Ted Turner Passes Away at 87

Ted Turner, the founder of CNN, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 87.

Mark Thompson, the Chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide, expressed his condolences, describing Turner as “the spirit that presided over CNN.” He praised Turner’s leadership, noting, “Ted was an engaged and committed leader, courageous and fearless, always willing to accept a hunch and trust his judgment.” Thompson emphasized Turner’s lasting influence, saying, “He has been, and always will be, the head of CNN. Ted is a giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we would like to take a moment today to recognize him and his impact on our lives and the world.”

Turner revealed in 2018 that he had Lewy body dementia, a progressive brain disease. Earlier this year, he spent time in a rehabilitation facility due to mild pneumonia.

His media journey began in 1963 when he took over his father’s billboard company after his father’s death. Turner then acquired radio stations and entered television in 1970 by acquiring a local Atlanta station, Channel 17. He was vocal about his criticisms of broadcast television, asserting that many of America’s problems stemmed from an “underinformed” public.

In his quest to establish a news channel, Turner hired Reese Schoenfeld to help create CNN, which launched on June 1, 1980. He also introduced other networks, including TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, and Turner Classic Movies.

In 1996, Turner sold Turner Broadcasting Systems to Time Warner for around $7.3 billion, a deal that included CNN and other channels he had founded.

Currently, CNN faces challenges with its ratings, which have declined when compared to competitors like Fox News and MS NOW. The network experienced a 42% drop in primetime viewership in late 2025 and has lost about one-third of its viewership since 2016.