Ted Turner, founder of CNN and media mogul, has died 0 8

Ted Turner, the media mogul who essentially launched the modern culture of 24-hour news by founding CNN, was 87 years old. His death was confirmed by family representative Philip Evans, according to BBC.

In 1980, Turner launched Cable News Network (CNN) — the first dedicated 24-hour news channel, which soon became an important part of the media landscape. U.S. President Donald Trump called him "one of the greatest figures in the history of broadcasting and a friend of mine."

"Whenever I needed him, he was there, always ready to fight for a good cause!" Trump stated.

CNN's CEO and chairman Mark Thompson described Turner as "a giant on whose shoulders we stand."

"Ted was an incredibly engaged and dedicated leader, fearless, bold, and always willing to take risks and trust his instincts," he said. "He was and will always be the soul of CNN."

In its early years, CNN faced mockery and skepticism, but the channel proved its worth by promptly and continuously covering events such as the assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1981 and the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986.

President George Bush once said he learned more from CNN than from the CIA.

In the 1990s, Turner sold TBS, which included CNN, to Time Warner Inc. CNN was far from Turner’s only project. He began his career by taking over the family outdoor advertising company after his father's suicide and then bought a radio station in Atlanta, Georgia. Within just ten years, that station became the foundation of Turner Broadcasting System (TBS), and its leader became one of the largest media moguls in the U.S.

Turner was also known for his bold personality, earning him the nicknames "The Mouth of the South" and "Captain Chaos." According to Thompson, he even lived at CNN headquarters for several years, often walking around the newsroom in a bathrobe, "eagerly awaiting the opportunity to discuss the news of the day."

Turner was married three times, most recently to actress Jane Fonda. However, their marriage ended in 2001.

In 1991, Turner was named Time magazine's Man of the Year for "influencing the dynamics of events and turning viewers in 150 countries into eyewitnesses to history."