Ted Turner, the influential media visionary renowned for founding CNN and overseeing a vast media empire that included TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, and ownership of the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks, has passed away at the age of 87, as reported by CNN, referencing a statement from Turner Enterprises. The specifics surrounding his death have not yet been disclosed. In 2018, Turner publicly acknowledged his battle with Lewy body dementia, a degenerative neurological condition.
Mark Thompson, Chairman and CEO of CNN, expressed his condolences in a statement, highlighting Turner’s profound commitment and leadership qualities. “Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement,” Thompson stated. He emphasized that Turner would remain an enduring figure at CNN, underscoring the significant influence he had on the organization and the world.
Turner was known for his daring spirit and willingness to confront challenges, both in business and adventure. He notably captained the yacht that won the America’s Cup for the United States in 1977. His dedication to wildlife conservation was evident as he preserved vast expanses of land for the American bison. He owned the Atlanta Hawks for 19 years and the Atlanta Braves for two decades, during which the Braves celebrated victory in the 1995 World Series. Moreover, he revolutionized news consumption by launching CNN in 1980, the first 24-hour cable news network.
An adventurous spirit, Turner was known for his extravagant lifestyle, often characterized by heavy drinking and cigar smoking. In a 2008 interview with “60 Minutes,” he candidly discussed his financial losses as the largest individual shareholder of AOL Time Warner during the dot-com bubble burst, admitting he had lost approximately $10 million a day for two and a half years.
Turner was also infamous for his blunt remarks, earning him various nicknames such as the Mouth From The South and Captain Outrageous. While some found him difficult to like, he remained a formidable figure in the media landscape.
In a 2018 interview with CBS’s Ted Koppel, Turner revealed his ongoing struggle with Lewy body dementia, describing it as a mild form of Alzheimer’s. “It’s similar to that, but not nearly as bad,” he explained.
Throughout his life, Turner was married three times, including a notable ten-year marriage to actress and activist Jane Fonda from 1991 to 2001. In a 2012 conversation with CNN, he expressed that Fonda was likely the great love of his life, indicating that he had never truly moved on from her. “When you love somebody, and you really love ’em, you never stop loving ’em,” he stated.
While Turner’s legacy is closely tied to CNN, he took particular pride in his environmental contributions, having acquired and protected more wilderness than nearly anyone else in the United States. Rather than viewing himself as a master of his domain, Turner preferred the title of caretaker, famously stating, “We don’t own anything, we just borrow it for a while.”
This report was contributed to by Alex Sundby.
