CNN Founder Ted Turner Dies — Media Mogul Who Ushered in the 24-Hour News Era

(Seoul=News) Ted Turner, who transformed the paradigm of the global media industry by founding the 24-hour news channel CNN, has died at the age of 87, the BBC reported on the 6th (local time).

Turner established the Cable News Network (CNN) in Atlanta, USA, in 1980, opening the world's first 24-hour news broadcasting era. He is credited with breaking the convention of major terrestrial broadcasters airing news only at scheduled times and creating a new media environment in which viewers could watch real-time news anytime, anywhere.

CNN drew worldwide attention by conducting live coverage from the streets of Baghdad during the 1991 Gulf War, and subsequently established itself as the model for global news channels. Turner's experiment triggered the emergence of subsequent 24-hour news channels such as BBC World and Al Jazeera, and laid the foundation for today's digital real-time news culture.

Turner built his reputation not only as a media entrepreneur but also as a social activist. In 1997, he donated $1 billion to the United Nations, setting what was at the time the largest individual donation on record, and actively participated in environmental protection and nuclear weapons reduction movements. The Turner Foundation, which he established, continues to be actively engaged in the environmental field today.

He was also one of the largest private landowners in the United States and is famously known for investing enormous funds in the restoration project for the American bison, an endangered species. His marriage to actress Jane Fonda in 1991 and their subsequent divorce in 2001 is also well known.

In the media industry, assessments such as "today's global news ecosystem cannot be explained without Turner" continue to emerge. One media expert paid tribute, saying, "He didn't simply create a news channel — he was the figure who opened an era in which information flows across borders." Details regarding surviving family members and funeral arrangements will be announced later.