Media visionary Ted Turner, the man who helped transform Atlanta into a global media powerhouse, has died at the age of 87.
According to CNN and multiple reports Wednesday, Turner passed away after battling Lewy body dementia, a diagnosis he publicly revealed in 2018.
Turner is best known for launching the Cable News Network (CNN) in 1980, creating the world’s first 24-hour news channel and forever changing how people consume breaking news. His media empire also included TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network and Turner Classic Movies.
While Turner’s influence stretched worldwide, his impact on Atlanta was impossible to ignore.
After purchasing Atlanta television station WTCG in the 1970s, Turner helped pioneer the “superstation” concept, turning the local station into a national cable network that eventually became TBS. He also owned the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks, helping elevate Atlanta’s profile on the national sports and entertainment stage.
Turner Broadcasting would eventually become one of the most recognizable media companies in the world, with CNN Center standing as a landmark in downtown Atlanta for decades.
Known for his larger-than-life personality and outspoken style, Turner earned the nickname “The Mouth of the South.” Beyond television, he was also recognized for philanthropy and environmental activism, including a historic $1 billion pledge to support United Nations initiatives through the United Nations Foundation.
Tributes from journalists, media executives and Atlanta leaders have already begun pouring in online, with many crediting Turner for reshaping modern television news and putting Atlanta at the center of the global media industry.
Turner is survived by his children, grandchildren and extended family.
