Who is entrepreneur and media proprietor Ted Turner?
Ted Turner is the commonly used name of Robert Edward Turner III, an American entrepreneur and media proprietor born on November 19, 1938, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is best known for founding Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24-hour television news channel, and for building Turner Broadcasting System into a major media company. Turner also owned prominent Atlanta sports franchises, including the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks, and has been recognized for his business influence, sailing achievements, and philanthropy.
Background/biography
Robert Edward Turner III was born to Florence Rooney and Robert Edward Turner II, an advertising executive. Although born in Ohio, he spent much of his early life in Savannah, Georgia. He attended The McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and later studied classics at Brown University, though he did not graduate.
Turner entered the family business, Turner Advertising, which operated billboard advertising operations. After his father died in 1963, Turner took control of the company and expanded it beyond outdoor advertising. His business ambitions eventually led him into radio, television, cable distribution, sports ownership, and international media.
Media and business career
- Expanded Turner Advertising into a broader communications business during the 1960s and 1970s.
- Acquired Atlanta television station WTCG in 1970; it later became the nationally distributed “superstation” WTBS.
- Founded Cable News Network (CNN), which launched on June 1, 1980, as a 24-hour television news service.
- Developed Turner Broadcasting System, associated with channels and brands including TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, Turner Classic Movies, and CNN.
- Owned the Atlanta Braves baseball team and the Atlanta Hawks basketball team for periods during his media-company ownership.
- Established the Goodwill Games, an international sporting event first held in 1986.
- Completed the merger of Turner Broadcasting with Time Warner in 1996.
Turner’s use of satellite distribution helped transform WTCG from a local Atlanta station into a channel available to cable households across the United States. CNN subsequently became a major international news organization, particularly noted for its live coverage of major breaking events.
Under Turner’s leadership, Turner Broadcasting also invested heavily in entertainment programming, animation, film libraries, and sports broadcasting. The company’s acquisition of the MGM/UA entertainment library contributed to the creation of Turner Classic Movies, a channel devoted to classic cinema.
A defining innovation: 24-hour news
CNN was initially met with skepticism from many television-industry observers, who questioned whether a continuous news channel could attract a sustainable audience. Its live coverage of events including the 1991 Gulf War helped demonstrate the influence of round-the-clock cable news and established CNN as an internationally recognized news brand.
Turner was also known for a highly public, forceful management style and for pursuing ambitious projects that extended beyond conventional broadcasting. His ventures combined business expansion with interests in sports, environmental causes, and international cooperation.
Net worth
Ted Turner’s wealth has been estimated by publications including Forbes at around several billion dollars, with estimates varying over time based on investments, market conditions, charitable giving, and the value of his holdings. His principal sources of wealth have included Turner Broadcasting, the Time Warner transaction, investments, land ownership, and other business interests. Turner has also made major philanthropic commitments, including a widely reported $1 billion pledge to support United Nations-related causes.
Did you know?
- Turner won the America’s Cup in 1977 as skipper of the yacht Courageous.
- He founded the Goodwill Games after the Olympic boycotts of the 1980 and 1984 Games.
- He was named Time magazine’s Man of the Year for 1991.
- Turner briefly managed the Atlanta Braves in 1977 before Major League Baseball stopped team owners from serving as field managers.
- He created the Turner Foundation and became widely associated with environmental and conservation philanthropy.
- In 2018, Turner publicly disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia.
