The founder of Cable News Network (CNN) the first dedicated rolling news channel, which soon became a central part of the media landscape, Ted Turner has been reported dead at the age of 87.
Penpushing reports that the network announced demise of the media mogul who pioneered the modern 24-hour news culture when he launched the Cable News Network (CNN) channel, in 1980
The Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the media outlet, Mark Thompson in a statement described Turner as the giant on whose shoulders the management and staff stand, and they would all take a moment to recognise him and his impact on their lives and the world.
“Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement. He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN.”
Penpushing further reports that the President of United States of America (USA), Donald Trump paid tribute to him as one of the greats of broadcast history, and a friend of his, adding that whenever he needed him, he was there and always willing to fight for a good cause!
The deceased beyond the media, was a world-class yachtsman, winning the America’s Cup in 1977, and 1983, a Murdoch-sponsored yacht collided with Turner’s boat in an Australian race, which led Turner to challenge Murdoch to a fist fight.
Penpushing also reports that Turner owned sport properties including the Atlanta Braves baseball team, Atlanta Hawks basketball team and Atlanta Thrashers ice hockey team, and became a major philanthropist, donating $1billion to the United Nations (UN) and millions more to environmental causes, and promoted and invested in clean energy.
The late media icon was married to actress Jane Fonda from 1991 until 2001, and in 2018, disclosed that he had Lewy body dementia, a degenerative nerve disease.
Penpushing reports that long-serving Cable News Network (CNN) correspondent Christiane Amanpour was among those paying tribute, stating that Turner created an unstoppable media revolution for the benefit of all humankind.
“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. RIP’, he wrote
Penpushing further reports that on his part, Piers Morgan, who hosted a flagship show on the station emphasized that the late Turner was an incredible man who created Cable News Network (CNN)
“An incredible man who created CNN, won the World Series, and the America’s Cup, was a bison rancher, huge philanthropist, and extraordinarily bold buccaneer. Loved lunching with him, and interviewing him, when I worked at CNN. He was such a great character’, Morgan wrote
Penpushing also reports that Turner’s television empire also included the TBS and TNT channels, Turner Classic Movies and Cartoon Network, but the the channel proved its worth by providing speedy and continuous updates of stories like the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan in 1981, and the Challenger space shuttle disaster in 1986.
The Cable News Network (CNN’s) success led other news channels to follow, such as Fox News, launched in 1996 by Turner’s long-time rival Rupert Murdoch, but Cable News Network (CNN) was far from Turner’s only outlet.
Penpushing reports that Turner began his career by taking over the successful family billboard company when his father took his own life, then bought a radio station in Atlanta, Georgia, within a decade, that station had become the foundation of the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) and its boss was one of the biggest media moguls in America.
The deceased was also known for his brash personality, which earned him the nicknames “the Mouth of the South” and “Captain Outrageous”, and he even lived in Cable News Network (CNN’s) headquarters for a number of years, often walking around the newsroom in his bath robe, eager to debate the day’s news.
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