Ted Turner, the media mogul and visionary who transformed the landscape of global television news, has died at the age of 87. His passing was confirmed by his family and reported by CNN on Wednesday, following a news release from Turner Enterprises.
In a heartfelt tribute, Mark Thompson, the chair and CEO of CNN Worldwide, described Turner as an “intrepid” and “fearless” leader who was always prepared to trust his own judgement. Thompson remarked that Turner was the “presiding spirit” of the network and the “giant on whose shoulders we stand.”
Turner’s influence extended far beyond media. A prolific philanthropist, he founded the United Nations Foundation in 1998 and made a record-breaking $1 billion donation to the UN, reports CNN.
The foundation noted that his goal was to demonstrate the value of investing in the UN and to promote strong leadership from the United States within the international body.
Additionally, Turner established the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a non-profit organisation dedicated to reducing global security threats from nuclear, biological, and emerging technologies. His global impact was recognised in 1991 when Time magazine named him Man of the Year for turning viewers in 150 countries into “instant witnesses of history.”
In the 1990s, Turner sold the Turner Broadcasting System, which included CNN, to Time Warner Inc.
Regarding his personal health, Turner announced in 2018 that he had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, a progressive brain disorder. He had also been briefly hospitalised in 2025 with a mild case of pneumonia.
The media titan is survived by five children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. A spokesperson for the family also confirmed the death to the New York Times.
