CNN Founder Ted Turner Dies at 87 After Long Battle with Dementia

A Media Revolutionary's Final Chapter

Ted Turner, the media maverick and philanthropist who founded CNN, a pioneering 24-hour network that revolutionized television news, died peacefully Wednesday, surrounded by his family , at age 87 . Turner's death comes eight years after he announced he had Lewy body dementia, a progressive brain disorder he shared with the public in 2018, shortly before he turned 80 .

The progressive brain disorder left Turner tired and exhausted, with forgetfulness as the main symptoms, though he called it "not nearly as bad" as Alzheimer's . He was also hospitalized with pneumonia in 2025 and had to recover at a rehabilitation facility , marking the decline of a man who once seemed unstoppable in his ambitions.

Turner eventually sold his networks to Time Warner and later exited the business, but continued to express pride in CNN, calling it the "greatest achievement" of his life . His impact on journalism cannot be overstated - Cable News Network upended established broadcasting with around-the-clock breaking news and shot to global recognition with its coverage of the Gulf War in 1990-91 .

From Billboards to Broadcasting Empire

Turner took over his father's advertising company after the elder Turner, struggling with financial hardships and mental health issues, died by suicide in 1963, with his son becoming president and CEO . The young Turner had been kicked out of Brown University three years earlier, reportedly for having a woman in his dorm room .

In the mid-1970s, Turner made one of the most consequential decisions of his career, becoming one of the first media company owners to use satellite technology to broadcast his station to a national cable television viewing audience, widening his reach and boosting revenues . He launched the Cable News Network — the nation's first continuous all-news television station — on June 1, 1980 at a converted Jewish country club in Atlanta .

Over the years, he expanded his presence across television, sports, entertainment and philanthropy, establishing channels including Turner Broadcasting System, CNN Headline News, TNT, Cartoon Network and Turner Classic Movies . Turner leveraged his media success in sports, buying the Atlanta Braves in 1976 and the Atlanta Hawks in 1977, with the Braves winning the World Series in 1995 under his ownership .

Philanthropy and Environmental Legacy

Turner helped change the idea of philanthropy by being one of the first individuals to give away huge sums while still alive, rather than bequeathing them in a will; he donated a record $1 billion to create the United Nations Foundation . His philanthropy helped inspire the "Giving Pledge" of Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and other billionaires – and he was one of the first signatories to it .

By 2010, he owned 2 million acres and was the largest single landowner in the U.S. for years until he was surpassed by Liberty Media founder and chief John Malone . He founded Ted's Montana Grill with hopes of making bison a popular alternative to beef, raising bison on his many ranches and seeing the restaurant chain as a way to reach customers while saving the species from extinction .

His biggest single contribution was his creation of the United Nations Foundation, focusing on decreasing child mortality, boosting technology for health, empowering females, charting new energy, World Heritage and a stronger U.N., with Nothing But Nets helping cut malaria nearly in half by distributing 1 million mosquito nets in Africa, Asia and other stricken regions since its 2006 launch .

A Lasting Impact on Media and Society

In his final years, the flamboyant showman retreated from the public eye, publicly acknowledging his affliction with Lewy Body Dementia in 2018 . Turner is survived by his five children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren .

Turner's transformation of television news created the template for modern 24-hour coverage that defines how people consume information today. Every breaking news alert, every continuous coverage event, every round-the-clock news cycle traces back to his audacious 1980 gamble on CNN. His environmental work and massive philanthropic giving also established new standards for how wealthy individuals can use their fortunes for global good.

The man who once famously declared "We won't be signing off until the world ends. We'll be on, and we will cover the end of the world, live, and that will be our last event" leaves behind institutions that will continue shaping media, conservation, and global humanitarian