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Ted Turner, the American media entrepreneur who revolutionised television news with the launch of the Cable News Network (CNN), has died at the age of 87, the network announced on Wednesday.
Turner, known for his larger-than-life personality and wide-ranging business interests, had been suffering from the degenerative disease Lewy Body Dementia.
He transformed the media sector in 1980 by creating CNN, the first 24-hour news channel in the United States. The network rose to global prominence during its coverage of the 1990-91 Gulf War, delivering continuous, real-time reporting that reshaped how audiences consumed news.
CNN’s correspondents reported live from major global events, including the collapse of the Soviet Union and the crackdown on protests in Tiananmen Square, while its decision to maintain coverage from Baghdad during US airstrikes further cemented its reputation.
In a statement, CNN Worldwide chairman Mark Thompson described Turner as a towering figure whose influence defined the organisation’s legacy, noting that his impact would continue to shape the network and global journalism.
“Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we will all take a moment today to recognise him and his impact on our lives and the world.
“He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN,” Thompson said.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1938, Turner took over his family’s struggling advertising business following his father’s death. He later expanded into broadcasting, acquiring radio stations before purchasing a failing Atlanta television station in 1970, his entry point into the TV industry.
That venture eventually evolved into the Turner Broadcasting System, which became the foundation for CNN’s launch a decade later.
Turner went on to build a vast media empire that included networks such as TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, and Cartoon Network, influencing both news and entertainment worldwide.
