Ted Turner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ted Turner
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Turner in 1985
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Robert Edward Turner III
November 19, 1938 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
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| Died | May 6, 2026 (aged 87) Lamont, Florida, U.S.
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| Education | Brown University (attended) |
| Years active | 1960–2018 |
| Known for | Turner Broadcasting System |
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| Children | 5 |
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Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III (born November 19, 1938 – passed away on May 6, 2026) was a famous American businessman, TV producer, and generous giver. He created CNN, the world's first 24-hour cable news channel. He also started other popular TV networks like TNT, TBS, and Cartoon Network. Ted Turner was also known for owning the Atlanta Braves baseball team and for his important work protecting the environment. He gave a huge amount of money to create the United Nations Foundation, which helps the United Nations solve global problems.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Robert Edward Turner III was born on November 19, 1938, in Cincinnati, Ohio. His father, Robert Edward Turner II, owned a successful billboard business. When Ted was nine, his family moved to Savannah, Georgia. He attended a private school for boys in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Ted went to Brown University where he was active in the debating club and captain of the sailing team. He studied classics and later economics. He left the university before completing his degree. In 1989, Brown University gave him an honorary degree. Ted also served in the United States Coast Guard Reserve. He enjoyed being on boats and was stationed in places like Charleston, South Carolina and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Ted Turner's Business Journey
Ted Turner's amazing business journey began in March 1963. After his father's passing, 24-year-old Ted took over the family's billboard advertising company. He quickly grew the business into a large, successful company.
Creating WTBS, the Super-Station
In the late 1960s, Ted bought several radio stations. Then, in 1969, he sold his radio stations to buy a struggling TV station in Atlanta. It was channel 17, called WJRJ-TV. Ted believed that people would want more TV channels in the future. He changed the station's name to WTCG, which stood for Turner Communications Group. He wanted people to "Watch This Channel Grow"!
The station mostly showed old movies, cartoons, and classic TV shows. Ted bought these programs at a low cost. WTCG also started showing games for the Atlanta Braves baseball team and the Atlanta Hawks basketball team.
In 1976, the government allowed WTCG to use a satellite to send its programs to cable TV companies across the country. On December 17, 1976, WTCG became the first "Super-Station," broadcasting nationwide. This meant many more people could watch his channel, and his business grew rapidly. He later changed the station's name to WTBS.
In 1986, Ted created the Goodwill Games. These games aimed to bring countries together through sports. They also gave his superstation more exciting sports programs to show. The baseball stadium where the Atlanta Braves played, Turner Field, was named after him.
Launching CNN: 24-Hour News
In 1978, Ted Turner had a big idea: a TV channel that showed news 24 hours a day! He worked with a media executive named Reese Schonfeld to make this happen. They needed a lot of money, about $15 million to $20 million, to start. To help fund this, Ted sold his TV station in Charlotte for a record price. He set up the new news channel's headquarters in Atlanta.
The Cable News Network (CNN) launched on June 1, 1980. It quickly became one of the most important news networks in the world. CNN changed how people got their news, making it available all day, every day.
The "Doomsday Video"
Ted Turner was known for his bold statements. Before CNN started, he famously said that the network "won't be signing off until the world ends." He even had a special video made. This video showed a military band playing the song "Nearer, My God, to Thee". He said this would be the very last thing CNN would ever broadcast. The video was kept secret in CNN's archives for many years. It was labeled to be released only "till end of world confirmed." In 2015, this unique video was found and shared with the public.
Other Media Ventures
Ted Turner's business empire continued to grow. In 1986, he bought the famous film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and its large library of movies. He later sold parts of it but kept the rights to many classic films made before 1986. He used these films to create new TV channels.
When showing some older black-and-white movies, he sometimes aired versions that had been digitally colored. Some film lovers and directors did not like this. They believed movies should be seen in their original form. Because of this, the Library of Congress started the National Film Registry to protect American films.
In 1988, Ted started Turner Network Television (TNT), which showed older movies and TV shows, and later added original programs. In 1994, he launched Turner Classic Movies (TCM). This channel showed classic films from his huge library without commercials.
Ted also loved professional wrestling. In 1988, he bought a wrestling company and renamed it World Championship Wrestling (WCW). WCW became very popular and competed with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). In 1990, Ted created the animated series Captain Planet and the Planeteers. This show featured a superhero who fought to protect the environment. He also bought Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1991, which owned many classic cartoons. These cartoons, along with others he owned, became the basis for Cartoon Network, which launched in 1992. Ted also owned the Atlanta Thrashers, an ice hockey team that joined the National Hockey League in 1999.
Merging with Time Warner
In 1996, Ted Turner's company, Turner Broadcasting System, merged with a much larger company called Time Warner. Ted became a vice chairman of the new company. Later, in 2001, Time Warner merged with America Online (AOL) to become AOL Time Warner. Ted initially supported this big merger. However, the new company faced challenges, and Ted eventually left his leadership roles. He was the largest individual shareholder in Time Warner. It is believed he lost a lot of money when the company's stock value dropped after the merger. He later joked that he couldn't afford to buy back his old companies.
Business Rivalries
Ted Turner had a long-standing business rivalry with another media owner, Rupert Murdoch. This competition started in the 1980s. Murdoch's Fox News channel, launched in 1996, became a major competitor to Ted's CNN. Ted once said that his combined company would "squash Rupert Murdoch like a bug." Later, the two media giants made amends and became friends.
Owning Sports Teams
| Ted Turner | |
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| Atlanta Braves – No. 27 | |
| Manager | |
| debut | |
| May 11, 1977, for the Atlanta Braves | |
| Last appearance | |
| May 11, 1977, for the Atlanta Braves | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Games | 1 |
| Win–loss record | 0–1 |
| Winning % | .000 |
| Teams | |
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Ted Turner bought the Atlanta Braves baseball team in 1976. He also bought the Atlanta Hawks basketball team in 1977. He used his WTBS superstation to broadcast Braves games across North America. This made the Braves a very well-known team, even before they became champions in the 1990s.
In 1977, Ted even tried to manage the Braves for one game when the team was on a long losing streak! However, baseball rules did not allow an owner to also be the manager. Under Ted's ownership, the Atlanta Braves won the 1995 World Series. He later admitted that when he let others manage the team's daily operations, they became much more successful. The Braves were eventually sold by Time Warner in 2007.
Turner Enterprises and Conservation
Ted Turner owned a private company called Turner Enterprises, Inc. (TEI). This company managed his business interests, land, and investments. Ted was one of the largest private landowners in North America, owning about two million acres of land. He had 19 ranches, mostly in the western United States and Argentina.
These ranches are mainly used for raising bison. Ted's bison herd, with about 51,000 animals, is the largest private herd in the world! The company's goal is to manage his lands in a way that is good for both the economy and the environment. They also work to protect native wildlife like deer, wild turkeys, and quail. Some of his ranches are also used for fishing, hunting, and eco-tourism. His largest ranch, Vermejo Reserve in New Mexico, is huge, covering about 920 square miles.
Turner Enterprises also supports Ted's charitable work, including the United Nations Foundation and the Captain Planet Foundation. The company's headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, even has solar panels to generate clean energy.
Ted Turner's Views and Philanthropy
As a young man, Ted Turner was part of the Young Republicans. As an adult, his political views were described as supporting "progressive politics" and "humanistic values." He believed in protecting the environment and supported clean energy. For example, after an oil spill and a mining disaster, he suggested that we should focus on solar, wind, and geothermal power instead of drilling for oil and mining coal. Ted was also a strong supporter of universal healthcare, believing that all people should have access to medical care. He endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 United States presidential election.
Ted Turner was very passionate about environmental causes. He created the Turner Foundation to help solve global problems, especially those related to the environment and ensuring a healthy planet for everyone. He invested a lot of his own money into this foundation. He also met with other important leaders to discuss global issues like the environment and healthcare.
Personal Life
Ted Turner was married three times. His wives were Judy Nye, Jane Shirley Smith, and actress Jane Fonda. He had five children: Laura Turner Seydel, Robert Edward Turner IV, Beau Turner, Rhett Turner, and Jennie Turner Garlington. His children have often followed in his footsteps, working on charity and conservation projects. In 2010, Ted joined The Giving Pledge, promising to donate most of his wealth to charity after his passing. In 2008, he wrote a book called Call Me Ted, sharing stories about his career and personal life.
A Passion for Sailing
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Medal record
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Ted Turner loved sailing throughout his life. He started competing in sailing races at a young age. In 1966, he became a champion in the Southern Ocean Racing Conference. He tried to win the prestigious America's Cup in 1974. Then, in 1977, he successfully skippered the yacht Courageous to victory, winning the America's Cup! This was a huge achievement in the sailing world. He also won the 1979 Fastnet Race during a big storm. Ted Turner was honored for his sailing achievements by being inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame in 1993 and the National Sailing Hall of Fame in 2011.
Health and Passing
In 2018, Ted Turner shared that he had been diagnosed with Dementia with Lewy bodies, a type of brain disorder. His former wife, Jane Fonda, said that by talking about his health, he helped many others learn about the condition. Ted made his final public appearances at a celebration for former President Jimmy Carter in 2021 and his own 85th birthday in 2023. Ted Turner passed away at his home in Lamont, Florida, on May 6, 2026, at the age of 87.
Ted Turner's Legacy
Ted Turner is remembered as one of the most important people who changed the cable television industry. He was called "the Alexander the Great of broadcasting" by Slate magazine. He made TV news available 24 hours a day with CNN. He also created channels that brought classic movies, cartoons, and sports to millions of homes. Many other cable channels, like ESPN and MTV, followed his model.
Eric Bischoff, who worked with Ted in professional wrestling, praised him as an "inspirational leader" who was not afraid to take risks. Ted Turner's impact on sports was also huge. He turned the Atlanta Braves into a nationally loved team, often called "America's Team." He also helped local sports teams become famous across the country. In 2019, the campus where Turner Broadcasting System was located was renamed the Ted Turner Campus in his honor.
After his passing, The New York Times called him the creator of the "24-Hour News Cycle" and a key figure in media history. The BBC said his career was a "central part of the media landscape." Even former U.S. President Donald Trump paid tribute to him as "one of the greats of broadcast history." His former wife, Jane Fonda, described him as a "gloriously handsome, deeply romantic, swashbuckling pirate" who changed her life.
Awards and Honors
- 2014: Lifetime Achievement – Sports
- 2015: Lifetime Achievement – News & Documentary
Sports
- 1995: World Series champion (as owner of the Atlanta Braves)
- 1996: Atlanta Braves home ballpark (1996–2016) named Turner Field
- 2004: Commemorative banner at State Farm Arena honoring his tenure as owner of the Atlanta Hawks
Media
- 1984: Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement
- 1989: Paul White Award, Radio Television Digital News Association
- 1990: Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism.
- 1991: Time magazine's Man of the Year.
- 1997: Peabody Award winner
- 1999: Edison Achievement Award for his commitment to innovation throughout his career
- 2000: Edward R. Murrow Award for Lifetime Achievement in Communication
Halls of Fame
- 1992: Television Academy Hall of Fame inductee
- 2004: Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Organizational
- 1990: Humanist of the Year Award from the American Humanist Association
- 1991: Audubon medal from the National Audubon Society
- 2001: Albert Schweitzer Gold Medal for Humanitarianism
- 2010: Georgia Trustee, an honor given by the Georgia Historical Society, in conjunction with the Governor of Georgia
- 2013: Lone Sailor Award, which recognizes Navy, Marine and Coast Guard veterans who have distinguished themselves in their civilian careers (Turner was a Coast Guard veteran).
See also
In Spanish: Ted Turner para niños