Ted Turner, the legendary media entrepreneur who founded CNN and revolutionized global television news, has died at the age of 87. According to a statement from Turner Enterprises, he passed away on Wednesday at his home in Atlanta, surrounded by close family members.

Born in Ohio, Turner launched the world’s first 24-hour news channel, CNN, on June 1, 1980, transforming the way news was delivered and consumed. Initially dismissed by many as unrealistic, CNN went on to become a trusted global news source, particularly after its live coverage of the 1991 Persian Gulf War, which earned Turner Time magazine’s ‘Man of the Year’ recognition.

Known as the “Mouth of the South” for his outspoken personality, Turner built a vast media empire after inheriting his family’s billboard business at age 24. He revealed in 2018 that he had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, a neurological disorder, and battled the illness for years. His death marks not only the passing of a pioneering entrepreneur but also the close of a defining chapter in global media history.