Media mogul and wrestling industry figure Ted Turner has passed away at the age of 87.
The news was first reported by CNN, the groundbreaking 24-hour news channel Turner founded.
Back in 2018, Turner publicly revealed that he had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, a progressive neurological condition. Earlier this year, in early 2025, he was hospitalized due to a mild case of pneumonia but later recovered while staying at a rehabilitation facility.
Turner’s impact on media is difficult to overstate.
In addition to launching CNN, he was also behind WTBS, which helped pioneer the “superstation” model in cable television, as well as TNT and Cartoon Network.
Wrestling fans, of course, remember Turner for his role in building World Championship Wrestling. After acquiring the assets of Jim Crockett Promotions, Turner turned WCW into a national powerhouse.
WCW’s flagship show, Nitro, aired on TNT and became a central player in the famed Monday Night Wars, going head-to-head with WWE RAW during one of the most competitive periods in wrestling history. Meanwhile, Thunder aired on TBS, further expanding WCW’s reach during its peak years.
His influence stretched far beyond just business.
“Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement,” Mark Thompson, Chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide, said in a statement. “He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN. Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we will all take a moment today to recognize him and his impact on our lives and the world.”
Rest in peace to Ted Turner.
