ATLANTA, GEORGIA — Media mogul Ted Turner, the founder of the Cable News Network, died on May 6, 2026, at the age of 87, according to a news release from Turner Enterprises. Turner launched CNN in 1980 as the first 24-hour news channel.

Turner took over his father's billboard company after his father committed suicide in 1963. He bought an Atlanta radio station that within a decade became the foundation of the Turner Broadcasting System.

CNN was mocked as the "Chicken Noodle Network" in its early years before establishing itself with continuous coverage of major events, including the 1981 assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan and the 1986 Challenger space shuttle disaster. The network provided live rolling coverage from Iraq during the 1990-1991 Gulf War.

President George H. W. Bush said of the network's reach: "He learned more from CNN than he did from the CIA."

Turner lived in CNN's headquarters for a number of years and often walked around the newsroom in a bath robe to debate the day's news. Rupert Murdoch, a long-time rival, launched a competing cable news channel in 1996. In 1983, a Murdoch-sponsored yacht collided with Turner's boat during an Australian race, prompting Turner to challenge Murdoch to a fist fight.

In 1985, Turner made a $1.5 billion acquisition of the MGM film studios. He bought Castle Rock Entertainment and New Line Cinema in the 1990s before merging his company with Time Warner.

Walter Isaacson, former CNN chief executive, speaking at the Sir Harry Evans Investigative Journalism Summit, said: "He was fearless when it came to his corporate overlords, when Time Warner bought him; he was fearless when it came to political leaders who tried to push back on him."

Beyond media, Turner won the America's Cup yacht race in 1977 and owned the Atlanta Braves baseball team, the Atlanta Hawks basketball team and the Atlanta Thrashers ice hockey team. He donated $1 billion to the United Nations. He was married to actress Jane Fonda from 1991 until 2001. He revealed in 2018 that he had Lewy body dementia, a degenerative nerve disease.

CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour wrote on X: "Just remember when giants strode the world. Ted Turner created an unstoppable media revolution for the benefit of all humankind. Throughout nearly 43 years at CNN, working for Ted and his vision has been the proudest achievement of my lifetime."