Ted Turner has passed away at 87 after battling dementia.
According to reports, Turner’s death was announced by his company, Turner Enterprises. “Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless, and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgment,” CNN Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson said in a statement. “He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN.”
Throughout his career, Turner was known as one of the kings of broadcasting. He launched the Turner Broadcasting System, which launched TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, and Turner Classic Movies.
He also helped transform politics and culture with Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24-hour news channel in the country at the time. CNN would lay the foundation for other TV news, such as Fox News, MSNBC (MS Now).
Aside from TV, he also owned the Atlanta Braves, calling them “America’s Team,” and established his own restaurant chain, Ted’s Montana Grill.
Turner was also known for his philanthropy. He founded the United Nations Foundation and created the cartoon Captain Planet to help children learn about the environment.
“Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we will all take a moment today to recognize him and his impact on our lives and the world.”
In 2018, Turner was diagnosed with Lewy Body dementia, a month before his 80th birthday. In early 2025, he was hospitalized with a mild case of pneumonia.
He is survived by his five children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
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