• Faith: Agnostic
• Career: Businessman
• Birthday:  November 13, 1938
• Date of Death:  May 06, 2026

Ted Turner was an American media entrepreneur, philanthropist and environmental advocate best known as the founder of CNN, the world’s first 24-hour cable news network. A bold and often controversial figure, Turner helped reshape modern television, built a major media empire and later became one of the most influential philanthropists of his generation. He died on May 6, 2026, at the age of 87.

Robert Edward “Ted” Turner III was born on November 19, 1938, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was raised in a strict household by his father, Robert Edward Turner Jr., who ran a billboard advertising business, and his mother, Florence Rooney Turner. The family later settled in Georgia, where Turner spent much of his youth.

Turner attended several private schools before enrolling at Brown University. He did not graduate, but his early exposure to his father’s business gave him a strong foundation in sales, risk-taking and entrepreneurship. In 1963, after his father died by suicide, Turner took control of the family’s struggling billboard company at just 24 years old.

Turner transformed his father’s billboard business into a broadcasting empire. In the 1970s, he bought a struggling UHF television station in Atlanta and turned it into a national “superstation” by distributing it through satellite technology. That move helped change the future of cable television.

In 1980, Turner launched CNN, a 24-hour news network that revolutionized how people watched breaking news. While many critics doubted the idea at first, CNN later became a major force in journalism, especially during major world events such as the Gulf War.

Turner also built Turner Broadcasting System, launched or developed major cable brands, and owned the Atlanta Braves. He helped turn the Braves into a nationally known team by airing their games across the country. In 1996, Turner Broadcasting merged with Time Warner, further cementing Turner’s influence in American media.

Turner’s philanthropy became a major part of his legacy. In 1997, he pledged $1 billion to support United Nations causes, one of the largest charitable pledges ever made at the time. That gift led to the creation of the United Nations Foundation, which supports global health, poverty relief, environmental protection and peace efforts.

He also founded the Turner Foundation, which has focused heavily on environmental conservation, clean energy, population issues and wildlife protection. Turner became one of the largest private landowners in the United States and used much of his land for conservation and ecological restoration.

Although Turner was often critical of organized religion, he worked with Christian and faith-based groups on humanitarian causes, including global efforts to fight malaria. His charitable work reflected a deep concern for human suffering, public health and the future of the planet.

Turner was married three times and had five children. His most famous marriage was to actress and activist Jane Fonda, whom he married in 1991. The couple divorced in 2001.

Known for his outspoken personality, Turner earned the nickname “The Mouth of the South.” He was also an accomplished sailor and won the America’s Cup in 1977. In later years, Turner faced health challenges, including Lewy body dementia, which limited his public appearances.

Ted Turner died peacefully on May 6, 2026, surrounded by his family. He was 87. His death marked the end of a remarkable life that left a lasting impact on television, journalism, sports, philanthropy and environmental conservation.

Ted Turner's Religious Beliefs

Turner was raised in a strict Christian home with Episcopalian and Presbyterian influences. He attended schools shaped by conservative Christian values, but his religious beliefs changed dramatically after personal tragedy.

Turner said he lost his faith around age 20 after his younger sister died from lupus. He later recalled being angry with God and saying, “I don’t want to have anything to do with you.” Over time, he described himself as agnostic or humanist and became known for criticizing organized religion.

One of his most controversial comments came when he called Christianity “a religion for losers.” He also made jokes about the pope, remarks for which he later apologized. In later years, however, Turner’s tone softened. He said he was no longer an atheist and suggested he believed there may be “one God who manifests himself in different ways.”

Turner also said he prayed for friends who were sick, explaining that he prayed to “whoever is listening.” His beliefs remained complex, but his later comments showed a more open and less combative view of faith than the one he expressed earlier in life.