Ted Turner, the veteran visionary behind CNN, dies at 87

Ted Turner, the media mogul and the visionary behind the modern 24-hour news culture, dies at the age of 87. The man who shaped the modern news format and fundamentally altered how the world absorbs information and news by founding CNN has breathed his last today, marking the end of an era.


The Man behind the news
As per an official statement released by CNN, it confirmed his sad demise. Diving back into his era of building a news empire, Turner started CNN in 1980, and most people thought it was a mere idea. A channel that only showed news, all day and all night? It seemed like a risk; the early years were tough with money problems and critics doubting the channel. Turner kept going, leading the network with courage and determination. CNN started to make a name for itself during events. The channel covered the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan in 1981. The Challenger space shuttle disaster in 1986. These moments showed that CNN was here to stay. The Gulf War in 1990-1991 was a turning point, with CNN's live reporting making it a must-watch for people around the world.


The Man Behind CNN
As per a report published in BBC, the current CNN CEO Mark Thompson praised Turner as a leader who trusted his instincts. "Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand," Thompson said. "He. Always will be the heart of CNN.”


From Hard Times to Success
Ted Turner's success story began in circumstances; his father died by suicide and Turner took over the family billboard business. He proved to be a businessman buying a small radio station in Atlanta, Georgia. Within a decade that station became the foundation of the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS). Turner became one of the influential media moguls in US history, showing that he knew what people wanted.