*Ted Turner, the visionary businessman who founded CNN and revolutionized 24-hour cable news, died peacefully on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at his home near Tallahassee, Florida. He was 87.
Turner Enterprises confirmed his passing, stating he was surrounded by family. He had been living with Lewy body dementia in recent years.
The Birth of CNN: A Crazy Idea
In the late 1970s, Turner—already a successful billboard businessman and owner of a regional TV station (WTBS, the first “superstation”)—came up with a radical idea: a 24-hour all-news television network.
Most people thought it was crazy. Traditional networks like ABC, CBS, and NBC only aired news in short evening blocks. Critics mocked the concept, calling it the “Chicken Noodle Network.” But Turner was undeterred. He believed Americans wanted news anytime they wanted it.
Partnering with media executive Reese Schonfeld (who had the original idea for a 24-hour news channel), Turner built CNN from a converted former motel in Atlanta. On June 1, 1980, CNN officially launched at 6:00 p.m. ET.
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Turner famously declared at the launch: “Barring satellite problems in the future, we won’t be signing off until the end of the world.” He even prepared a special tape of the hymn “Nearer, My God, to Thee” to play if the world ended while CNN was on air.
Massive Risks and Lasting Impact
Turner invested tens of millions of his own money (much of it borrowed). CNN lost money for its first several years and started with only about 1.7 million subscribers—far below what was needed to break even. Major networks tried to kill it early on (ABC even launched a competing 24-hour channel called Satellite News Channel).
But Turner’s gamble proved itself during major events: the 1981 assassination attempt on President Reagan, the 1986 “Challenger” disaster, and most famously, the 1991 Gulf War, where CNN was the only network broadcasting live from Baghdad.
CNN didn’t just create 24-hour news—it changed how the world consumes information forever. It pioneered real-time global coverage and influenced everything from Fox News to MSNBC to today’s streaming news
A Life Beyond News
Beyond CNN, Turner built a massive media empire that included TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, and he owned the Atlanta Braves. Nicknamed “The Mouth of the South” for his outspoken style, he was also a major philanthropist who pledged $1 billion to the United Nations and conserved over 2 million acres of land.
Turner was also known for his sailing achievements and high-profile marriages, including to Jane Fonda. They married on December 21, 1991—considered one of Hollywood’s power couples. After their 2001 divorce, Fonda later called Turner the love of her life. Turner said the marriage was one of the happiest periods of his life.
The Final Sign-Off
CNN leaders described him as “the giant we all stand on.” For readers who remember watching the first Gulf War on CNN or discovering Cartoon Network as a kid, Turner’s shadow looms large.
For @eurweb readers: Ted Turner, the man who created CNN and changed news forever, has passed at 87. What’s your most memorable moment or thought about his legacy? Share below.
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