CNN journalists of past, present react to death of founder Ted Turner
Ted Turner, the “singular” CNN founder, billionaire philanthropist and pioneer of the 24-hour cable news cycle, is being remembered for his contributions to journalism and the world at large, following his death. He was 87.
Turner, who also founded Turner Network Television (TNT) and Turner Classic Movies (TCM), died Wednesday while surrounded by his family near his Tallahassee, Florida, home, amid a battle with Lewy body dementia.
At the time of publication, two-time Oscar winner and activist Jane Fonda – to whom Turner was married from 1991 to 2001 – had not yet broken her silence on the passing of her “favorite ex-husband.”
Representatives for Fonda did not immediately respond to the Daily News’ request for comment.
But CNN staples of past and present, including Wolf Blitzer, Christiane Amanpour, Katie Couric, CEO Mark Thompson and former CNN president Walter Isaacson, all paid tribute to Turner’s legacy.
“This is where the news comes first, and your vacations and everything else comes second,” Blitzer recalled Turner saying upon hiring him in May 1990. “He was so determined to make sure that the news was strong and reliable and fair and he inspired me and so many other journalists to work and report the news fairly and accurately, and if possible, break those stories first.”
Blitzer, who will “miss him a lot,” remembered Turner as an “idealistic guy,” who also emphasized to him the importance of CNN being seen nationally and internationally: “He felt that if people all over the world were seeing the same news, maybe the world would be a little bit more peaceful.”
Amanpour remembered Turner as exemplifying “the amazing American success story, the businessman, the visionary, the revolutionary, who created really a media revolution.” She said that any and everything in the 24/7 news cycle “was a copy” of Turner, “and not the best copies.”
“He was the original and he made us all proud and he made us all hopeful. He made us all strive for his vision of a better world,” continued Amanpour.
Couric, one of the self-described “CNN OGs,” praised Turner as “a singular figure – in a world of colorful media moguls, he was technicolor.”
“Ted was enormously proud of the network he created and the journalists who worked there. He was also a committed environmentalist and philanthropist who left the world much better than he found it,” she continued. “Thank you, Ted, for the impact you had on the world and for doing it your way.”
“There are no worthy successors to Ted Turner,” Thompson said during a Wednesday afternoon appearance on CNN, while recalling his state of mind upon taking the head job.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav reportedly reflected on Turner’s legacy in a memo to staffers, highlighting brands like Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) – formerly WJRJ and WTCG – which he inherited in 1970, as well as the launches of TNT and TCM.
“Ted’s influence is woven throughout Warner Bros. Discovery,” wrote Zaslav. “The brands he built and championed remain central to who we are, and they continue to reflect his belief in creative risk, cultural impact, and global reach. … Ted Turner changed our industry forever.”
During the Investigative Journalism Summit in London, Isaacson remembered Turner as “the most fearless journalist I’ve ever seen.”
“Ted’s love of classic films inspired him to create a channel dedicated to preserving them. He considered TCM one of his greatest accomplishments,” said TCM. “His passion continues to inspire us all as we work to fulfill his mission.”
The Atlanta Braves, which Turner owned from 1976 to 1996, remembered him as a “good friend” and “one of a kind – a brilliant businessman, consummate showman and passionate fan of this beloved Braves.” The team credited Turner for having “helped make us who we are today.”