Ted Turner tributes began broadcasting Wednesday after news broke of the CNN founder’s death, with lofty praise from Donald Trump, Rupert Murdoch and Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, who called the cable pioneer a “visionary,” “trailblazer” and “foundational force” behind many of the company’s brands.
“Ted’s entrepreneurial spirit, creative ambition and willingness to take risks changed the media industry forever,” Zaslav wrote in a memo to staff. “He believed deeply in the power of ideas, in doing things differently and in building platforms that could inform, inspire and connect people around the world. That belief inspired generations of leaders, myself included. He did not just disrupt media. He transformed it.”
He noted that CNN “fundamentally changed how the world experiences history in real time” despite many questioning the logic of its launch in 1980. Zaslav also praised Turner for helping to redefine sports television through the launch of TNT in 1988 and ensuring that “great films and the history of cinema would be preserved and celebrated” with the founding of Turner Classic Movies in 1994.
Additionally, Zaslav reflected on meeting Turner following the closing of the Warner Bros. Discovery merger in April 2022, where the pair discussed opportunities, challenges, stewarding the company’s brands and the “need to keep innovating in a constantly changing world.”
“Ted’s influence is woven throughout Warner Bros. Discovery. The brands he built and championed remain central to who we are, and they continue to reflect his belief in creative risk, cultural impact and global reach,” he added. “Through CNN, TCM, Turner Sports and across our portfolio, his vision remains present in the work our teams do every day.”
In a Truth Social post, President Trump called Turner “one of the Greats of All Time,” using the moment to bash CNN.
“He founded CNN, sold it, and was personally devastated by the Deal because the new ownership took CNN, his ‘baby,’ and destroyed it,” Trump wrote. “It became woke, and everything that he is not all about. Maybe the new buyers, wonderful people, will be able to bring it back to its former credibility and glory. Regardless, however, one of the Greats of Broadcast History, and a friend of mine. Whenever I needed him, he was there, always willing to fight for a good cause!”
Now 95, Murdoch launched Fox News in 1996 as a conservative alternative to CNN. The chairman emeritus of Fox Corp., one of Turner’s fiercest competitors, praised his longtime business rival with whom he maintained a friendship over the years.
“Ted Turner’s vision for 24-hour cable news transformed the media industry and gave viewers everywhere a front seat to witness history unfold,” Murdoch said. “His impact as a trailblazer has left an indelible mark on our cultural landscape. He was a great American and friend.”
Brian Roberts, Comcast chairman and co-CEO, remembered his early-career experiences working with the still-active cable TV titan. “I feel so fortunate to have been on his board of directors early in my career and to have learned so much from him,” Roberts said. “He was a true pioneer and an extraordinary philanthropist and his impact is profound and lasting.”
Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz shared the story of his time interviewing Turner in 2019 during the run-up to the 10th TCM Classic Film Festival, when he asked the mogul why he’s called a “maverick.”
“‘I don’t know why,’ he quickly interjected, ‘I don’t really feel like I was a maverick,’” Mankiewicz wrote. “Seldom had Ted Turner been so wrong. During our conversation, he allowed himself a brief moment of understated self-praise. ‘I was smart enough to think things through very carefully,’ he said. ‘I knew 24 hours news was going to work. I knew 24 hour classic movies was going to work.’”
In 2018, Turner publicly shared his Lewy body dementia diagnosis, though an official cause of death has not been confirmed. He is survived by five children, 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Zaslav expressed condolences to Turner’s family as well as the colleagues and partners whose lives and careers where shaped by his vision.
“It is our responsibility to honor and carry forward the legacy he built,” the memo concluded. “I’m grateful for his courage, his imagination and the lasting mark he leaves on Warner Bros. Discovery and the world.”
