CNN Founder Ted Turner Dies at 87

CNN founder and business mogul Ted Turner has died at age 87, according to CNN.

Turner pioneered the media industry with the creation of the 24-hour cable news network in 1980. He disclosed in 2018 that he suffered from Lewy body dementia, which caused memory problems and exhaustion.

He died peacefully surrounded by family, according to CNN.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Turner made his fortune first through advertising in Georgia before starting his media empire. He entered the television business in 1970 when he acquired Atlanta independent UHF station channel 17, according to the Turner Enterprises website.

In 1976, Turner purchased Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves and launched TBS, which introduced the "Superstation" concept.

Turner changed cable news and how Americans consume information by launching CNN, the first live, 24-hour news network, in 1980. He later started CNN Headline News, CNN International, TNT, Cartoon Network and Turner Classic Movies.

Turner's company merged with Time Warner Inc. in 1996. Time Warner merged with AOL in 2001. Turner left the company in 2003 and stepped down from the board in 2005.

Turner was one of America's most influential philanthropists.