Ted Turner
Born 1938 · Age 87
American media entrepreneur, founder of CNN and Turner Broadcasting, philanthropist and conservationist.
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Life & Career Timeline
Birth of Robert Edward Turner III ("Ted Turner")
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio to Robert Edward Turner II and Florence (Rooney).
Family moved to Savannah, Georgia
Turner moved with family to Savannah and was raised Episcopalian.
Began competitive sailing
Started competing in junior regattas at Savannah Yacht Club (early sailing development).
Enrolled at Brown University
Entered Brown University; initial major was classics; active in debating and sailing.
Expelled from Brown University
Expelled for having a female student in his dormitory room; later joined U.S. Coast Guard Reserve to fulfill service obligation.
Joined Turner Advertising Company as account executive / GM
Returned to the South and became general manager of the Macon branch of his father's billboard business.
Took over Turner Advertising after father's suicide
Assumed presidency and CEO role of the family billboard business after his father's suicide; company reportedly worth $1 million then.
Second marriage to Jane Shirley Smith
Married Jane Shirley Smith (marriage lasted until 1988).
Sold radio stations to buy Atlanta UHF TV station WJRJ
Sold his radio holdings to fund purchase of struggling Atlanta UHF station (WJRJ, later WTCG).
Acquired Atlanta UHF station (WJRJ → WTCG)
Purchased the Atlanta independent UHF station; later rebranded to WTCG (Turner Communications Group).
Acquired rights to broadcast Atlanta Braves and Hawks games
By 1972 WTCG had rights to telecast Atlanta Braves and Hawks games to strengthen programming.
Purchased Atlanta Braves
Acquired Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves (used to provide programming for his station).
Purchased 5,000-acre plantation in Jacksonboro, SC
Bought the plantation for $2 million; began investing in land/ranching.
FCC permits satellite redistribution; WTCG becomes first Superstation
WTCG used satellite to transmit nationwide; rechristened WTCG-TV Superstation (later WTBS) and reached ~2 million subscribers; Turner's net worth rose to ~$100M.
Purchased Atlanta Hawks
Acquired NBA's Atlanta Hawks (partly to provide TV programming).
Skippered Courageous to win the America's Cup
Won the 1977 America's Cup as skipper of the yacht Courageous; appeared on Sports Illustrated cover July 4, 1977.
Obtained WTBS call sign from MIT for $50,000
Struck deal with MIT's student radio station (Technology Broadcasting System) to acquire rights to WTBS call letters for $50K.
Sold Charlotte station WRET to fund new venture
Sold WRET (Charlotte) in 1979 to help fund the launch of a 24-hour news network.
Launched Cable News Network (CNN)
Founded CNN, the world's first 24-hour television news channel; network debuted June 1, 1980.
Turner Broadcasting acquired Brut Productions
TBS acquired Brut Productions from Fabergé Inc.
Ted Turner becomes CEO of CNN
Replaced Reese Schonfeld as CEO of CNN after management disputes; Burt Reinhardt became president.
Expanded CNN internationally and invested in news tech
By mid-1980s CNN turned profitable and expanded with CNN International, CNN Radio; pioneered portable satellite 'flyaway' reporting gear.
Acquired MGM/UA Entertainment Co. for $1.5B (then kept library)
Purchased MGM/UA from Kirk Kerkorian for about $1.5 billion; later sold parts back, kept pre-May-1986 film/TV library and created Turner Entertainment (Aug 1986).
Founded the Goodwill Games
Launched international Goodwill Games (first held 1986) to ease Cold War tensions; used as sports programming for his networks.
Purchased Jim Crockett Promotions → Created WCW
Acquired Jim Crockett Promotions and rebranded it World Championship Wrestling (WCW), rival to WWF.
Launched Turner Network Television (TNT)
Introduced TNT as a national cable channel, premiered with Gone with the Wind.
Created Turner Tomorrow Fellowship
Launched fiction fellowship seeking positive solutions to global problems; Daniel Quinn's Ishmael won from 2,500 entries.
Founded the Turner Foundation and created Captain Planet
Turner Foundation (philanthropy focused on environment/population) founded; co-created animated Captain Planet series.
Acquired Hanna-Barbera; married Jane Fonda
Turner companies purchased Hanna-Barbera (creating content for future networks); married Jane Fonda (1991–2001).
Launched Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network launched using Turner-owned animation libraries including Hanna-Barbera and MGM-owned cartoons.
Founded Moscow Independent Broadcasting Corporation (MIBC)
Co-founded MIBC with Eduard Sagalajev; founded Russian channel TV-6 (later sold to private interests).
Launched Turner Classic Movies (TCM)
Established TCM to showcase classic films (including pre-1986 MGM library) in original formats.
Atlanta Braves win World Series under Turner ownership
Braves won 1995 World Series; Turner had turned the franchise into a national brand via WTBS broadcasts.
Turner Broadcasting merged into Time Warner; became Vice Chairman
Merger with Time Warner on Oct 10, 1996; Turner became vice chairman and head of cable networks; his stake made him largest individual shareholder.
Created Turner Endangered Species Fund
Launched fund (June 1997) to focus on conservation and imperiled species restoration on Turner lands.
Pledged up to $1 billion to the United Nations
Announced historic pledge (Sept 1997) leading to creation of the United Nations Foundation to broaden U.S. support for the UN.
United Nations Foundation created
UN Foundation established from Turner's pledge to support UN priorities and programs.
Turner named Broadcasting & Cable's 'Man of the Century' and other honors
Received numerous recognitions in late 1990s; continued philanthropic profile.
Co-founded Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) with Sam Nunn
Founded NTI to reduce global nuclear/chemical/biological threats; Turner serves as co-chair.
WCW sold to WWF (WWE) under AOL Time Warner
WCW, the wrestling promotion Turner acquired and built, was sold to WWF in 2001.
AOL acquires Time Warner (AOL Time Warner)
AOL purchased Time Warner on Jan 11, 2001; Turner initially supported the merger but later the stock crash cost him heavily.
Resignation-related turmoil and reorganization at AOL Time Warner
Turner's public conflicts with management (Gerald Levin) contributed to leadership changes; Richard Parsons became CEO early 2002.
Opened first Ted's Montana Grill
Launched restaurant chain (first location Columbus, Ohio) focused on bison meat and sustainable practices; partnered with George W. McKerrow Jr.
Resigned as AOL Time Warner Vice Chairman
Turner resigned as vice chairman in 2003 amid corporate restructuring and disputes.
Left Time Warner board of directors
Turner resigned from the Time Warner board (sources cite 2006).
Atlanta Braves (under Time Warner) sold to Liberty Media
The Braves were sold by Time Warner (which owned them post-merger) to Liberty Media in 2007.
Published autobiography Call Me Ted
Released memoir documenting career and personal life.
Signed The Giving Pledge
Joined Warren Buffett and Bill Gates' Giving Pledge, committing to give away majority of his wealth.
Inducted into National Sailing Hall of Fame
Recognized for sailing achievements (also America's Cup Hall of Fame in 1993); honored for lifetime sailing accomplishments.
Largest private landowner surpassed
By 2011 John C. Malone surpassed Turner; Turner remained one of the largest private landowners in the U.S.
Completed 25-panel solar array at Turner Building
Turner Enterprises completed a small solar array to provide renewable power to the Turner Building.
Received Lone Sailor Award
Recognized by the U.S. Navy Memorial for distinguished civilian career (Turner is a Coast Guard Reserve veteran).
Awarded Lifetime Achievement – Sports Emmy
Received the Sports Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award (2014).
Awarded Lifetime Achievement – News & Documentary Emmy
Received Lifetime Achievement Award in News & Documentary (2015).
Launched Ted Turner Reserves hospitality venture
Opened Ted Turner Reserves inviting public to visit multiple Turner-owned properties (~1 million acres across locales).
Forbes 400 Lifetime Achievement Award for Philanthropy
Received Forbes 400 Lifetime Achievement Award for Philanthropy (2016).
Osage Nation purchased Bluestem Ranch
Sold 43,000-acre Bluestem Ranch in Osage County, Oklahoma; Turner had purchased it in 2001 to raise bison.
Disclosed Lewy body dementia diagnosis
Revealed diagnosis of Lewy body dementia in a 2018 CBS interview.
Turner Enterprises reported land & bison herd scale
TEI reported managing ~1.91 million acres and approximately 51,000 bison (largest private herd worldwide); TEI manages 24 properties across U.S. & Argentina.
Ted's Montana Grill restaurant footprint reported
Ted's Montana Grill operating dozens of locations (site mentions 39 restaurants operating as of source snapshot).
Recognized as major philanthropist and environmentalist
Continued chairing the UN Foundation and co-chairing NTI; Turner Enterprises oversees conservation, renewable projects, and bison ranching.
Key Achievement Ages
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