The city of Atlanta lost one of its most influential figures on Wednesday as media mogul Ted Turner died at the age of 87. Turner, the visionary founder of CNN and the driving force behind Turner Broadcasting, helped shape Atlanta into a national media and sports powerhouse through his ownership of the Braves, Hawks, and the creation of cable television giants like TBS. Turner Enterprises confirmed his death Wednesday morning after a lengthy battle with Lewy body dementia.
Turner’s impact on Atlanta sports is impossible to overstate. After purchasing the Atlanta Braves in 1976, he transformed the franchise into “America’s Team” by broadcasting games nationwide on TBS. The exposure gave the Braves a massive national following long before the team’s dynasty years of the 1990s. Turner also owned the Atlanta Hawks, further cementing his role as one of the city’s most recognizable sports figures. His bold personality even led to memorable moments with the Braves organization, including briefly managing the team himself during the 1977 season before being stopped by Major League Baseball.
Beyond sports, Turner revolutionized television and global news by launching CNN in 1980, creating the world’s first 24-hour news network. Operating from Atlanta, CNN changed the way audiences consumed breaking news and helped establish the city as a worldwide media hub. Turner’s broadcasting empire expanded with the rise of TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, and Turner Classic Movies, turning Atlanta into the center of a cable television revolution.
Known as both “Captain Outrageous” and “The Mouth of the South,” Turner became one of the most recognizable entrepreneurs in America through his larger-than-life personality, philanthropy, and willingness to challenge the traditional media landscape. While his influence stretched far beyond Georgia, his legacy will forever remain deeply tied to Atlanta: A city he helped elevate onto the global stage through sports, television, and journalism.
