, the prominent business magnate who established CNN and the Turner Broadcasting System, has passed away at the age of 87.
Turner Enterprises confirmed the news, stating that the billionaire entrepreneur and renowned environmentalist, who was formerly married to actress Jane Fonda, died on Wednesday, May 6.
“Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement,” CEO Mark Thompson 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.”
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Ted Turner’s media empire
The businessman from , known as “The Mouth of the South” due to his candid demeanor, established a media empire that included the first superstation on cable television, along with popular movie and cartoon channels, as well as professional sports franchises such as the Atlanta Braves.
Turner was also a globally recognized yachtsman; a philanthropist who initiated the United Nations Foundation; an activist advocating for the global abolition of nuclear weapons; and a conservationist who emerged as one of the leading landowners in the United States. He significantly contributed to the reintroduction of bison to the American West. Additionally, he developed the Captain Planet cartoon to raise environmental awareness among children.
Ted Turner’s family tree: Take a look
Turner has entered into matrimony three times. His first spouse was Judy Nye in 1960, followed by Jane Shirley Smith in 1965, and ultimately actress Jane Fonda in 1991. Each of these unions concluded with a divorce.
He is survived by his five children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Ted is reported to have given Jane more than $100 million in liquid assets, which includes cash and stock, just prior to the merger of his company with AOL at the height of the dot-com bubble, as per Celebrity Net Worth. Additionally, she was awarded several high-value real estate properties, including a 2,500-acre ranch. While this may appear significant, a single 2,500-acre ranch is merely a small fraction of Ted Turner’s extensive portfolio.
Ted ranks among the largest landowners in the United States, possessing approximately two million acres of personal and ranch land. He has sufficient land to ride a horse from Canada to Mexico without ever leaving his own estate.
