Ted Turner remembered by media leaders after death at 87
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 6
Ted Turner remembered by media leaders after death at 87
12 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 6
Warner Bros. Discovery's David Zaslav, Fox's Rupert Murdoch, Comcast's Brian Roberts and Versant's Mark Lazarus praised the CNN founder on Wednesday.
They said Turner's launch of CNN in 1980 created the first 24-hour news network and reshaped journalism, entertainment and cable television worldwide.
Turner also founded TNT and Turner Classic Movies, and tributes highlighted his risk-taking leadership, philanthropy and lasting influence across the media industry.
Beyond CNN, will Turner's billion-dollar philanthropy and vast conservation lands become his most enduring legacy?
With its visionary founder gone, can the unique, commercial-free Turner Classic Movies survive in the streaming era?
The Life and Impact of Ted Turner: From CNN Founder to Billion-Dollar Philanthropist
Overview
Ted Turner, who died on May 6, 2026, revolutionized media by launching CNN in 1980, creating the first 24-hour news cycle that transformed global news consumption. Despite early skepticism and financial losses, his investments in global bureaus and strategic moves like acquiring Satellite News Channel helped CNN dominate, especially with its live coverage of the 1991 Gulf War, which sparked the influential "CNN effect." Beyond media, Turner owned the Atlanta Braves, won the 1977 America's Cup, and became a major philanthropist, founding the United Nations Foundation and promoting environmental conservation. His legacy was complicated by the disastrous 2000 AOL-Time Warner merger, which cost him control and billions, yet his impact on media and philanthropy remains profound.