Jane Fonda’s Ex-Husband & CNN Visionary Ted Turner Passes Away at 87

Ted Turner, the billionaire businessman who forever changed the media landscape by launching CNN, has died at age 87. Turner died Wednesday, according to a statement released by Turner Enterprises and confirmed by CNN, the groundbreaking 24-hour news network he founded.

Widely recognized for his fearless personality and ambitious ideas, Turner became one of the most influential figures in television history.

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As per CNN, he was nicknamed “The Mouth of the South” for his outspoken nature. The Atlanta media mogul built an empire that extended far beyond cable news.

Along with CNN, Turner helped grow major entertainment and sports networks and owned the Atlanta Braves baseball team.

Ted Turner Built CNN Into a Global Media Powerhouse

Turner’s bold vision of delivering live news around the clock was once viewed as a major gamble in the television industry.

That gamble ultimately reshaped global media.

CNN became the first 24-hour cable news network and quickly turned viewers around the world into real-time witnesses to historic global events.

For many fans outside the business world, Turner was also known for his marriage to Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda. The pair were married from 1991 until their divorce in 2001.

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In 1991, Time magazine named Turner its Man of the Year for “influencing the dynamic of events and turning viewers in 150 countries into instant witnesses of history.”

Even after stepping away from the company following the sale of his networks to Time Warner, Turner continued to describe CNN as “the greatest achievement” of his life.

Following news of his death, CNN Worldwide chairman Mark Thompson honored Turner’s impact on journalism and television.

“Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement,” Thompson said in an official statement.

“He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN. Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand.”

Ted Turner Became Known for Philanthropy and Conservation Work

Beyond media, Turner devoted much of his later life to philanthropy, environmental causes and conservation efforts.

He founded the United Nations Foundation and spent years advocating for nuclear disarmament and environmental protection.

Turner also became one of the largest private landowners in the United States and played a major role in restoring bison populations throughout the American West.

His passion for conservation even extended into children’s entertainment through the creation of the environmentally focused cartoon “Captain Planet.”

Friends and admirers often described Turner as unpredictable, passionate, and deeply driven by causes he believed could make a lasting difference.

Ted Turner Faced Health Struggles in Recent Years

Earlier this year, Turner was hospitalized with a mild case of pneumonia before later recovering at a rehabilitation facility, CNN reported in January.

In 1991, the Los Angeles Times reported that Time magazine named Turner its Man of the Year for “influencing the dynamic of events and turning viewers in 150 countries into instant witnesses of history.”

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