WASHINGTON D.C May 6, 2026 – Media mogul Ted Turner, the visionary founder of CNN and a pioneering figure in cable television, died Wednesday at the age of 87. Turner Enterprises confirmed his passing, stating he died peacefully surrounded by family at his home in Lamont, Florida. No immediate cause of death was disclosed in the initial announcement, though reports indicate he had been battling Lewy body dementia in recent years.
Turner revolutionized the television industry in 1980 by launching CNN as the world’s first 24-hour cable news network. He went on to build a media empire that included TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, and Cartoon Network. A bold entrepreneur, he also owned the Atlanta Braves baseball team—leading them to a 1995 World Series title—and was an accomplished sailor who won the America’s Cup in 1977. Beyond business, Turner was a major philanthropist, pledging $1 billion to the United Nations and conserving more than two million acres of land while maintaining the world’s largest private bison herd.
The White House shared President Donald J. Trump’s statement on Turner’s death Wednesday afternoon:
“Ted Turner, one of the Greats of All Time, just died. He founded CNN, sold it, and was personally devastated by the Deal because the new ownership took CNN, his ‘baby,’ and destroyed it. It became woke, and everything that he is not all about. Maybe the new buyers, wonderful people, will be able to bring it back to its former credibility and glory. Regardless, however, one of the Greats of Broadcast History, and a friend of mine. Whenever I needed him, he was there, always willing to fight for a good cause!”
President Trump’s remarks highlighted Turner’s foundational role in cable news while criticizing what he described as the network’s shift under new ownership. The statement echoed broader conservative critiques of CNN’s direction in recent years.
Tributes poured in from across the media and sports worlds. CNN and other outlets remembered Turner as a brash, innovative force who changed how the world consumes news. Former colleagues and rivals, including media executives, praised his transformative impact on broadcasting.
Turner’s legacy includes both acclaim for pioneering 24-hour news and scrutiny over some of his public positions on population control, environmental issues, and global affairs. He had been open about personal struggles, including bipolar disorder, and remained a colorful figure in American business and philanthropy until his later years.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. Turner is survived by his family, including children from multiple marriages.
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