‘Media Mogul’ Ted Turner Dies… CNN Founder Who Helped Pioneer the 24/7 News Era

“Media Mogul” and CNN founder Ted Turner (Ted Turner, 87), who reshaped the landscape of the modern media industry, has died. CNN reported that Turner passed away at his home near Tallahassee, Florida, citing a statement from Turner Enterprises on the 6th (local time).

■ A crazy idea: ‘24-hour news’… Bringing the world together

Born in Cincinnati in 1938, Turner inherited his father’s outdoor advertising business and built a media empire. His greatest achievement came on June 1, 1980, when he launched CNN (Cable News Network), the world’s first 24-hour news-dedicated channel.

At the time, it was mocked as “Chicken Noodle Network” (a third-rate broadcast), but it gained global trust by airing live coverage of major events such as the Challenger explosion in 1986, the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and the Gulf War in 1991. He also left behind a legendary declaration at the time of CNN’s founding: “We will not stop broadcasting until the end of the world, and the end of the Earth will be the last live-coverage event.”

■ A giant of sports and entertainment… ‘Captain Outrageous’

Turner’s influence was not limited to journalism. In the late 1970s, he acquired the Atlanta Braves (MLB) and the Atlanta Hawks (NBA). In particular, he transformed the Braves into “America’s Team,” leading them to win the 1995 World Series.

He also won the America’s Cup in 1977 as a yacht skipper, earning the nickname “Captain Outrageous,” and broadened the horizon of the entertainment industry by founding Cartoon Network (1992) and TCM (1994), among others.

■ A life as a philanthropist and romance with Jane Fonda

He was a pioneering philanthropist who donated large sums during his lifetime. A well-known anecdote is that he pledged $1 billion (about 1.4 trillion won) to help establish the United Nations (UN) Foundation in 1997. He also devoted himself to environmental conservation and sustainable livestock raising as one of the largest landowners in the United States.

In his private life, he married actor Jane Fonda in 1991, drawing attention for the once-in-a-century meeting between Hollywood and the business world. The two divorced in 2001, but they have continued to maintain a close friendship.

■ Tributes from President Trump and media heavyweights

CNN Chairman Mark Thompson expressed his condolences, saying, “Ted was the spiritual pillar of CNN—and a giant we stand on.” President Donald Trump also paid tribute to him via social media, calling him “one of the greatest people of all time,” and offering his condolences in his characteristic way, while also lamenting that the channel had changed after Turner sold CNN.

Turner had disclosed in 2018 that he was battling Lewy body dementia, a progressive brain disease that deteriorates memory and cognitive functions. He is survived by five children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. As the towering figure who wrote a page of media history fades away, the legacy of “challenge and innovation” he left behind is expected to be recorded forever.