Ted Turner was a “visionary” who reshaped the media landscape, some of the moguls who worked with, competed against and followed him are saying in tribute to the CNN and Turner Networks founder.
Turner, who died Wednesday at age 87, launched CNN in 1980 and helped build the cable business through the satellite transmission of his WTBS “superstation.” He would go on to found TNT, TCM and Cartoon Network before selling his media empire to Time Warner in 1995 for $6.5 billion.
“Ted was a visionary, a trailblazer and a foundational force behind many of the brands that are central to Warner Bros. Discovery today. Ted’s entrepreneurial spirit, creative ambition and willingness to take risks changed the media industry forever,” David Zaslav, president and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery — the current owner of the properties Turner built — wrote in a memo to WBD staff Wednesday. “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.” (Zaslav’s full memo is below.)
Mark Lazarus, the CEO of Versant and former president of Turner Sports, said that Turner “truly changed the trajectory of [the media] industry. Having worked with him, I saw firsthand his willingness to take risks and his belief that media could be something bigger and more impactful. He pushed all of us to think beyond what was comfortable. His legacy is not just in what he built, but in how he inspired others to build. The industry will be served well if we can all ‘find our inner Ted.’ He will be remembered for generations.”
Zaslav’s memo remembering Turner is below.
Team,
As many of you know, we lost Ted Turner today. Ted was a visionary, a trailblazer, and a foundational force behind many of the brands that are central to Warner Bros. Discovery today.
Ted’s entrepreneurial spirit, creative ambition and willingness to take risks changed the media industry forever. 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.
In 1980, many questioned the logic of launching CNN, the world’s first 24-hour news network. Ted believed the world deserved access to news as it happened, and he acted on that conviction. CNN fundamentally changed how the world experiences history in real time, and its impact on journalism continues to be felt every day through the work of our teams.
With the launch of TNT in 1988, and through the sports legacy he built across Turner Sports, he helped redefine sports television and created a platform that brought iconic moments into millions of homes. In founding Turner Classic Movies in 1994, Ted ensured that great films and the history of cinema would be preserved and celebrated. TCM stands as a testament to his belief that great storytelling has no expiration date, and that honoring the past is essential to shaping the future.
One of the moments I reflect on most often was meeting with Ted in Washington, D.C., following the close of the WarnerMedia and Discovery merger in April 2022. We talked about the opportunities and challenges ahead, the responsibility that comes with stewarding these extraordinary brands and the need to keep innovating in a constantly changing world. I think about that conversation often.
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. Through CNN, TCM, Turner Sports and across our portfolio, his vision remains present in the work our teams do every day.
Beyond media, Ted was a committed philanthropist who believed success should serve a broader purpose. He cared about journalism, culture, the environment and future generations, and he acted on those values throughout his life.
On behalf of our entire company, we extend our deepest condolences to Ted’s family and to the many colleagues and partners whose lives and careers were shaped by his vision. It is our responsibility to honor and carry forward the legacy he built.
Ted Turner changed our industry forever. I’m grateful for his courage, his imagination and the lasting mark he leaves on Warner Bros. Discovery and the world.
David
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