CNN founder and cable pioneer Ted Turner dies at 87
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Ted Turner attends official CNN Launch event in Atlanta on June 1, 1980. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images
Ted Turner, the businessman and philanthropist who helped pioneer the 24/7 cable news industry, has passed away, according to a Turner Enterprises statement on behalf of his family. He was 87.
The big picture: Turner turned a small TV station in Atlanta into a broadcasting empire that spanned news, sports and entertainment.
- He used his fortunes to build a philanthropic legacy around the environment and public health.
- Turner Broadcasting helped transform Atlanta into a media epicenter. Turner himself invested heavily in his community and eventually went on to buy the Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Hawks.
- Turner passed away at his home near Tallahassee, Florida, a family spokesperson confirmed to several news outlets.
Flashback: Turner took over his father's billboard company in his early 20s and later branched into radio and television.
- A technological pioneer, Turner was one of the first TV behemoths to use satellite to distribute his local Atlanta stations nationally through cable. In doing so, he created America's first national "superstation."
- TBS (Turner Broadcasting System) became a national phenomenon, airing sports and entertainment content.
- In 1980, he launched CNN as the first 24-hour national cable news network. That channel went on to redefine how people consume news and information and provided real-time reporting for major global conflicts.
Zoom in: Turner continued to build his cable network empire, establishing a slew of channels that he eventually sold to Time Warner.
- While that deal made Turner rich, it also marked the start of a challenging period for Turner Broadcasting. Time Warner eventually went on to merge with AOL in what is considered one of the biggest failed mergers in American history.
- Today, Turner networks still exist under Warner Bros. Discovery's cable news portfolio. But they don't have the impact and reach they did at the height of the cable boom in the 1990's.
What they're saying: "Ted's entrepreneurial spirit, creative ambition and willingness to take risks changed the media industry forever," WBD CEO David Zaslav said in a note to staff. "He believed deeply in the power of ideas, in doing things differently and in building platforms that could inform, inspire and connect people around the world."
- President Trump posted on Truth Social, "Maybe the new buyers, wonderful people, will be able to bring [CNN] back to its former credibility and glory. Regardless, however, one of the Greats of Broadcast History, and a friend of mine. Whenever I needed him, he was there, always willing to fight for a good cause!"
What's next: WBD is preparing to merge with rival Paramount.
- Paramount has said it doesn't plan to spin off WBD's cable networks, but it's likely all of those channels — once some of the most influential in the country — will be streamlined and scaled down.
Note: The author of this story is a paid contributor for CNN.
