Ted Turner, the ‘Mouth of the South’ Who Built a Global News Empire, Dies at 87

ATLANTA — Ted Turner, the audacious, swashbuckling media visionary who shrunk the world by launching CNN and creating the 24-hour news cycle, died Wednesday at his home in Lamont, Florida. He was 87.

​The billionaire philanthropist’s death was confirmed by Turner Enterprises. While an official cause was not immediately released, Turner had been living with Lewy body dementia since at least 2018—a progressive neurological disorder he once described with characteristic bluntness as “a mild case of Alzheimer’s.”

​The Birth of “Rolling News”

​In 1980, when the Big Three networks dominated the American airwaves, Turner launched the Cable News Network (CNN). Critics initially derided the venture as the “Chicken Noodle Network,” predicting a 24-hour news cycle would run out of content within weeks.

ADVERTISEMENT

​Turner proved them wrong by treating news as a living, breathing entity. The network became an essential global utility during the 1981 assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan and the 1986 Challenger disaster. Its defining moment came during the 1990-1991 Gulf War, when live broadcasts from Baghdad made CNN the primary source of information for world leaders and civilians alike.

​A Giant of Many Fields

​Turner’s influence extended far beyond the newsroom. He was a world-class yachtsman, winning the America’s Cup in 1977, and a professional sports titan. He purchased the Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Hawks, famously using his “Superstation” WTBS to broadcast Braves games across the country, turning a local team into “America’s Team.”

​His business empire, which at its peak included TNT, Cartoon Network, and Turner Classic Movies, was eventually folded into Time Warner in 1996. The subsequent merger with AOL in 2000—often cited as one of the worst corporate deals in history—cost Turner an estimated $8 billion of his personal fortune and much of his corporate power.

​Philanthropy and “The Giving Pledge”

​Undeterred by financial setbacks, Turner pivoted to global causes. In 1997, he famously pledged $1 billion to the United Nations, a move that challenged other billionaires to increase their charitable giving. He was an original signatory of The Giving Pledge, eventually donating the majority of his wealth to environmental conservation and nuclear non-proliferation.

​”Ted was the giant on whose shoulders we stand,” said CNN CEO Mark Thompson. “He was a committed leader, intrepid, fearless, and always willing to back a hunch.”

​A Final Farewell

​Turner’s personal life was as colorful as his professional one. Married three times, most notably to actress and activist Jane Fonda from 1991 to 2001, he remained a fixture of American culture even after his diagnosis. Fonda paid tribute to him Wednesday, describing him as a “swashbuckling pirate” who changed her life forever.

​At the time of his death, Turner remained one of the largest private landowners in the U.S., holding approximately 2 million acres and maintaining a herd of 45,000 bison.

​He is survived by his five children: Laura, Robert Edward “Teddy” IV, Rhett, Beau, and Jennie, along with 14 grandchildren. The family has requested that donations be made to the United Nations Foundation or the Lewy Body Dementia Association in lieu of flowers.