Ted Turner, media mogul and founder of CNN, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 87. Turner Enterprises released a statement on his passing, reporting he was surrounded by family at the time of death.
Turner was fondly called “The Mouth of the South” due to his outspoken style. He went on to build one of America’s most influential media empires as he created Cable News Network (CNN), which made history as the world’s first 24-hour news network. The concept was initially dismissed as unrealistic but Turner proved critics wrong as his network revolutionised the way people consumed news.
The success of CNN earned him the Time magazine’s Man of the Year title in 1991. He was hailed for “influencing the dynamic of events and turning viewers in 150 countries into instant witnesses of history.”
Mark Thomspon, Chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide, said in a statement, “Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement. He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN. 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.”
Turner had sold his empire to Time Warner in 1996 for approximately $7.5 billion but kept CNN within his heart, calling it the “greatest achievement” of his life.
Turner was born in Cincinnati in 1938. After his father’s death in 1963, he joined the media industry through his billboard business. Before founding CNN, he had bought a struggling Atlanta TV station which became the foundation of his empire. He created cable television’s first superstation in 1976 by using satellite signals. He continued to create popular cable channels including TNT, TCM, and Cartoon Network.
He launched CNN on June 1, 1980. Though the network struggled in its early stages due to technical issues and its unconventional format, Turner persevered and proved its worth during the 1990-91 Gulf War, providing continuous live coverage of a conflict for the first time in history.
He also founded the United Nations Foundation and donated $1 billion to the UN.
Turner is survived by five children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
