks to Time Warner and later left the business, but he continued to express pride in CNN, calling it the “greatest achievement” of his life.
“Ted was a leader of strong involvement and commitment, fearless, courageous and always willing to back up an intuition and trust his judgment,” Mark Thompson, president and CEO of CNN Worldwide, said in a statement. “It was and always will be the spirit that guides CNN. Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we will all take a moment today to honor him and the impact he had on our lives and the world.”
Shortly before his 80th birthday in 2018, Turner revealed that he suffered from dementia with Lewy bodies, a progressive brain disorder. In early 2025, he was hospitalized with a mild case of pneumonia before recovering in a rehabilitation center. Turner is survived by his five children, 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
