Ted Turner, Founder Of CNN Dies At Age 87

Ted Turner, the founder of Cable News Network and a range of other cable channels, has died at the age of 87.

“Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgment,” said CNN chairman and CEO Mark Thompson.

Turner transformed both media and politics with the launch of CNN, the first 24-hour television news network in the United States. The network reshaped how news was delivered, accelerating its pace and evolving its format, while paving the way for competitors such as Fox News and MSNBC, now known as MS Now.

In 1998, Turner donated $1 billion to the United Nations, helping to establish the United Nations Foundation to support global initiatives. He also co-founded the Nuclear Threat Initiative with former Sen. Sam Nunn, an organization dedicated to preventing the use of weapons of mass destruction and advancing global nonproliferation efforts.

Beyond media, Turner expanded into professional sports, purchasing the Atlanta Braves in 1976 and the Atlanta Hawks in 1977. During his ownership, the Braves captured a World Series title in 1995.