Washington: Ted Turner, the maverick who founded CNN in 1980, transformed the global media landscape by introducing the world’s first 24-hour television news network, a move that redefined how audiences consumed information.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in November 1938, Robert Edward “Ted” Turner III attended a military boarding school in Tennessee and later enrolled at Brown University, though he did not graduate. His early life took a dramatic turn when he assumed control of his family’s struggling advertising business after his father’s death.

Turner expanded into broadcasting by acquiring several radio stations before making a decisive move into television with the purchase of a struggling Atlanta station in 1970. That venture eventually became the backbone of the Turner Broadcasting System, whose success enabled the launch of CNN a decade later.

CNN quickly gained prominence in the United States and internationally, particularly during the 1990–1991 Gulf War, when its real-time satellite coverage brought live conflict reporting into homes worldwide. Its success went on to inspire the creation of rival 24-hour news networks, including Fox News and MSNBC.

Turner’s media empire grew to include a wide array of channels such as TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, and Cartoon Network. He also pursued major corporate deals, including a failed attempt to acquire CBS and a brief takeover of MGM/UA Entertainment, retaining rights to a significant portion of its film library.

In 1996, Turner Broadcasting merged with Time Warner, making Turner vice chairman of the combined entity. However, the subsequent $165 billion merger between AOL and Time Warner in 2001 — then the largest in corporate history — ultimately led to heavy financial losses as AOL’s fortunes declined.

Outside media, Turner was deeply involved in sports. He owned the Atlanta Braves baseball team, which won the World Series in 1995, as well as the Atlanta Hawks NBA team and the Atlanta Thrashers NHL team. A passionate yachtsman, he skippered the US yacht Courageous to victory in the 1977 America’s Cup.

His rivalry with media baron Rupert Murdoch extended beyond business, including a dramatic yachting incident in 1983 during the Sydney-Hobart race that intensified tensions between the two.

Turner also launched the Goodwill Games in the 1980s, aiming to ease Cold War tensions during a period marked by Olympic boycotts.

Known for his outspoken nature, Turner once told The New York Times in 1996, "all the money is in the hands of these few rich people, and none of them give any away."

His personal life attracted public attention, including his marriage to actress Jane Fonda. Reflecting on their relationship, Fonda said: "He needs somebody there for him 100 per cent of the time ... That's not love, it's babysitting."

In his later years, Turner shifted focus to philanthropy and environmental causes. In 1998, he donated $1 billion to the United Nations, leading to the creation of the UN Foundation. Through initiatives like the Turner Foundation and the Turner Endangered Species Fund, he supported conservation efforts and environmental sustainability.

In 2015, he launched Ted Turner Reserves, an eco-tourism initiative promoting conservation awareness across his properties in New Mexico.

A risk-taker, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Turner’s legacy spans media innovation, high-stakes business, sports, and global humanitarian efforts, leaving a lasting imprint on industries and causes worldwide.