Ted Turner, the media pioneer and founder of CNN and Turner Broadcasting System, has passed away on Wednesday, May 6, at the age of 87.

The demise news of the billionaire entrepreneur and noted environmentalist was announced by Turner Enterprises.

“Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement,” CNN CEO Mark Thompson said issued a statement. “He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN. Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we will all take a moment today to recognize him and his impact on our lives and the world.”

Born Robert Edward Turner III on November 19, 1938, in Cincinnati, Turner relocated to Savannah at age nine, where his father operated a billboard advertising firm. 

After his father’s death in 1963, Turner assumed control of the business before moving into television by acquiring an Atlanta-based UHF station in 1970. 

He introduced the “superstation” model in 1975, leading to the formation of TBS, and purchased the Atlanta Braves to secure broadcast content. In 1980, he launched CNN, the first 24-hour news network, later expanding into multiple global television networks.