Ted Turner, the founder of CNN and media empire, has died
6 may 2026 в 23:13
Ted Turner became one of the most influential figures in television history by launching CNN in 1980 and pioneering the concept of 24-hour news. Over the decades, the media mogul expanded his empire by creating channels such as TBS, TNT, and Cartoon Network, and he became known for owning major sports teams, his high-profile marriage to Jane Fonda, and extensive philanthropic efforts.
In May 2026, Turner passed away surrounded by family, according to a statement from Turner Enterprises. He was 87 years old.
Learn more about Turner and his life below.
Turner launched CNN in 1980, creating the world’s first 24-hour cable news channel. At the time, many critics doubted that people would watch news around the clock, but CNN completely transformed the television industry and the way the global audience consumed breaking news.
The channel became particularly influential during major world events such as the Gulf War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the Challenger shuttle disaster. Later, Turner expanded his media empire by adding channels like TBS, TNT, and Cartoon Network.
In addition to television, Turner was actively involved in owning sports teams. He owned the Atlanta Braves baseball team and the Atlanta Hawks basketball team, helping to raise their national profiles in the 1970s and 1980s.
Turner was also involved in professional wrestling through World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and helped launch the Goodwill Games as an international sports competition during the Cold War era.
Turner was married to actress and activist Jane Fonda from 1991 to 2001. Their relationship became one of the most high-profile marriages in Hollywood during the 1990s. Although they eventually divorced, Fonda continued to speak fondly of Turner in the years that followed and once referred to him as her «favorite ex-husband».
In 2018, Turner publicly announced that he had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, a progressive brain disease with symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Turner explained that this condition causes fatigue, forgetfulness, and other health issues. In the later years of his life, he largely stepped back from public life as he battled the illness.
Turner was the father of five children and, at the time of his death, had 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Several of his children became involved in environmental and charitable work, including his daughter Laura Turner Seydel, who continued many of her father’s environmental efforts
In May 2026, Turner passed away surrounded by family, according to a statement from Turner Enterprises. He was 87 years old.
Learn more about Turner and his life below.
Turner launched CNN in 1980, creating the world’s first 24-hour cable news channel. At the time, many critics doubted that people would watch news around the clock, but CNN completely transformed the television industry and the way the global audience consumed breaking news.
The channel became particularly influential during major world events such as the Gulf War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the Challenger shuttle disaster. Later, Turner expanded his media empire by adding channels like TBS, TNT, and Cartoon Network.
In addition to television, Turner was actively involved in owning sports teams. He owned the Atlanta Braves baseball team and the Atlanta Hawks basketball team, helping to raise their national profiles in the 1970s and 1980s.
Turner was also involved in professional wrestling through World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and helped launch the Goodwill Games as an international sports competition during the Cold War era.
Turner was married to actress and activist Jane Fonda from 1991 to 2001. Their relationship became one of the most high-profile marriages in Hollywood during the 1990s. Although they eventually divorced, Fonda continued to speak fondly of Turner in the years that followed and once referred to him as her «favorite ex-husband».
In 2018, Turner publicly announced that he had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, a progressive brain disease with symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Turner explained that this condition causes fatigue, forgetfulness, and other health issues. In the later years of his life, he largely stepped back from public life as he battled the illness.
Turner was the father of five children and, at the time of his death, had 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Several of his children became involved in environmental and charitable work, including his daughter Laura Turner Seydel, who continued many of her father’s environmental efforts
© Zhinobaeva Margarita
