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CNN founder Ted Turner, a brash and outspoken television pioneer, has died at age 87

CNN founder Ted Turner, a brash and outspoken television pioneer, has died at age 87

Associated Press
May 06, 2026
CNN founder Ted Turner, a brash and outspoken television pioneer, has died at age 87

CNN founder Ted Turner has died at age 87. His company Turner Enterprises says the television pioneer died Wednesday.

Turner transformed an obscure Atlanta television station into the first satellite-based “superstation” and founded Cable News Network, the first 24-hour, all news TV network.

The brash Southerner owned sports teams, was a champion yacht racer and was married to actor Jane Fonda for 10 years.

He was one of America’s most extensive landowners and became a prolific philanthropist, donating $1 billion to the United Nations.

President Donald Trump, in reacting to Turner’s death, called him one of the all-time greats.